Joanna Quinn is a highly under-appreciated filmmaker not often talked about outside of the animation circle. Not only is she a brilliant draftsman and storyteller in her own regard, but a lot of her films delve into topics that many filmmakers don't even tackle, such as body positivity and maturity through living freely. However, in regards to her more family oriented work, Famous Fred comes to mind immediately. Based on the children's book by cartoonist Posy Simmonds, the film has remained fairly obscure as only having aired on England's Channel 4. This is a real shame since the special itself is a lot of fun in its own right.
The main storyline revolves around the passing of family cat Fred, in which siblings Sophie and Nick discover how big of a deal their favorite feline was to many other kittens and tomcats alike. While the special does take a little while to really get going at first, the overall plot manages to tell so much about just one unordinary feline in just under 30 minutes. Hearing all the different perspectives from the cats and animals that knew Fred as a rockstar, be it personally or professionally, the film becomes more and more interesting with just how far celebrity status can reach in even the smallest circles. It makes it even funnier when one considers how the main reactives to all these different creatures are Sophie and Nick, since human beings learning more about their pet's lives feels more believable from the minds of two naive children than any adult. Not to mention, the special seems to favor the children's POV over the adults anyway, as they're mainly just shown to be standard reactions to Fred's everyday cat routines. The endless wonders of childhood innocence never cease to amaze people.
As far as art direction goes, the film feels exactly like a children's book come to life, from simplified albeit graphically pleasing backgrounds to minimal character designs. The modern day English setting works as a solid contrast between the flashbacks of Fred's life, which go in a more brightly saturated backdrop to emphasize Fred's outstanding rock & roll career. The character animation is also very smooth and dynamic, showcasing some beautifully coordinated dance moves and specific acting from any given character. It also works well when even comparing the human movements to the anthropomorphized animals, they all feel like they belong in the same world. Lastly, the few musical numbers in the film would not have been nearly as memorable without comedian Lenny Henry delivering them with robust finesse, as well as doing a splendid job voicing Fred in his rockstar alter ego. Helped with Tom Courtenay as Fred's overly anxious manager Kenneth and David Robb as the nostalgic Ginger, and you've got a cast putting their all into the memories of a rock & roll star with nine lives.
Though it might seem aimed more at adults than children, Famous Fred is a charmingly hysterical tale of remembering a special someone that ordinary people would not have thought much of at first glance. If you've yet to check this out, definitely give it a go at some point, and maybe even introduce it to your children. They might not get every single reference at first, but the sheer unapologetic sincerity from how fame makes and breaks someone is all intact in this otherwise family oriented tale of two children discovering more about their pet cat. It's unique, funny, shocking, and above all else, adorable.
