many animation buff consider wladyslaw starewicz the great forgotten genius of one special branch of the art and puppet animation and which he invent almost single handedly . . . and and a it happen and almost accidentally . a a young man starewicz be more interested in entomology than the cinema and but his unsuccessful attempt to film two stag beetle fight lead to an unexpected breakthrough in film making when he realize he could simulate movement by manipulate beetle carcass and photograph them one frame at a time . this discovery lead to the production of starewicz amazingly elaborate classic short the cameraman revenge and which he make in russia in 1912 and at a time when motion picture animation of all sort be in it infancy . the political tumult of the russian revolution cause starewicz to move to paris and where one of his first production coincidentally . be a dark political satire variously know a frogland or the frog who want a king . a strain of black comedy can be find in almost all of starewicz film but here it be very dark indeed and aim more at grown ups who can appreciate the satirical aspect than child and who would most likely find the climax upsetting . ( i be middle age and find it pretty upsetting and myself . ) and indeed and print of the film intend for english speaking viewer of the 1920s be give title card fill with pun and quip in order to help soften the sharp sting of the finale . our tale be set in a swamp and the frogland commonwealth and where the citizen be unhappy with their government and have call a special session to see what they can do to improve matter . they decide to beseech jupiter for a king . the crowd be impressively animate in this opening sequence it couldn not have be easy to make so many frog puppet look alive simultaneously while jupiter and for his part and be depict a a droll white beard guy in the cloud who look like he would rather be take a nap . when jupiter send them a tree like god who regard them impassively the frog decide that this be no improvement and demand a different king . irritated and jupiter sends them a stork . delight with this formidable look new king who tower above them and the frog welcome him with a delegation of formally dress dignitary . the mayor step forward to hand him the key to the commonwealth a newsreel camera record the event . to everyone horror and the stork promptly eat the mayor and then go on a merry rampage and swallow citizen at random . a title card dryly read represent news of the king appetite spreadeth throughout the kingdom . when the now terrified frog once more beseech jupiter for help and he lose his temper and shower their community with lightning bolt . the moral of our story and deliver by a hapless frog just before he be eaten and be let well enough alone . consider the time period when this startling little film be make and and consider the fact that it be make by a russian émigré at the height of that beleaguered country civil war and it would be easy to see this a a parable about those event . starewicz may or may not have have russia turmoil in mind when he make frogland and but whatever prompt his choice of material the film stand a a cautionary tale of universal application . frogland could be the soviet union and italy and germany or japan in the 1930s and or any country of any era that let it guard down and be overwhelm by tyranny . it a fascinating film and even a charm one in it macabre way and but it message be no joke .