Spiral (2005) Online
Animation is used to explore the hypnotic principles of movement and form through the use of abstract shapes.
| Cast overview: | |||
 | Evelyn Ciampa | - | Triangle (voice) |
| Mark Goulet | - | Square (voice) |
The film was inspired by a showing of Paul Glabicki's animated subject "Film-Wipe-Film" at the Stuttgart Film Festival in Germany, during which the audience became increasingly impatient and infuriated with Glabicki's 27-minute film. Bill Plympton, who was in attendance, reported several walkouts and open laughter at the film's interminable length. Further, he was incensed by the list of government and private organizations in the end credits that had given money to fund the film. "Spiral" was Plympton's answer to Glabicki's film. The end credits even list funding from 8 fictional organizations with satirical names.
Bill Plympton used the pseudonym W. P. Murton because he did not wish to alienate his friends who were abstract animators. Subsequently, he admitted to being the film's author.
"Spiral" did offend a number of abstract animators. In response to the film, animator Steven Woloshen made his short film "Rebuttal". "Spiral" and "Rebuttal" then formed the centerpiece of an "Abstract vs. Comedy" competition at the Platform Animation Festival in Portland, OR, 2007.