Grim Fandango – a computer game in the graphic quest genre, created and released in 1998 by Lucasarts under the leadership of Tim Shaifer.
The game has an original setting, consisting in the mixing of Azec legends about the afterlife and the atmosphere of noir films. All the characters of the game are in the afterlife and are skeletons or demons that initially inhabit this world.
The plot tells of the manul of Kalaver, or just Manny, who works as a tour operator for the dead. He accepts the new ones and appoints them a ticket to the ninth of the afterlife, the last refuge of souls. At one point, his life (ha-ha) is changing coolly, and he has to go on an unforgettable four-year journey, but about everything in order.
Undoubtedly, GF is a classic, and a classic with a capital letter “K”. Original style, Charismatic characters, weightless humor, a wonderful soundtrack and the uniqueness of the graphic style, make this game relevant to this day. Here are just the genre of the quest as such is dead, but it doesn’t matter! I strongly recommend that everyone get acquainted with the adventures of Manny, and thanks to Grim Fandango Remastered, you have the opportunity to do this on most current platforms, even on the screen of your phone.
Why movie excursion?
Yes, because for this game you can make a list “The best noir films of mankind”, except that “Sanset Boulevard” is not enough, but I run ahead.
For a general reference: Noir is the term inherent in cinema, which was used in relation to Hollywood criminal, and often detective drama of the 40s and 50s. And it will not be a secret for anyone that Tim Shaifer was very actively inspired by films when creating a game, he literally did not miss a single premiere in the cinema. For connoisseurs of this genre, the game will simply be crowded with references of all stripes and sizes, starting from some secondary trifles spied in the cinema, and up to copying entire scenes.The purpose of my article is to provide Possibility To familiarize yourself and enjoy these references not only to a true connoisseur, but also to an ordinary film amateur who wants to expand his horizons. So let’s figure out why Grim Fandango is a good noir.
The plot of the game plot is suitable for the ordinary noir to the film, with the exception of the fact that the actions of the game are in the afterlife, with all the ensuing consequences. The main character leads the daggering lifestyle familiar in his understanding, but here a woman appears in his life, and everything rolled like a snowy com: betrayal, secret conspiracies, faithful friend, adventure, cats and demonic beavers of hellish flame.
Manuel Kalaver probably during his lifetime could well play Rick Blaine from Casablanca or Sam Spade from the “Maltese falcon”. Most likely his image was inspired by the heroes of Humphrey Bogart and Marlon Brando.
Smoking, like a habit, stylish costumes, remarkable mind, magnet for trouble and attraction to women make a model hero noir films from Manny.
If you do not take into account part of the architecture in the game inspired by the mythology of the Aztecs, then the game El Marro clearly resembles the real New York of the 40s of the 50s
Low brick buildings built close to each other. Rare skyscrapers are visible somewhere behind the roofs. If you remove the carnival from the screenshot of the game and put old rounded cars on it, a person may not understand that in front of him is a fictional city.
Shadow from the blinds. Probably the most recognizable and popular component of noir of films, along with smoke from cigarettes, fatal beauties and a double -breasted coat. In almost every picture, you can see how black stripes fall on the face of the protagonist, or hide him in the darkness of the night.
So Grim Fandango meets us an office plan, in which a shadow falls from those same blinds on Manny.
Almost all the characters of the game smoke, the beautiful jazz Peter McConenlla sounds, men wear beautiful costumes, double -breasted coats, and ladies behave like fatal beauties. Perhaps my vocabulary will be not enough to describe how good the atmosphere in Grim Fandango is, but, believe me, it is beautiful.
If you do not believe, I advise you to go through.
We figured out the https://lucky-vip-casino.co.uk/withdrawal/ components of the game, now we will analyze examples of direct and not very quoting of famous noir films.
If there are no obvious references in the first location, then the second simply abounds with them.
Starting the second year of the game, we find ourselves in Casino Calavera. Approaching the table in the first room, we will see that our manny is not quite an honest person, because he himself decides who will win in his casino today. In playing tables, magnets are hidden, which he controls sitting in his office. This is a direct reference to the "guild".
In the game, as in the film, a policeman put on number 2, who stably received his winnings so that the casino would not be closed.
"Here he is at the right table in a blue cap".
“But the one with whom this character was written off (a small mustachioed man standing with his mouth open, in anticipation, when the twisted automatic will make him a winner”.
People who watched the legendary “Casablanca” probably recognized the character rather captain Renault. And in general, the solid part of the gaming shirt is inspired by this excellent film. Take at least key characters of the first location.
"The mentioned Captain Renault and the chief waiter Karl already appear before us".
“In the film they were played by Claude Reins and with. Sakall ".
Even the image of the protagonist in this location resembles the image of Humphrey Bogart.I have already compared them earlier. Manny, like Rick Blaine, holds one of the famous institutions of the city, which is a hidden gambling club.
And the shirt herself reminds Kasablanka, they try not to linger in these cities. In the game, Rubakawa is an intermediate point on a trip to the 9th gates, the dead are waiting for a ship there, which will take them to the next point of the route. And in the film Kasablank is a refuge for people seeking salvation from fascist Germany and waiting for the opportunity to go to another part of the world.
Even some key buildings are suspiciously similar. Such as the casino of the main characters and the institutions that their acquaintances hold. In the film, this is the club “Blue Parrot”, and in the game “Blue Casket”
Just next to the “blue coffin” is the following location that interests us – these are construction docks, sea bees hang out in them.
All this location is one big reference to the film “In the port” of 1954. The tie, as in the film, is spinning around the relationship of workers and the trade union. In the film, the protagonist played by Marlon Brando, the name is Terry Malla. Also the name of the main bee in the game.
"Here it is in the center".
After he was inspired by communism, he is arrested. At this moment, I think, the best joke in the game sounds:
There is another funny similarity between Grim Fandango and “Porto”, doctors play an important role in both stories.
The next obvious and last reference to Noir films in the game is a scene with a jack of a hammer, which we will find on the plot.
"This scene was taken from the film" Source "of 1949".
This part of the article dedicated to Nuar ends. Then I will show a few more references to other films and explain why the name of the article is not clickbeit.
The character who is operating a junk hammer is called Chepito, and his image is not taken from the most popular film “City of Lost Children” .
"The location from the film is somewhat reminiscent of a game, in which actions unfold".
"The character himself, like Chepito, walks along the bottom with a heavy costume".
The next reference is located almost in the final of the game, and it is the only one taken from the cartoon.
At the moment when the main villain dies in the greenhouse, people who watched the “Adventures of the Frosti Snowman” will be able to find out in this touching scene from the cartoon.
Why in the title of the article “jelly” appears?
One of the secondary characters is the name of Membllo. In real life, membrillo is a sweetness that is prepared from the pulp of quince, and in consistency it resembles jelly or marmalade.
As for Adidas, look at the face of the protagonist and at the pattern that is located above the eyes.
Many believe that these are eyebrows, however, one of the developers jokingly mentioned that this pattern of Manny owes the famous logo of the sports company .
I hope you, after reading, wanted to get acquainted with at least one movie or go through this wonderful game.
Thanks to everyone who read my first blog to the end, and remember: