Norman McLaren Movies

An hand drawn animation merged from two originally separate films. (The films were originally drawn in 1940)

An animated victory bond message with the advice, "Don't cash in your bonds."

This 1967 footage shows McLaren at a computer with Evelyn Lambart, Rene Pardo and two other technicians, followed by the animation test some call Birdlings. McLaren found computers still too primitive for his needs and continued to explored the optical printer in Pas De Deux, Synchromy and...

In this fifth part, Norman McLaren deals not with motion (if motion is defined as a change of location in two- or three-dimensional space) but with change--change in the amount and color of light within an otherwise static screen. Normally, the animator combines such change with motion, but here it...

Featuring a voiceover. 1944 test inspired by surrealist painter Yves Tanguy, an improvised moving growing landscape in a surrealistic manner.

In this short animation film, Norman McLaren presents the first 3 of the 5 categories of motion: constant, accelerated and decelerated. Various types of acceleration and deceleration are demonstrated, and examples are shown of how these types of motion may be applied in regard to gesture, gravity...

In 1966, McLaren began a metamorphic film in which he explored the light and colour of Canada in this unfinished film.

One of a series of French-Canadian folk songs, this film was illustrated by Norman McLaren for the Chants populaires series. White gouache drawings on black cards were photographed with overlapping ‘zooms’ to suggest the forward movement of a canoe along rivers and lakes. This film appears in...

Made during WWII

This animated short by Norman McLaren is a publicity message for a war bond campaign. Symbols, a stick man and lettering are drawn directly on 35mm film stock and synchronized with a brass band rendition of Sousa's march "The Thunderer."

An unfinished animated short by Norman McLaren.

Grant Munro dances to New Orleans jazz music.

Amateur footage, probably filmed by Norman McLaren, of a group of his friends on a visit to his parents' home in Stirling.

Compilation of McLaren's Blurr technique.

The first thematic mini documentary about revolutionary filmmaker Norman McLaren.

Norman McLaren attempts to give the opening speech for the first Montreal International Film Festival, but his microphone won't cooperate.

Advertising cartoon showing advantages of using gas supply and gas cookers.

"Là-haut sur ces montagnes" sung by Madeleine Lachance is illustrated with drawings and in "C'est l'aviron" a boat sails to the rhythm of the melody in a nostalgic and distant landscape.

New Yorkers watch as Norman McLaren's animated promotional film for Canadian tourism plays on the giant pixelboard overlooking Times Square. The caption below the board reads: "Canada... Wonderful World At Your Doorstep". McLaren himself is a member of the crowd.