Fantastic Planet (1973) - 9/10

What a treat this is! From the lusciously evocative prog score, to the fluid hand drawn animation, you’re pulled immediately into the titular planet. A place where humans aren’t at the top of the food chain, that pedestal is instead taken by a much larger, hairless race with blue skin, red eyes and gills for ears. They are the Draag, a peaceful, meditating, well intentioned bunch, amused by the smaller creatures they call Om. When a baby Om is orphaned by some callous Draag children killing his mother, a Draag youngster, Tiwa takes him on as a pet and names him Terr. He’s our focus, narrating for us as we learn that his species has been brought to the planet and now appears to pose some low level threat to the societies productivity. Terr is a mere play thing in Tiwa’s red eyes, but as she’s educated, Terr learns of his masters psychedelic world too and escapes, only to find himself in a community of wild Om’s who hunt, scavenge and fight rival Om clans to survive. Can what Terr has learnt, protect him and all Om’s in this harsh environment as the Draag plot to rid the planet of them. It’s beautifully drawn and deftly animated, but it’s the style that’s most arresting. The colours, the pencil marks, it’s both dated and timeless, a pure explosion of imagination and well worthy of its classic status. A must see masterpiece.

9/10