48th Anniversary of first TV broadcasting of Les Shadoks
Nearly half a century later, France still fondly recalls Les Shadoks. With absurd maxims like “every advantage has its disadvantage, and vice versa," the bird-like creatures and their hilariously inane brand of logic struck a chord with French culture when they hit the screen in 1968.
Jacques Rouxel’s experimental and minimalist cartoon even proved divisive, as some saw nonsense where others found originality, comic genius, and important commentary on futility and French life. Hélène Leroux, who animated today’s Shadoks, used the occasion to bring her favorite Shadok’s proverbs to life. She writes:
“I particularly enjoyed the simplicity of the characters: Simple, rounded birds with long, thin legs, always going on nonsense adventures. In their daily lives, the Shadoks always refer to specific mottos they made up that parody real-life human principles: ‘If there are no solutions, then there are no problems,’ or, ‘to reduce the number of unhappy people, always beat up the same individuals,’ and of course, ‘I pump therefore I am.’ Like operators on a handcar that goes nowhere, Les Shadoks are famous for their endless and useless pumping. I thought it would be a great homage to represent some of these great Shadoks quotes with simple, looping animations.”
Below are all four of Hélène's animations:
I pump, therefore I am.
If we keep trying, we end up succeeding. Therefore: the more we fail, the more we get to succeed.
When you don't know where you are going, you have to get there... as fast as possible.
Why should it be simple when it can be complicated?!
