'Legend of Ochi' surprises

Move Over, Grogu — There’s a New Fuzzy Whatsit in Town

When director Isaiah Saxon began his search for the voice of Ochi, the titular creature in his new film, The Legend of Ochi, he didn’t look to established actors, but YouTube. “I typed in ‘throat whistling,’ and I found this guy with one video on his account where he’s in his basement in sweatpants, and he’s like, ‘Hey guys, I figured out this thing I can do in the back of my throat,’” Saxon says. “And he opens his mouth, and the sound of the Oc…

“It feels alive”: The Legend of Ochi director on the power of puppets

The Legend of Ochi feels like a film that shouldn't exist today. It's an original story, not an adaptation of an already popular book or comic. It's filled with complex puppetry and practical effects, something many films avoid because CG is simply easier to deal with. And it evokes some of the scarier children's films of the '80s and '90s, like the nightmare-inducing adaptation of Roald Dahl's The Witches. According to Isaiah Saxon, the film's …

'The Legend of Ochi' cast and director break down the film's glorious puppets

A24's The Legend of Ochi introduces instantly memorable film creatures in the blue-faced, golden-furred Ochi, who live on the fictional island of Carpathia in the Black Sea. These fantastic animals were brought to life using techniques like puppeteering, animatronics, and performers in suits, all of which combine in a beautiful celebration of practical filmmaking. SEE ALSO: 'The Legend of Ochi' review: This beautifully crafted fantasy adventure…

Finn Wolfhard on the practical effects in 'The Legend of Ochi'

A24

‘The Legend of Ochi’ big on dark whimsy

“The Legend of Ochi,” a scrappy and darkly whimsical fable about a misunderstood teenage girl on a dangerous quest, has the feeling of a film you might have stumbled on and loved as a kid. Something tactile, something fantastical and, maybe, something a little dangerous — the kind of movie you knew you probably weren’t supposed to be seeing just yet. They’re the ones that tend to linger, like that strange English dub of the Norwegian adventure “…

'Legend of Ochi' surprises

"The Legend of Ochi," a scrappy and darkly whimsical fable about a misunderstood teenage girl on a dangerous quest, has the feeling of a film you might have stumbled on and loved as a kid. Something tactile, something fantastical and,…