At first glance, Diplodocus could easily be confused with Pixar’s adorably underrated gem, The Good Dinosaur. Both movies are about two little dinos that do not fit in with their families, desperate to explore life outside their own bubbles. Digging deeper, the two are, in fact, quite different. This dinosaur does not just lose his family, but they are straight up erased! The creator, Ted (Piotr Polak), crafts comic books for a living, and takes an eraser to Diplo (Julian Wanderer) and his family. Taking a page from other successful mixed medium movies, Diplodocus blends live action and animated storytelling into an adorable flick for the whole family to enjoy.
Diplo would do anything to get free from the walls of the jungle his family has been surrounded by for generations. However, he never could have thought that his wish would be granted. On the outside, Ted’s colorful but rude publisher (Helena Englert) demands a super sweet and super cute character by the morning. She requests that Ted completely scrap his dinosaur creations, wiping them entirely from existence. This sets into motion Ted’s erasing spree—Diplo barely manages to escape, then begins leaping to and from strange destinations. One such travel finds Diplo at a local wizard’s content, where the hopeful Hocus Pocus (Marc Thompson) has been shot down by the panel. Hocus Pocus’ miracle of transformation, turning people into mice, is hailed a “childish trick for amateur beginner kindergartners.” Not believing Diplo at first about the power to teleport to other worlds, the two join forces, ending up in Nervesville.
From here, the wise Professor Nervekowski (Mike Pollack) takes them in. He has been trying to find a way to stop the strange fog that has been erasing worlds, and Diplo may be the key. They call it “the blankness,” which could very well be a direct threat to civilization. Diplo, the Professor, and Hocus Pocus race against the clock to solve the mystery of the blankness, and figure out a way to get Diplo’s parents back. Meanwhile, Ted, under further pressure from his publicist, struggles to make something she will deem cute enough that sticks to his general principles. The creativity on display particularly impresses, blending the two mediums rather seamlessly. What happens in the human world directly impacts Diplo and his compatriots as they charge forward on their lengthy journey.
Diplodocus remains very meta for most of its runtime, which is a pure delight and keeps things from ever growing stale. The bond Diplo forms with the creator sweetens the deal even further. Visually speaking, the constant shifting of worlds and presence of magic allows for the kitchen sink to be thrown in. Echoes of other movies and shows I love, including Once Upon a Time, Chalk Zone, and a dash of Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, enhance the experience, and should thrill and delight children and adults of all ages. Inspiration from the cult comics by Tadeusz Baranowski bleeds into every frame. Gorgeously realized and comfortingly feel-good, Diplodocus emphasizes the power of the pencil—and of great storytelling.
Diplodocus debuted at 2024’s Annecy International Film Festival.
