In the realm of “adult animation” there are few peers for René Laloux, whose reputation could rest almost entirely on Fantastic Planet. Making notable the 4K restoration of The Time Masters, his superbly entertaining 1982 sci-fi feature based on the work of Fantastic Planet author Stefan Wul, designed by Mœbius and co-written by France’s supreme crime novelist, Jean-Patrick Manchette. Janus Films will being a roll-out of said restoration at the IFC Center on July 26 (likely ahead of a Criterion disc), and with it comes a trailer.
Here’s the official synopsis: “Directed by visionary sci-fi animator René Laloux (Fantastic Planet) and designed by the legendary Jean Giraud (a.k.a. Mœbius), The Time Masters is a trippy, visually fantastic foray into existentialist space adventure. After his parents are killed on the dangerous planet Perdide, young Piel (voiced by Frédéric Legros) survives by maintaining radio contact with Jaffar (Jean Valmost), a pilot transporting the exiled Prince Matton (Yves-Marie) and Princess Belle (Monique Thierry) from their former kingdom. Jaffar seeks the help of Silbad (Michel Elias), a cheerful old-timer who knows how to circumvent Perdide’s hazards, including brain-devouring insects and watery graves. Along the way, Jaffar and company encounter a pair of impish homunculi stowaways, identity-less angels controlled by an amorphous hive mind, and the Masters of Time, mysterious beings who can bend reality and perhaps reveal to the heroes their secret origins and destinies.”
Find preview and poster below:
