“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority. There is no worse heresy than that the office sanctifies the holder of it”.
John Dalberg-Acton
Never has this quote been more applicable than to The Spine of Night. However, it speaks to a truth in the nature of man. We have seen this come to pass, time and time again. Leaders become dictators as they clinch what power remains with every force at their disposal, doing unspeakable things to those that wish to stop them, to stop the tyranny and live peaceful lives. What should happen if evil were to obtain the ultimate power? Regardless of intention or initial purpose, evil has a tendency to find a way into the hearts of the power-hungry, in those that crave more.
The Spine of Night is a heady exploration into the corruption of those who thirst for power. Leaning on an art style made famous by the likes of Ralph Bakshi (Wizards, Fire and Ice and The Lord of the Rings (1977)), and more recently Richard Linklater (A Scanner Darkly), but here it allows our directors, Morgan Galen King and Phillip Galett to bring to life a world rich with life, scope and danger, something that would have otherwise been out of the reach of their budget. I am, of course, referring to the art of Rotoscoping, where live actors are filmed and then their actions are drawn over to lend a natural fluidity to an animated feature. It does look fantastic, but this is a laborious undertaking, with The Spine of Night itself taking approximately 8 years to complete, but the commitment to this process and the passion for the subject shine through every scene.
It is ugly and beautiful in equal measure, but despite a few flaws, it is near essential viewing, if only to experience this film just once.
There are times when the rotoscoping does show its limitations, but these are minor quibbles in a film that is both exquisite and relentless in its pursuit of the vulgarity of war. The way that life is cheap to those that wield command, as long as they remain in power, who cares how many die.
It’s in this ugly side that The Spine of Night revels in its sadistic and gore-filled action. Limbs are lobbed, torsos split in a single swing of a sword and fire consumes flesh at every given opportunity. It is cruel and unflinching in its execution, refusing to turn away, to spare its audience from the viciousness of death in battle. It is ugly, even grotesque in parts, and although it does feel exploitative early in proceedings (as in “Hey, look how gross this animation is”), this soon gives way to the hollow tragedy that many of the characters feel as an unrelenting evil scars the land in their own insatiable thirst for power.
The disc itself (presented by Shudder but released by Acorn Media International) carries a few surprises, including two short films by Morgan Galen King, Mongrel and Exordium, the latter being an exceptional piece, part of which makes it into the movie itself. The “Making of” is also well worth a watch for anyone that enjoys the main feature. It not only shows how the film was made, but we also get a closer look at those that undertook this epic journey that would take close to a decade to complete, showing the personalities and how their lives influenced what we eventually see in the finished film. The Spine of Night is a huge achievement and a shining example of what can be done with a singular vision and an unflinching focus to see it through. It is ugly and beautiful in equal measure, but despite a few flaws, it is near essential viewing, if only to experience this film just once.
THE SPINE OF NIGHT IS OUT NOW ON ACORN DVD & BLU-RAY
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THE SPINE OF NIGHT is also streaming on Shudder
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