The Redemption and Re-Animation of Ryan Larkin

January 6, 2007 2:41 PM

The Re-Animation of Ryan Larkin.
Ryan Larkin, the subject of Chris Landreth's haunting animated short Ryan, has returned to animation after twenty five years of life on the street in Montreal with three station IDs that aired on MTV Canada on Christmas Day. And now he is at work on a new animated short, Spare Change--inspired by his panhandling days outside Schwartz's on The Main--where you can help with the film's funding by contributing via PayPal. (more within)
posted by y2karl (10 comments total)

Both disgruntled and myopicman have posted about Ryan previously, upon the occasion of the short's release and the announcement of its Oscar win in February 2005. And note the comment by Mikel in the latter thread. There's some great background in the links in myopicman's post, which I will forego reposting, apart from Last Exit on St. Laurent Street: The Wonderfully Fucked Up World of Ryan Larkin, 'cause it deserves it.

And here, via the miracle of YouTube is Chris Landreth's Ryan Part 1 and Ryan Part 2. Here, too, is Landreth's Bingo. And here are Ryan Larkin's Street Musique, Syrinx and Walking.

I checked Ryan out from the library a few weeks ago and it has haunted me ever since. To find out about his return and redemption has been a mitzvah for me.
posted by y2karl at 2:42 PM on January 6, 2007 [1 favorite]

Regarding Ryan :

"created and animated without the use of live-action footage, rotoscoping or motion capture... but instead from an original, personal, hand animated three-dimensional world which Chris calls 'psychological realism.' "

I did not know that until last night. That is just amazing.
posted by y2karl at 2:58 PM on January 6, 2007

No motion capture, no nothing? Awesome. It really is one of the best things I've seen in 3d animation, and usually 3d animation leaves me cold. Those horrible Pixar things, for example, little soulless lumps of cack that they are. But this is so imaginative, so alive, so full of character.
posted by fleetmouse at 3:09 PM on January 6, 2007

I've never heard of either Larkin or Landreth. Wow, I never knew people could draw like that. This is stunning. Thanks, y2karl.
posted by Pastabagel at 5:41 PM on January 6, 2007

This is great news; I was hoping that Ryan wasn't a tribute to a lost talent but a way to inspire a 2nd chance. I'm poking about the MTV site to see if I can watch what Larkin's come back with, and I can't wait to see how Spare Change turns out.

Time to recover my PayPal password (again)...
posted by myopicman at 5:47 PM on January 6, 2007

I liked Walking and loved Syrinx, but Street Musique is mind-blowing. Wow.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 6:49 PM on January 6, 2007

Beautiful and touching post y2karl. Thank you! I'd never heard of Ryan Larkin and really love his work. Syrinx is exquisite. That opening sequence is stunning. But yes, Street Musique really is mind-blowing.

How good he is finding his way off the street and creating again. I wish him peace of mind and success.
posted by nickyskye at 7:05 PM on January 6, 2007

thanks, y2karl.
posted by shoepal at 9:12 PM on January 6, 2007

I'm really glad to hear this. Thanks for sharing.
posted by Evstar at 9:12 AM on January 7, 2007

Larkin lived under my sister's veranda for a couple of winters; he's a sweet man, seemingly terribly burdened by addiction and other demons. I've not seen him since I moved away from Montreal -- 'tho I hear it was rather disgusting how his newfound 'fame' has caused the usual parasites to circle; particularly the movie industry people who want to buy him drinks and blow -- I hear he's doing okay, largely sober and back to work. Fingers crossed.
posted by docgonzo at 10:58 AM on January 7, 2007