Currently scooping up well-deserved awards and attention is Ryan, a stunning and quirky tribute to Canadian animation pioneer Ryan Larkin. The subject matter alone would justify this film, but director Chris Landreth's uniquely twisted visuals take it further than would be possible using ordinary animation techniques. Bravo.
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I knew Ryan for a short while. I always thought he looked somewhat like Where's Waldo. He was generous. He'd let me use Schwartz sometimes...
I've been clean for the past two years. I'm back in BC. I still drink too much, though, but I'm going to stop.
I wish Ryan all the best.
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Ryan and I have been friends since 1991... have seen him go through hell and back, always with that little smirk... go, AngleMan go...
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Where can I see walking? I'm searching but can't find it anywhere, on the computer or otherwise.
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Poor Ryan. Hope he gets back into the world.
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Ryan has been one of the most important influences in my early carreer as an entertainer. We spent a great deal of time in each other's company during the early 70s in his spacious flat on Park Avenue. Have been a fortunate recipient of his caricature of myself dancing, in silhouette. Am sure he will have a comeback, saw him on TV this AM saying he would like to do another film entitled 'spare change!' Go for it Ryan. Please get in touch with me.
Neil Downe (Remember giving me that handle?)
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I'm the guest curator at Centre A - The Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art - in Vancouver, BC. We are doing a public viewing of Ryan Larkin's work Walking 1968 as part of the current exhibition at the gallery. It has been a great response to his work. We welcome anyone who is interested in Ryan's work to visit our gallery. For further information please contact me through my email.
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Sally, thanks for the information about the showing at your gallery. It makes me wish I had an excuse to head off to Vancouver for the weekend.
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I went through grade school with Ryan back in our Strathmore (Dorval) days and he was always the most creative artist in the class, I was a distant second. I was also a member of one of Ryan's Rock n' Roll bands (briefly), "The Starfires".
Ryan went onto fame at the NFB and I moved to Toronto (didn't everybody from Montreal back in the 60's), got a job as a graphic artist and eventually started my own company. We met again briefly at a mutual friends house near Lakeside, Ontario in 1981 and he did a quick pencil sketch of what he called the 15th Anniversary Dragon, in honour of our Wedding Anniversary, which I still have today.
I have just ordered the DVD of "Ryan" from the NFB and can't wait to view it. Ryan was tremendously creative, funny, gentle and I have great memories of our times together. I would love to talk to him again some day. You can do it Ryan, I know you can!
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You are a amazing artist, never give up. I'm 18 years old and I saw the documentary and I called all my friends to watch when I was 3 minutes in to watching it and they have never seen such brilliant work. Never ever give up please. You still have so much to offer to this world. I see it in you. Please.
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Additional exploration into the divergent, yet connected personalities and lives of Ryan Larkin and Chris Landreth can be found in director Laurence Green's film entitled Alter Egos. The CBC Newsworld network will be airing Alter Egos on the evenings of February 22nd and 25th.
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I had a chance to see the Alter Egos by Chris Landreth - the story on Ryan Larkin - and I thought that Mr Landreth did not do the justice depicting Ryan the way he did. While I appreciate his animation art work I think there is so much more to Ryan than how he portrayed him.
Ryan is very eloquent man who thinks and can see and imagine things few of us can. There is this presence about him even though his standard of living has been less than average and made him less known to the world. I am glad that Mr Landreth did the story because it gave us a chance to know about Ryan.
Is there a fundraising site for Ryan's 'Spare Change' project? I can't offer much but I don't want to pass by this Canadian asking for Spare Change.
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Yes, I would also like to offer my 'spare change' to invest in this project. I wish Ryan the best of luck. I remember his animations well growing up in southeast Alaska. We used to get a lot of the NFB animations on late night PBS. Even at a young age, I thought were wonderful. I remember seeing Walking when I was 10 or so.
Any information on how I can contribute, please email me or post on this site.
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Christopher, I have yet to find any information on how to send Ryan contributions to help fund his current project. If anything becomes apparent, I will post it here.
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Hi everyone,
I have been reading the comments and I am very happy and excited to know that people are rooting for Ryan. My name is Laurie Gordon and I am doing the music and producing Ryan Larkin's next animation film Spare Change.
A few people have mentioned that they would be willing to donate to creating his first film in 35 years.
Please visit the following page:
http://www.chiwawafanclub.com/Ryan/SpareChange.html
There is a donation link [and contact information at the bottom of the page]. If you have any questions about using PayPal or prefer another mode of payment please email me. On behalf of Ryan, I thank you.
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Thanks Laurie. There have been a lot of people looking for that information. Please keep us informed as to the progress of the project.
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I saw this short film about two or three weeks ago on Teletoon and I find it sad. Someone with so much talent can only stay in the spotlight for so long then they are never heard from again.
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I saw the film when it aired on the CBC months ago. Mr. Larkin himself saved it from being gutwrenchingly exploitative, in his willingness to serve as a subject, in collegial awareness of what it meant, and in the name of art. I wish him luck in his new endeavours.
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I never had the privilege of knowing Ryan. I remember as a kid after watching short documentary on Ryan Larkin's life. I remember seeing those on TV as a kid. To watch them again and to see it for what it is totally awed me. Ryan is a one of a kind. I know that life can be hard but I hope he gets back to doing his work. The world of animation needs him. His talent is truely amazing and I can't stop thinking about walking and moving and people just moving around on a blank piece of paper with water colours. I wish Ryan the best of luck. If anyone reads this and knows him, tell him Brendan said hi.
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Hi everybody!
I'm a TV production student at Université du Québec à Montréal. I'm working on a production about the portrait of Ryan Larkin after Ryan the film. Ryan is at the hospital now. He had some problems and he's passing some tests to know what's wrong. I'm going to support him while he's hospitalized. If you want to say something to Ryan just let me know and I'm going to tell him.
Ciao.
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Donde puedo ver la pelicula de Ryan completa. No lo encuentro por ninguna parte.
Gracias
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I am from the US and find the story of Ryan to be extremely sad. His life in particular, reminds me of Timothy Hutton's character in Robert Redford's 1980 directorial debut 'Ordinary People'. Ryan has been tortured for years following the death of his older brother like the lead in 'OP'. Absolutely no question, whatever. Anyway, if his latest release, Spare Change was really bad and Laurie Gordon solicited funds for this project and it sucked, then Laurie should pay every one of you-neighbours-to-the-North who donated money, back. Eh?
Late. - KMS
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I appreciate that you find the story of Ryan's difficulties sad - and your comparison to Ordinary People is rather, um, interesting. But what the heck are you inferring in your final statement? I'm boggled. Are you implying that Ms Gordon should theoretically refund donations to the project based on blatantly subjective opinions towards a film which has yet to be produced?
Again I ask... what?
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I just now watched Ryan on Sundance Channel and was just devastated by it. I am an American, and it affected me the same as meeting the poet Taylor Mead. He had his heyday in the Andy Warhol era of the 60s, and right now lives in a horrific hovel of a cold water flat in a decrepit building on Manhattan's lower east side. Ryan and Taylor are similar in this way (to me) - they are both amazing artists who are not properly appreciated or compensated by our culture.
Where are the benefactors? These artists are national treasures... their works are wonderful gifts to posterity. It breaks my heart to see Ryan and Taylor and many, many other artists who have worked so hard and given their spirit to us in their work suffer the incredible indignities displayed in this eye opening documentary. We must do something to help them...
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I have been to 2 visits with a counselor about depression and he has decided to approach helping me by getting me back to work as an artist. Just so happens I came across 'Ryan' the animation last night. He pretty much said what I've been trying so say for a long time. Until he got to the part about quitting drinking. I quit now for 7 months. Still don't feel like drawing.
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I saw Ryan on the learning channel - it was very disturbing and at the same time, a wonder of animation - the work of a genius. I would like to send the animations to a few friends of mine.
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Can someone explain to me what this movie means?
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A reasonably high-quality version of Ryan — in it’s entirety — is now available for viewing in The YouTube Screening Room. Thank you interwebs.
http://youtube.com/ytscreeningroom?v=gvfgLBMmtVs
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On a related note, Animation World Magazine published a great piece a few years ago investigating the story behind Ryan Larkin's fall from grace, entitled Last Exit on St. Laurent Street. It's well worth a read on it's own.
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