Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

A deep and gripping exploration of an obscure Oscar-nominated internet viral funny little shell with googly eyes (and shoes on)

You’ll notice that this isn’t a video game - assuming that at this point in time, I’ve kept up the charade that this blog is mostly used to chronicle my thoughts on video games. But what I really want this blog to be is a landing point for my feelings - a place where I can articulate the feelings something evokes in me and how those feelings inspire my own art - and I’ve just seen this movie, and I really want to talk about it.

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is a stop motion animated mockumentary that showcases the titular character’s life from the perspective of an amateur filmmaker. I didn’t really know anything about the film other than the title and the medium when I stepped into the cinema - and I think that endearing mystery kind of led me to falling in love with the movie even more?

This movie, right off the bat, plays with two of my favourite narrative devices - mockumentaries… and being really dang small. Ever since I first watched Parks and Recreation I’ve been obsessed with the mockumentary format - it’s so subtly expert at being both a device for comedy and genuine character building. It’s a format that bridges the gap between writing and script - allowing the audience to directly hear the character’s thoughts presented in ways that wouldn’t really make any sense. In this scenario, whilst it obviously makes sense with the movie’s premise, it also works so well at creating a supremely intimate space. There are things Marcel says through the voice over in this movie that wouldn’t function as character dialogue without being incredibly pretentious - but mockumentaries sort of remove that barrier, and let us hear Marcel’s inner thoughts when contextually relevant, therefore inviting the audience in. This movie is so cosy and warm and yet spacious because the perspective gives the audience space to think in the confessional silence, and react along with the characters.

With regards to the tiny viewpoint of the movie, I think my adoration for that came with one of my greatest gaming loves: Pikmin. This whole movie exudes my favourite aspects of the world-building in Pikmin, actually! In those games, you play as a tiny astronaut exploring an abandoned Earth, investigating and trying to make use of what once was human. Whilst the scenario of Marcel is way less grim, it hits very similar vibes. It allows us, the audience, to see what we interact with on a daily basis in a completely different way - flowerpots becoming gardens, staircases becoming parkour challenges. Marcel takes this idea and lathers it with a light, fluffy coating of indie cinematography and child-like whimsicality that makes everything feel magical and unknown. This movie is so intimately alien yet human, and so viscerally visual. I have aphantasia, so I can’t really visualise, but once I got home from the movie I was imagining how would Marcel try and navigate my messy desk - striking that same chord as looking out the car window and thinking how Mario would run along the rolling hills and dirty driveways.

So that’s a little summary of my surface-level, plot-free thoughts - hopefully that’s enough to inspire you to check out the movie if you haven’t! But I’d also like to discuss the plot a little more directly, so I’m going to have a little spoiler section here for further thoughts.

SPOILER SECTION

Usually, with any form of art, it takes me a while to get immediately inspired to the point of writing. I’ll write my thoughts about games, music, anything that I feel passion for - but usually that passion has to blossom first, even for things I love at first sight.

Something about Marcel the Shell with Shoes On struck that chord to articulate from first watch - to spill all of my thoughts incohesively onto a page. It’s spectacularly delicate and adorable, it's food for the introverted soul. For a movie that wriggled itself into my thoughts so quickly - I wanted to spit those words back out and see how they formed. It’s the kind of well-crafted thing that makes me want to craft as well - because it shows that I could articulate my thoughts in a way that is still soft, artistic and passionate - fully formed and unquestioned.