Kooky's Return: Machinarium, Samorost designer turns to film

For the past seven years, Czech creator Jakub 'Amanita' Dvorský has been behind some of indie/adventure gaming's most striking designs, most recently and notably with his rust-washed pen-and-ink point & click Machinarium (featured here on Boing Boing several months back). There's typically a too-long pregnant pause after each of his games is completed where we wait to hear where he's going to take us next, but his latest answer comes sooner than later and is a surprising one, as he announces that he's turning his attention instead to film. Directed by the BAFTA nominated Jan Sverák and due for release later this year, Kooky's Return sees Dvorský handling character and puppet design for the "real life experience" of the movie's eponymous teddy bear protagonist. While it might seem an unexpected turn for the designer, watching the trailer above -- newly translated into English -- shows off exactly the same sensibilities he made his signature with his debut Samorost adventures: twisted, dirty, but basically adorable characters in a broke-down, rusted and gnarled woodland world. Alongside the trailer update, the film's official English site has just opened, where you'll find more information, making-of photos, and some of Dvorský's hand drawn character art -- all we need now is a date for an eventual stateside festival debut.

• [Anonymous]

  Your tauntaun will freeze before you make the first marker.

• [daen]

  When I saw that first photo, just for a moment I thought it was a steampunk version of the Danish children’s TV show “Bamse og Kylling” … https://www.imusic.dk/gfx/item/reference/011/5709901155011.jpg

• [veduuu]

  and I would also mention that JAN SVERAK won the academy award for best foreign movie in 1996 for KOLYA

• [rrh]

  Finally, he’s putting that talent into making real art.

  • [Anonymous]

    @rrh if you think computer games aren’t capable of being ‘real art’ then you’re very much mistaken.

• [Anonymous]

  This film is great, i personally know the DOP, hwo worked on it, and i must say, he did a great job… :)

  Finally the czech art of puppetry is going to be more appreciated.

• [Anonymous]

  Finally here’s the new Kooky trailer with Engish dubbing.
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBQbkbnj780

• [m2mroz]

  @daen When I saw the picture, I thought the Maromi from Satoshi Kon’s Paranoia Agent found its way into movies ;)

  http://animeprincess.kokidokom.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/paranoia_agent.png

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Paranoia_Agent_characters#Maromi

  Watching the trailer, meh…