The Midnight Parasites is a short psychedelic animation directed by Yoji Kuri. This wonderfully strange 9-minute film, created in 1972, has been regarded as a precursor to René Laloux's acclaimed 1973 animation, Fantastic Planet. The Midnight Parasites takes place in a desolate, alien landscape where many strange beings interact. Some of the creatures are kind and others are destructive. Watching it feels like peeking into Kuri's mind and watching a beautiful and scary fever dream. The originality and raw creativity in this animation is awe-inspiring.
"A leading figure within the landscape of independent animation in Japan, Kuri's work played an important role in shaping the unique sensibilities of Japanese animation in the 1960s. Often recognised as the leader of the highly influential artist collective called the 'Animation Association of Three', Kuri's approach to animation conducted a radical examination of the artistic frameworks through which contemporary animators were viewing the world around them."
