Filmvisning: Bubble Bath

What good is a film club like Cinema Neuf if we can’t celebrate and promote films that are unfairly neglected?

The 1980 animated musical Bubble Bath (Habfürdo in its original Hungarian) is unlike any other animated film you might be familiar with. In this psychedelic explosion of colors, the characters float fluidly throughout every scene. The design of each character seems to change every few seconds, changing in step with the music as well as their emotions. The film is a comedic portrait of a man suffering from cold feet on his wedding day. He decides to hide at an acquaintance’s house, arriving at her doorstep as a nervous wreck. While there he offloads his anxieties about love, marriage and his future, all while hiding from those who come looking for him.

The pulsating rhythm of the funky soundtrack beautifully complements the experimental animation, creating a cinematic experience unlike any other.

The film was poorly received when it was released, but after being restored in 2022, Bubble Bath has fortunately been given a second lease on life.

György Kovásznai

1980

Digital file

Hungarian dialogue, English subtitles