The Tea Caddy

A stunning piece of work, full of rich detail, dovetailing the decline of golden age Hollywood and the flowering of West Coast counter-culture. For most of its 160 minutes, the film ambles along like an afternoon stroll through a beautiful park in glorious, rosy autumn sunshine. You don’t want it to end, but you know that it must, and when night falls everything changes. [Context note: The chapters covering this time and place in Neil Young’s vehicular autobiography, Special Deluxe, share the film’s rose-tinted nostalgia, but from a different perspective.] [Prep note: If you’re not familiar with the details of the Manson/Tate events, read up before seeing the film. This will enhance your appreciation.]

Perfectly balanced, a gourmet feast of exquisite storytelling. And the quality of the animation is staggering: dusty cobwebs and damp tarmac have never looked so good.