Help me identify this Canadian National Film Board animated short.

September 22, 2008 9:31 PM

Help me identify this Canadian National Film Board animated short.

I searched the previous NFB questions (there are many!) and the NFB site, but I can't find this one. Doesn't help that I don't know its name.

It's Native themed, with drums in the beginning and end, and a kind of weird organ tone playing the chorus. The only depiction I really recall is about three quarters the way through it shows oil being found and a bunch of oil men clutching barrles to their chest as they walk, eyes spinning crazy with greed. It's a jaunty tune, though, and realizing how poor this description is, I hit an online keyboard and somewhat painstakingly learned it. Can't guarantee I'm in the right key, though. Single letters are quarter notes. Eighth notes have a dash between.

C C E F-G
E-G-A A# A# A-G-F G G C

In case anyone is a whiz with music and sound files and not so much the CFB, and other people vice versa, anyone who would post this as a small sound file would also have my undying gratitude. Thanks!

posted by Durn Bronzefist to media & arts (4 comments total)

I think it's the Canada Vignettes short called "Dance". Unfortunately, the NFB only has a clip in Realvideo, so there's no way to be sure.
posted by teg at 12:01 AM on September 23, 2008

Before I even hummed the notes, I knew the one you were looking for - I once saw a Canadian comedy troupe do a whole bit on how catchy this song is. Anyway, it is the Dance vignette. I've dumped the Realplayer stream and posted it to Youtube, where you can clearly hear the part you're referencing around 0:07.
posted by pocams at 5:04 AM on September 23, 2008

Brilliant! Fish in a bucket, potatoes into french fries. I don't know why I didn't remember these things, they're so iconic in this style.

Really, I'm terribly impressed. I wasn't sure anyone was going to get this. Cheers.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 7:38 PM on September 23, 2008

Huh, bizarre. You can buy it from the NFB for the whopping price of $14.95 -- but only on VHS.
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 7:45 PM on September 23, 2008