To help complete the magical book, brendan must overcome his deepest fears on a dangerous quest into the enchanted forest where he meets aisling, a mysterious young girl. The secret of kells t omm moores oscarnominated animation, set in 9thcentury ireland, reimagines the story of kells abbey, where the fabled book of kells was produced. The secret of kells where to stream and watch decider. After a viking raid, the book was moved to kells, ireland, sometime in the 9th century. With evan mcguire, brendan gleeson, mick lally, christen mooney. The secret of kells is a 2009 frenchbelgianirish animated fantasy film animated by cartoon saloon that premiered on 8 february 2009 at the 59th berlin international film festival.
Find out where the secret of kells is streaming, if the secret of kells is on netflix, and get news and updates, on decider. Follow 12yearold brendan voice of evan mcguire as he battles vikings and confronts an ancient serpent god on a mission to locate a legendary crystal and complete the mythical book of kells. Book of kells was probably produced early in the 9th century by the monks of iona, working wholly or partially at iona itself or at kells, county meath, where they moved after 806 ad, the book of kells trinity college library dublin turning darkness into light when iona was attacked by vikings in a raid which left sixtyeight monks dead. History, myth and legend collide in this fullcolour illustrated storybook of the animated feature brendan and the secret of kells. I was hoping the travelers would spend time examining the book of kells.
What does this possibly have to do with the secret of kells, one of this years oscar nominees for best animated feature. Brendan, a young apprentice scribe, lives under the shadow of his strict uncle, abbot cellach, and is forbidden from leaving the abbey walls. Old fangs somewhere down the line the ledge end of phil i can also reco. She has been with aidan for a very long time, and, as implied by the prequel comic, may have even been with aidans teacher, st. Twelveyearold brendans life in the monastery at kells is not very exciting until aidan arrives. Here is a film about a young and very brave medieval monk named brendan, a sacred book, a storied monastery, a fairy girl, an alarming creature and a forest containing little nuts that make brilliant. Tomm moores christians, pagans, fairy girls and beasts. Thanks to jerry beck for this photo from comiccon of the designing the secret of kells books arriving at comic con. The secret of kells has at its heart the story of the reallife book of kells, the illuminated manuscript created more than a millennium ago in a. The book of kells and the old library exhibition dublin. It was simple yet amazingly intricate, and called back to the medieval illuminations by which it was inspired, particularly the illustrations in the famous book of kells. Magic, fantasy, and celtic mythology come together in a riot of color and detail that dazzle the eyes in a sweeping story about the power of imagination and faith to carry humanity through dark times. Beautifully drawn and refreshingly calm, the secret of kells hearkens back to animations golden age with an.
To help complete the magical book, brendan has to overcome. Pangur ban is a white cat from the movie the secret of kells. The secret of kells is an absolutely magical story, with the most delicately beautiful animation i have seen. Secret of kells takes on animation big boys in oscar. Released in february of 2005, the secret of kells was an irishbelgian coproduction that went on to garner various nominations and awards in film festivals, including an academy award nomination for best animated feature.
The secret of kells is an absolutely fabulous, delightful, fanciful animated movie about young brendan who lives in the abbey of kells, where he becomes the great illuminator of the book of kells. You can sort of hedge around, with its kind of this. But a new life of adventure beckons when a celebrated master illuminator arrives from foreign lands carrying an ancient but unfinished book, brimming with secret wisdom and powers. The book of kells is a famous illuminated latin manuscript containing the four gospels of the new testament combined with beautiful illumination. The book of kells by bruno coulais brendan and the secret of kells.
A young boy in a remote medieval outpost under siege from barbarian raids is beckoned to adventure when a celebrated master illuminator arrives with an ancient book, brimming with secret wisdom and powers. The films final image is a poetic paean to the books living power a power that the secret of kells, like aisling, recognizes without, perhaps, fully understanding. Buy designing the secret of kells by tomm moore, ross stewart, eloise scherrer isbn. The secret of kells official us page home facebook. The book of kells isnt the only illuminated manuscript in the socalled insular style. You should look for more projects from cartoon saloon, the irish animation company behind the secret of kells and song of the sea. The book of kells, one of the great treasures of medieval europe, is an illuminated manuscript gospel book in latin, containing four gospels of. It went into wide release in belgium and france on 11 february, and ireland on 3 march. While some art books end up focusing on one aspect of its respective movie, desiging the secret of kells explores not only how the creators painstakingly captured its beautiful art style, but also looks into character design, production process, story boarding and writing, and much more. The secret of kells is a perfectly unique animated film, literally unlike anything else i can think to name. It was stolen in the 11th century, at which time its cover was torn off and it was thrown into a ditch. The secret of kells is a stunning handdrawn animated film that draws on the history of the book of kells and on celtic mythology to create a mysterious and beautiful origin tale for that book, a work of religious, artistic, and cultural significance in ireland. While its not a faithful historical account of the creation of the book of kells it is a. Nominated for best animated feature in 2009, where it lost to up from pixar, which has won six of the last eight such awards.
Monks from the original monastery founded by st columba also set up other monastic communities including. I would have liked the story to delve more into the original scribes who created the plates. The idea was to look at the book of kells and medieval art in general and to try and translate that into a style that would suit 2d animation. The 2009 animated film the secret of kells tells a fictional story of the creation of the book of kells by an elderly monk aidan and his young apprentice brendan, who struggle to work on the manuscript in the face of destructive viking raids. The academy award nomination for the secret of kells hints at the films brilliance. Charles hedges david sargent xicheng huang myduyen pham 2. The secret of kells is a fictional interpretation of the history behind the famous book of kells. The secret of kells, directed by tomm moore, concerns the book of kells, a medieval illuminated manuscript that ranks among the most important artifacts of irish civilization. This exciting story is brought to life through stunning visuals and includes a section of facts about the real book of kells. Apprenticed in the scriptorium of the monastery, brendan hears the other monks talk of brother aidan, creator of the book of iona, and becomes curious about the. The secret of kells recounts the story of brendan, a young boy living with his uncle, who is the abbot of the city of kells, a small irish community that is under construction as a.
I first saw the secret of kells a few years ago and immediately fell in love with the art style. The secret of kells tweet share post bookmark subscribe understanding the struggle of youth is a difficult one especially for filmmakers, who are mostly adults and, as such, have lost. In the cave of the history, myth and legend collide in this fullcolour illustrated storybook of the animated feature brendan and the secret of kells. Which movies are visually similar to the secret of kells. A long time ago i watched a magical animated short film about a young monk in a monastery set in dark ages ireland.
To help complete the magical book, brendan has to overcome his deepest fears on a dangerous quest that takes him into the enchanted forest. With over 2000 of the oldest books housed in this gorgeous library, plus the book of kells, the 9th century gospel manuscript, what else could you ask for. However, the author does a weak job of relating much history. With as many disparate styles of animation there are in the world, between movies and television programs and the internet, its still impossible to say, kells is just like that. The secret of kells by tomm moore tomm moore, evan. Parents need to know that the secret of kells is an oscarnominated animated movie thats too intense for preschoolers and even young elementary schoolaged kids. Come down and get one signed today or any day until sunday. To help complete the magical book, brendan has to overcome his deepest fears on a dangerous quest that takes him into the enchanted forest where mythical creatures hide. Brother aidan tells brendan to bring the book to the people to give them hope in dark days, and even aisling, as noted above, acknowledges the books luminous power. The book of kells and trinity college had been on my must see list for years.
Steeped in irish folklore, the movie includes scenes of barbarian invaders sweeping through towns, terrorizing and killing people with their swords and axes as they go. An introduction to the book of kells and the beautiful film the secret of kells made by the studio cartoon saloon. The book of kells was probably produced in a monastery on the isle of iona, scotland, to honor saint columba in the early 8th century. In a remote medieval outpost of ireland, young brendan embarks on a new life of adventure when a celebrated master illuminator arrives from foreign lands carrying a book brimming with secret. But a new life of adventure beckons when a celebrated master illuminator arrives from foreign lands carrying an ancient but unfinished book. The art style of this movie i found very intriguing, with all the patterns and designs. Film guide a film guide that looks at the secret of kells 2009, exploring its key topics and themes through informal discussion. The secret of kells tells the story of the construction of this mythical book from the eyes of a kid named brendan and his version of the world, his thoughts while growing, the people he meets and all the knowledge and experiences he acquires. These study notes are suitable for ks2 history, literacy and art. Young brendan lives in a remote medieval outpost under siege from barbarian raids. Set in a remote abbey in medieval ireland, the secret of kells follows the adventures of a boy a young monk in training as he works with an illuminator to finish the book of kells, the latin. The secret of kells trailer new original animation youtube. The secret of kells is about a boy named brendan who finds out about what is outside the walls of kells, which holds deep, dark secrets that little people know.
The secret of kells might rush it plot, but it visuals and what it culturally shares are mesmerizing. Brendan lives in a heavily fortified medieval outpost known as the abbey of kells, where the ongoing threat of viking raids causes the peaceful monks to live in a state of constant fear. At the start of the movie, abbot cellach appears big and mean, and wants full authority over brendan. I have seen the actual book of kells and i know it will never be digitized. From the stifling restrictions of abbey life during the time of the viking raiders, a young monk finds life and magic and danger when he escapes to the woods, and finds a kindred spirit. The story it tells is of brendan, a young novice monk living at the monastery of kells and the book of iona which would eventually become known as the book of kells.
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