Short Subject: Log Driver’s Waltz (1979)

Happy 148^th birthday to Canada!  Let’s celebrate by looking at some classic Canadian content.

 

And what a classic this short is too with its wonderful catchy folk song written by Wade Hemsworth.  The nods to Canadian motifs like toques, the moose and the beaver, and the log drive itself that was a staple of the Canadian economic at the turn of the 20^th century because of the large use of timber. 

I love the animation used here with the transitions from live action to the cartoon, the swift dance movements of the lead log driver, and I find the rendering of the water to be particularly impressive.  There are funny bits too with the girl’s parents and the other log driver’s on the river and the character designs themselves with their large expressive eyes.  

I honestly have no complaints about this short at all.  It’s nicely paced with a simple fun story sung by great singers, Kate and Anna McGarrigle accompanied by the Mountain City Four.  It’s funny, the animation is very enjoyable and I like that it’s clearly Canadian and proud to be so; truly one of the treasures to be released in the National Film Board’s Canadian Vignette series.