Hey, everybody.
So the good folks at Newmarket Press/Harper Collins apparently heard that I liked this movie called How to Train Your Dragon, and since the sequel is on its way to theaters on June 13, 2014, they contacted me about giving away FIVE (5) copies of The Art of How to Train Your Dragon 2 to my readers. I have a copy of the first book, and it’s a gorgeous volume, and the second book should be just as great.
So here are the rules!
ON OR BEFORE MAY 1ST leave a comment below sharing your story of falling in love with How to Train Your Dragon (and if it relates to Multiplex, even better, but that won’t make any difference).
Some limitations do apply, I’m afraid: First, you must live within the United States. (Sorry — not my rule!) Second, you have to use a VALID E-MAIL ADDRESS to post your comment below, so that I can contact you. (Obviously, if you win, I’ll need your mailing address, as well.) Winners will be selected at random from qualifying entries contacted by e-mail NEXT FRIDAY, MAY 2.
You can read the full book description and enter/comment below:
The Art of How to Train Your Dragon 2 by Linda Sunshine
On sale May 6th, 2014Here is a look behind the frozen fjords and ice caves of Berk at the making of the sequel to a beloved animated classic. This full-color, lavishly illustrated book features more than 650 paintings, drawings, sketches, models, film stills, lighting studies, color keys, story boards, and photographs. Along with quotes from all the principal filmmakers there is also an introduction by the writer/director Dean DeBlois and a foreword by Gerard Butler, the voice of Stoick.
In this brilliantly conceived sequel, we are on a journey of exploration to new lands, four-winged dragons, long-lost love, vicious and powerful enemies, and ginormous Bewilderbeasts.
How does a movie of such imagination and magnitude come into creation? Well, you begin with an incredibly talented team of artists, writers, engineers, animators, modelers, and tech wizards and you let their creativity soar. The result is a stunning, original vision—bigger, better, and fiercer than ever—of an earth-shattering, fire-breathing sequel to the legendary story of Vikings and dragons in the frozen north.
Hold on to your dragons, fans and friends, you’re in for the ride of a lifetime!
The first HTTYD was incredible, just the artwork that went in, easily Dreamworks best film.
Based in UK. Can’t win. Don’t care.
I enjoyed this.movie the first time I watched it, when I introduced my wife I liked it even more. And when I started watching g it on my own as my happy place movie during her transplant I realised it had crept into my heart and for a.movie to uplift, consistently, that kind of circumstance it must be great.
Plust toothless looks like a kitty. Eeeeehhh
Sorry! :) But thanks for sharing.
When I saw the trailer for HTTYD, I was immediately excited. Luckily, I work at a theater and was able to screen the film when it came out. After watching it, I knew I needed to see it again. Long story short, it become one of the few films I’ve seen in theaters multiple times (5 in fact – three 3D). It was great having a movie for dragon fans that everyone loved. As much as I like the show, the movie was superb and the second looks even more epic.
I was pleased to see my love displayed in comic form. Thanks Gordon!
Hey, Kent! Random Number Generator says you’re the fifth of the five winners! E-mail me at gordon at multiplexcomic.com with your full name and mailing address, and I’ll pass it on to the Powers That Be!
I didn’t know much about the movie before I got dragged to see it by my ex. I thought it would just be another decent, but not great, Dreamworks movie. Ended up being one of my favorite movies afterward, and I’m so glad I saw it in IMAX 3D. The second one comes out my birthday weekend, so that’ll be a nice present to myself.
I was interested in the ads for the first HTTYD, but didn’t really get motivated to see it until I saw your storyline about the movie and Jason’s passion. There are times when I really don’t agree with his opinions about movies, but it intrigued me that you had him so into this one. I loved the animation, the story, and the fact that now there is a sequel. I just hope it is as good as HTTYD one (or better.)
I’m a bit of a animated movie nerd. I just get extremely excited for every trailer that I see for an animated movie. The first HtTYD was no different. I dragged my sisters and some friends to see it for my birthday and it was just so pretty and the story is just so good and since then I’ve seen it so many times and still absolutely love it. It’s not my favorite movie but it is definitely in my top 5.
I am so excited for the second one I can’t wait! Although after the spoiler in the first trailer I haven’t seen the second.
If it’s the spoiler I’m thinking of, I managed to avoid it from the trailers… only to have the movie’s official Facebook page spoil it for me. :1
(And obviously, let’s not discuss spoilers here.)
Bafflingly, as someone who tries to keep tabs on movies as they come out, this one slipped past me until years later. I became curious as to what kind of movie could have inspired the storyline in Multiplex (I discovered Multiplex only 3 years ago) so I tracked it down and watched it, completely unaware of what I was getting myself into. I was hooked almost instantly, never had an animated character felt as real to me as Hiccup or Toothless did. The movie was beautiful. I rewatched the first flight scene maybe 6 times on that DVD alone. I bought the score off amazon immediately. I needed John Powell music in my ears at all times. I bought the DVD for my 6 year old sister, made dozens of friends to see it, some willing, some not so much, and tracked down every short and tv show episode.
My biggest disappointment in a long while was finding out that due to a scheduled military training I have to attend in June, I won’t be able to see the sequel until at least three weeks after it’s been in theaters. I’m sure it’ll be worth the wait though. Unless I can convince a theater to let me attend an advanced screening somewhere…
HTTYD is the second Dreamworks movie I fell in love with– both as an adult. Kung Fu Panda’s heart and honesty surprised me in 2008, when I expected it to be gimmicky; HTTYD for me sealed that Dreamworks really is the studio telling stories not only for this generation, but that I would be PROUD as an adult and an at times harshly critical consumer of media to show to children for generations to come.
It was the first animated movie I’ve cried at since I watched Lilo and Stitch (for different reasons!!) and Grave of the Fireflies (also for different reasons!!), and the story’s emotional climax plus the ending and high-spirited wrap showed a kind of thoughtfulness and grace rarely seen in American cinema, let alone SF/F and action movies, full stop. Other titles Dreamworks has picked up have done the same, but I went to look KNOWING they’d be strong BECAUSE of having seen HTTYD. (Mostly, I did not cry at them. Mostly.)
After seeing HTTYD, I’m only kind of sad it didn’t exist when I was younger! As a little nerdlette, it would’ve meant a lot– but Dreamworks has been doing a great job bringing people’s inner nerdlets/ettes out with their work, with all the same wonder and captivation that would’ve been there for 6yos and 8yos and 12yos, and I can’t wait for the next installment in this franchise (and their others!).
I think I watched it because I saw how Jason liked it so much (it’s been a few years, so I don’t remember). I wasn’t expecting much, but I was really impressed by it and I made my sister watch it. (I force my sister to watch good movies.) I thought the movie used music in a brilliant way that is pretty rare. Hope the second one has a good soundtrack.
When I was 15, I got dragged by my mother to go see this. She ended up being bored sick but I was utterly enamored, and I had to fight my arrogant sophomore self to hide it, but secretly fell in love with it and its fanbase.
I’m a bit biased since my sister forces me to watch every major animated movie that comes out. I enjoyed the movie because it made her happy. As well, Jason’s hallucinations were an exceptionally funny sub plot, and I’m looking forward to watching him slowly relapse as the the release date gets closer to the movie and I’m curious how Becky will react.
I’ll admit to something terrible about this movie. The first time I watched it I torrented it and was laying on the couch watching it on my iPod. I had heard great things about the movie, but wasn’t expecting too much. What I experienced was a beautifully animated, amazingly scored and all around fantastic movies. I absolutely love animation and this made it into my top 5 animated movies of all time (Spirited Away, Ratatouille, The Incredibles and Howl’s Moving Castle being the others.) Every time I watch this movie I fall in love with it all over again. I think I even enjoy it more because of how much Jason talks it up in the comic. I love the movie so much, I’m also planning a cosplay of Hiccup in his HtTYD2 gear. It also helps that Jay Baruchel is fantastic as well.
Also, when I buy Mac and Cheese, I buy the dragon shapes
I fell in love with HTTYD the first time I saw it because Toothless acts just like my cat.
I fell in love the second time when it was the first movie we watched on my brand new 3-D HDTV, it’s such a gorgeous film.
Canada here, so yeah, I can’t win, but here it is.
After I saw the Multiplex strip where a link is made between The Iron Giant (my favorite animated film) and How to Train Your Dragon in the way they feel, I decided to go see it.
So I went on the last week it was in the theatre, I was all alone at this showing, and it made me feel good in a time when I didn’t feel well in general. I needed a movie like this and I didn’t expect it. So it was a nice moment.
How to Train Your Dragon is an incredible film. One night I set up a projector in an empty classroom by myself and watched it for the first time. It was completely engaging and thoroughly enjoyable. The animation, characterization, and story line are all phenomenal, and it’s one of my favorite animated films.
I fell in luv with HTTYD back in the fall of 2011. Was over at my grandparents and my sister was living there temporarily. She has an extensive collection of movies and that night we picked HTTYD. I was so in love with it after watching it that night but it took me 2 years to find the movie myself. Walmart was sold out and never restocked it the 2 years I looked for it. Finally found it at a pharmacy and bought it right away but then a few weeks later, Walmart finally restocked it. How ironic! Anyway, I also have the Gift of the Nightfury DVD and both seasons of Riders of Berk DVDs. Next on my list is Defenders of Berk DVDs but Walmart still hasn’t stocked it yet yet it came out a month ago. I also got myself a few HTTYD goodies at Christmas like the shield and Toothless figurine and plushie. :D I also got myself a $40 cinema gift card to use for when HTTYD2 comes out but I am going to try to win passes to an advanced screening. Also won 2 passes to see any movie in IMAX so can also use those for HTTYD2. :D
The Random Number Generator says you’re one of the five winners! E-mail me at gordon at multiplexcomic.com with your full name and mailing address, and I’ll pass it on to the Powers That Be!
I still remember walking out of the theater with two friends and having them turn to me and say, “wow I didn’t think that was going to be so good but it was!” My first temptation was to tell them both how I have better taste in picking movies than them but that might be why I like Jason so much.
I was in my second year of school, studying film and animation when I went with one of my buddies to go see the film. The general consensus at the time before the movie came out was that most people weren’t too excited for another DreamWorks film. I guess most people weren’t enthusiastic about the trailer. Whatever it was, me and my friend were excited for the film, and generally disagreed with the negative hype.
We saw it in 3D, because that was one of the few showings we could actually make it to. I was never crazy about 3D as a format, it’s generally just pushed in to make more money or it’s a gimmick and it doesn’t serve the film in any way shape or form. I was wrong about this one though. Somehow the experience of soaring through those clouds with the characters actually felt like that buzzword being tossed around. “Immersion” The score was uplifting and triumphant, it made you excited about the friendship being formed and the worlds colliding. The lighting was dramatic and well staged, the animation and rendering beautiful and tastefully done. It was a success on so many levels and my friend and I sat through the credits taking in the names that had created this work. I would later see it again on my own, just to experience it on the big screen once more.
How To Train Your Dragon wasn’t a perfect film, you could debate the finer points of the narrative and the big bad dragon at the end simply being the final boss of the third act, but it didn’t matter. This was a film that stood against Pixar’s best and said “Dreamworks can make a great animated film”.
I love this film. It inspires me as an animator and as a storyteller to strive for better things in an industry that most Americans think creates work only for children, or raunchy adult comedy. I could say so much more about my appreciation for it, but I don’t want to be any more long winded than I’ve already been. This was a film for everyone, and I learned so much from it. I have no idea if the sequel will live up to it. I can only hope.
The Random Number Generator says you’re the fourth of the five winners! E-mail me at gordon at multiplexcomic.com with your full name and mailing address, and I’ll pass it on to the Powers That Be!
When my little sister took me to see the first HTTYD I didn’t think I was going to love it. I LOVE dragons, so I knew I’d at least enjoy watching the movie, but I didn’t think I’d fall in love with the story. I was SO wrong! I absolutely adored everything about the movie and took many friends to see it again, and again, and again! I’m so excited for the next movie!
Not trying to suck up or anything, but it was this comic here that convinced me to give How to Train Your Dragon a shot. I was a bit of a Pixar fan boy and wrote off anything from Dreamworks after seeing Shark Tale. So I had no intention on seeing HtTYD, until I read your arc were the little kid compared it to Iron Giant, which is still my favorite animated film. So on that I gave it a shot and, like everyone else it seems, fell in love with it. It seems to come on TV around Thanksgiving or Christmas and inevitably ends up being what’s on the TV when it’s not football.
When I first saw HTTYD I fell in love with the character designs! And when I saw the book, holy crap! Those sketches by nicolo marle, just georgeous! Everything in this movie is incredibly well detailed and they put so much time an effort into it. Beautiful movie
I had always loved dragons when I was a kid, so when I saw the trailer for the first HTTYD, I was thrilled. The art looked fantastic, the characters looked amazing, and I loved all the dragons’ designs (especially the Deadly Nadder!).
My heart soared as I fell more in love with each character. I could relate to them and sympathize with their feelings. Not to mention the personalities of the dragons were so entertaining and adorable.
I ended up enjoying the movie so much that not only did I cosplay Astrid, but I also created a 6 foot tall deadly nadder puppet to go with it. How to Train Your Dragon quickly became one of my favorite movies of all time!
Can’t win given I’m in Canada, but I want to share anyways:
I hate 3D with a passion, not the least reason is I have to wear very thick corrective lenses and 3D films mean, at best, pressing my glasses RIGHT to my face the whole time so I don’t get double vision, at worst getting a spilling headache or dealing with an effect that just doesn’t work for me, especially with close up, ‘jump out’ style images. Coraline left me with a nervous ocular twitch for an hour after. Avatar was an exercise in Pandoran torture.
I could not find a 2D showing, and I felt, vaguely, that a movie with flying should be something I watch with those polarized lenses. I remember going into this film late in it’s run, alone, skulking towards the rear as a single adult in a matinee in a half-empty theatre with only parents tends to, so as not to appear as if I am about to molest someone’s offspring.
“This …is Berk…”
I got comfortable, squinting at the dark screen. The film drops you right into the action, of course, barely bringing us to the island before showing chaos and excitement. It was… okay. Pretty good. The story wasn’t exactly new, but the presentation was done well enough that I found myself getting engrossed. And every time we were allowed to see more and more of the people, the scenery, the village, I became more invested.
In fact, I forgot I was watching a 3D film. The effect was so seamless, so well designed, I was merely in the film, watching events happening around me. The best films transcend the medium and completely absorb the viewer, and for all my shortcomings, somehow they had managed to find the perfect balance, the ideal science of the technique that made the technique vanish for me.
When they flew, it was like I was flying. Simply the most triumphant, exciting, and beautiful thing I’ve had the pleasure of viewing. I wanted to cheer, I wanted to jump up and shout, but the film transitioned into a lovely moment of peace after. It wasn’t a rollercoaster, the movie was more like waves, every peak matched by a natural low. And like waves, it propelled us forward inevitably to a climax that didn’t feel maudlin nor manipulative.
I’m not ashamed to say I cried.
I wanted to go back and see it again in 3D, but I had managed to catch the movie in one of it’s last weeks in the theatres, just out of sheer luck. I saw it one more time at a revue theatre in a monovue showing. It was every bit as well plotted, but it wasn’t as transcendent.
But maybe you can never watch a movie like this ‘the first time’ again. It was like falling in love, and while the love endures, that first moment will always be special, a memory, and something that I can’t repeat. Even if I saw it exactly as I did then, I wouldn’t be able to have that surprise, the same surprise Hiccup had the first time he really flew. But now .. I have dragons.
I consider that a good trade off.
When I saw the trailer I initially thought “Meh, it will be as good as a Dreamworks movie.” On opening weekend I was checking Rotten Tomatoes and saw it was at 98% or so, so now I have to see it just to see what the fuss is about. I had a free afternoon so I went to see it, and was blown away by the story, the animation, the emotion. I couldn’t believe I’d nearly missed this beautiful movie because of a mediocre trailer! During its run at my theatre I saw it at least 5-6 times (I worked there, so yay free movies) and forced as many people as I could to watch it. When the company updated the look of our nametags and we got to list our favorite movies on them, I chose HTTYD without hesitation. I’m terrible at picking my “favorite movie of ALL time,” but this one is definitely up there. I still recommend it, I still loan out my blu ray, my plush Toothless lives on my desk, and the score is my go-to studying album. I can’t express how much I’m in love with this movie, and I will absolutely be at the midnight show for the new one!
I used to be an avid player of a game called City of Heroes. Its forums had a section for talking about movies and comics, and someone posted a trailer for this movie I had never heard of, called How to Train Your Dragon. I watched it, and it was instantly on my “watch in the theater” list. I actually don’t see as many movies in the theaters anymore (life is too short to waste watching bad movies or reading bad books… and I’m a big literature and movie fan), but it made it on the list with ease.
The trailer showed that moment of first connection between Toothless and Hiccup, and that’s not the kind of moment you often see in a movie. Dragons are terrifying and mysterious, and Toothless is very much a mystery at that moment in the trailer (and movie). The viewer and Hiccup both want to reach out and touch that mystery, and they both watch, breathless, as Hiccup extends his hand…
…and wonder of wonders, that mystery reaches back and touches them back, ever so briefly.
You don’t often see a connection like that between two characters on a screen, let alone animated ones. And it’s perhaps less often that the viewer is just as connected with those characters. I was hooked after seeing this scene in a trailer, and I love it every time I watch the movie again. It’s no wonder that it’s a favorite for me. ;)
I love the first httyd! The relationship between hiccup and toothless is soo touching, like a person with a favorite pet. I really cant wait for the second movie. Its going to be epic!
My wife is violent. Astrid is violent. She seemed to groove on the hits = affection schtick
After seeing the very first giant cardboard movie promo thingies for How
To Train Your Dragon on my way out of seeing Princess and The Frog, I
can’t say it sparked my interest. Here was me, an aspiring strictly
traditional animator coming out of the first hand-drawn animated Disney
film in years, satisfied and happy, and now seeing some little CG scene
kid riding on a giant black winged salamander-looking thing. I was
frustrated. Why can’t they give CGI animation a goddamn rest I thought.
But then, I got to see some actual coming attractions for it, and it
changed my perspective on it a little, until I heard the character’s
names at least. The texture mapping on the dragons was STELLAR, and the
character acting looked solid. I never brought myself to see it when
it was in theaters, mostly due to lingering disinterest, until my
History of Film Comedy teacher, Roy Frumkes, kindly treated my class to
a private 3D showing of it in Times Square, Manhatten. Chris Sanders
and Dean DuBlois also kindly took time out of their busy schedules to
visit and do a Q & A, VERY EXITING! By the time the credits rolled,
I, the stubborn, discerning, 2-D animator, was left in an overwhelming,
dizzying state of AWE and wonder. From start to finish, ‘Dragon’
touched every soft spot in my heart. As an avid fan of all that is epic
fantasy, and DRAGONS/fantasy creatures overall, the satisfaction that
the film left me with was unforgettable. Hiccup was a very strong lead
character, the layout was just SUPERB, and Toothless was the most
charming, adorable creature character that I’ve experienced in years.
It truly changed my perspective on 3D animation, mostly due to the charm
infused into it by a staff of FORMER 2D animators. All who haven’t
seen it yet, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. Its already in the top tier of my
favorite films of all time.
Alright, HTTYD is a great film all on its own, and it has a lot of great qualities. However, I fell in love with it because Toothless just really looked like my new kitten at the time, with the black skin and green eyes, and their relationship just got to me that extra little bit. Of course, the relationship between the two is a big part of the movie, but that silly extra reason helped bump the movie even higher in my mind.
When the film snob Jason liked HTTYD enough to start hallucinating about Hiccup, I knew it would be worth checking out. It was so good I thought, “I can’t believe is not Pixar.”
HTTYD wasn’t even on my radar until Jason and Gordon started raving about it. After the 2nd or 3rd reference in the comic I went out and watched it and was immediately hooked. The story, soundtrack and dragons/vikings combo really clicked with my inner fantasy nerd. When HTTYD came out I got my hands on it and watched it a few times over just a couple days, and then started re-watching it with a German audio track for brushing up on my skills before a trip to Europe. Definitely one of my all time favorite animated movies, and I’ll be taking anyone I can with me to see the sequel, while avoiding the hype.
I was pretty excited for HTTYD. Not entirely sure why, maybe it was the trailers, maybe it was my son (who is 8 now, so I guess 4 at the time?) whose excitement was contagious. Regardless, we watched it right before moving to a different state, and it just felt like the perfect send off for the two of us.
Before HTTYD came out I had pretty much given up on Dreamworks Animated films as purely for kids. It was only after Jason falling in love with the film that I broke down and watched HTTYD on DVD. Wow the film exist in a world of itself and does not rely on fart jokes and pop culture references to get and energy from the viewer.
I liked the trailer, but I’d been hurt before. You see a cute trailer with personality, but the moment you commit, the film totally changes and you can never get back to that sweet 3 minute version that made you believe it really might happen for you this time. How to Train Your Dragon was different. When we first met it was with a group of freinds. Everyone seemed to have a good time, but I could tell that HtTYD and I had a real connection. We took it slow, a few more times out with friends before it was just HtTYD and me. Even in a crowded theater, HtTYD could make me feel like the only one in the room. Things progressed, HtTYD left some things at my place, a memento or two even showed up on my desk at work. When Mom and Dad got a Blu-Ray player, I knew it was time to bring HtTYD home to meet my parents. We’ve been going strong ever since; HtTYD even forgave my brief daliance with Frozen. I love How to Train Your Dragon, not because of how great it is, but because of the greatness it brings out in me when we’re together.
A friend and I like kids’ movies and wanted to see something in IMAX. We walked into it with few expectations and walked out with huge smiles on our faces. It’s a go-to pick-me-up movie.
I first saw the preview for How To Train Your Dragon at an iMax theater, and it was glorious. I love vikings and I love dragons. I immediately grabbed my boyfriend’s hand and whispered, “We -need- to see thissss!!” I waited eagerly for the movie to release, and I was not disappointed. I’ve read the books as well, and both versions are absolutely great. This is my favourite movie, and I fully intend to see the new one in theaters as many times as i can. The art is gorgeous, and I love the characters. <3!!!
I can recall three movies that have made me cry, “Mr. Holland’s Opus”, “Monsters Inc.”, and “How to Train Your Dragon”. That near to last scene where he gets out of bed…
After seeing it at the cinema I commented that it was the best film I had seen that year, and am pretty sure I forked out to rewatch it in 3D soon after (The partner suffers a little with 3D, so we normally avoid it if not ‘required’).
It has easily taken a spot in my non sorted Top 10 of favourite movies (because sorting them is hard), and it took no convincing to grab it on dvd as one of my girl’s christmas presents.
The humor is spot on, side characters are more than just one dimensional drones, pacing is perfect, with introductions not even finished before the main story set up is on its way. On top of all this it is beatiful to see, and glorious to hear.
I doubt the sequel will be out for many days before our family will be sitting down and enjoying Hiccup’s adventures out into the archipelago.
So, I planned to love HTTYD from the moment I saw the first trailer because A) Dragons and B) Vikings. These are a couple of my favourite things! I was really nervous that the storyline would let me down, but was pleasantly surprised. I do think certain aspects were a little heavy handed with the father / son relationship, but it’s a kids movie, not everything can be 100% nuance. I loved that cats were a part of the dragon design concept for Toothless. The expressions and playfulness of his character are priceless!
It was on TV (near the end) when my parents were visiting and I forced Mom to watch the end, all the while tears streaming down my face. She was a bit concerned until I explained it’s like watching An Affair to Remember or Pillow Talk (for us, since we bonded over that one); you can cry through the whole thing and be super happy about it. I’m scared to death about HTTYD2. Oh, please. Oh, please let it live up to the first one.
Also, it’s about time I start on the Toothless amigurumi pattern I bought!
I loved the movie from my first viewing. The fact that I wasn’t able to see it in 3D was a sore spot for me until years later, when MoMI in NYC showed it as part of a Dreamworks exhibition. The flying scene in 3D was everything I could have imagined it to be! That was how to make a movie! That was how to do 3D properly! It was truly an immersive experience.
My love for HTTYD only grew, when I took it over to my future fiance’s apartment, and her roommate commented on the fact that we were planning on watching a children’s animated film. Her friend thought she could use it as background noise while she worked on a paper in the same room. 5 mins into the movie, all her books and notebooks were closed, her and my girl’s eyes glued to the screen.
Seeing Jason’s obsession for the movie in Multiplex was just pure icing on the cake. Further proof to me that this was the best animated movie of that year, and certainly worthy of being considered anyone’s favorite film. Maybe this year I’ll get to do Halloween as a HTTYD character… :)
How to Train Your Dragon is my favorite movie, of all time, unquestionably. As someone who can rarely make up her mind about her favorite anything, it feels weird to say anything so definitive. But it’s true!
HtTYD is not just a beautiful, funny, well-paced children’s animated movie. HtTYD takes the ubiquitous story of the outcast trying to find their place and makes it so much realer than any other attempt I’ve seen. Hiccup’s transformation from trying to be something he clearly isn’t to accepting his differences as pillars of his character is definitely inspiring. But what makes this movie so different, especially from other children’s stories, is how genuine all the characters seem. Their hopes, fears, dreams, and desires just seem so palpable to me, so much so that when they conflict and contradict each other, I can feel it deeply and I hope, fear, and dream along with them.
So yeah, it’s my favorite movie.
The Random Number Generator says you’re the third of the five winners! E-mail me at gordon at multiplexcomic.com with your full name and mailing address, and I’ll pass it on to the Powers That Be!
I love HTTYD I’ve watched the so many times and read the books, I’ve been waiting for a sequel and now I’m excited to finally have one.
I love the bond Hiccup and his dragon has, it reminds me of myself and my dog, we are unbreakable.
One of my favorite comics’ main characters was obsessed with the first How to Train Your Dragon. So, of course, I had to go and see it, and it was brilliant. I bought it as a Christmas present for my nieces, who love it, too.
How to train your dragon is an amazing movie, but the art, oh the art. I’m pursuing a career as a character designer and Nico Marlett, the main character designer for this movie, is my hero. His designs are full of life and fluidity. I remember watching the credits for the movie and seeing the lovely designs and I just HAD to get the Art of book. It started what is now a rollercoaster ride that I hope will only get better and better.
I’m in my late 20s. This is the first movie to get me real close to crying from joy in the middle. The moment Hiccup reaches out to try and touch Toothless the first time I still have to turn on all my man strength to keep it together. A lot of animated films have relationships between the cool character and the comic one that just feel boring, but this movie showed so deftly the evolution of a friendship between two characters. Which only gets better with each outing. Its amazing how they can do so much in a short like Gift of the Night Fury where in that last scene it’s still so much about their relationship.
And coincidentally this was right around the time I discovered Multiplex. I read through the entire archive over a few days at work and though I was hooked early, Jason’s shared passion for HTTYD really got me. His facial expression from the one panel looking up at the screen is exactly mine when watching that movie.
I had completely avoided How To Train Your Dragon in theaters, and the comics were published at a time when I wasn’t keeping up on them as well as I should have been. So, one Saturday, in a bit of a hangover sprawl, I saw it coming on after whatever else I was watching on HBO and decided since I wasn’t moving much to give it a view.
First, I was shocked at just how good the animation was (and was surprised/not surprised that Chris Sanders was a director of the picture), especially considering Dreamworks tendency to be a little flat textually compared to Pixar. Then, I was even more shocked at how good the story was; well acted with comedians, well acted from a dramatic standpoint, well animated to bring the performances to life. And the final shocker was just how emotionally invested I was in the finale. I hadn’t cried like that at a cartoon since Bambi, and was shocked that there were real ramifications for Hiccup that they didn’t shy away from.
When I got back into reading Multiplex, I was shocked at how similar my reaction was to Jasons. Sidenote: Introducing this movie to my girlfriend was one of my favorite move experiences with her so far. She doesn’t normally get as invested as I do in storytelling, but I actually saw her get emotional before I did on that viewing.
I was of course excited to see this movie, but going in I didnt expect to be so blown away! The story/characters, the music, the art… Loved it so much! I was a supervisor at a theater when it came out, so of course I spent my breaks in the movie (theater check needs to be done? Im on it!) We had the film for a good long while, so eventually I was able to time my breaks perfectly to watch the scene of Hiccup and Toothless beginning to bond. :P
I also requested a drawing of Toothless in the first Multiplex book and got one of Jason holding him. Amazing xD
Pretty much any time children notice my hearing aids these days, and
they are confused by the concepts of hearing loss and disability, I go
back to How To Train Your Dragon to work with something they’re familiar
with. While How To Train Your Dragon has joined the ranks of our most moving and beautiful animated/children’s features because of stunning animation, pitch-perfect music, and a great cast of characters, what makes the movie stand apart for me is how it introduces the idea of disability to children in a meaningful way, and shows them that limits exist mostly in the mind.
Most depictions of disabled characters are tokens, or have “A Very Special Episode” feel to them. Think Nightmare on Elm Street: Dream Warriors, or MAC and Me. While there are movies that get it right (Children of a Lesser God, Mr. Holland’s Opus), they don’t make for family viewing with young children.
With Gobber, we’re shown that a missing leg/hand doesn’t mean a Viking stays home and whittles or gets relegated to the rocking chair to tell stories of glory days; he can stay active and remain a vital part of the community through smithing and training. Through Toothless, we’re shown that persistence in the face of failure can pay off in the end; resilience amongst the disabled is what allows us to soar to heights with our peers instead of staying grounded. And with Hiccup, we’re shown the importance of the creative spark in overcoming obstacles; like the MacGuyver-inspired dad of the book “Double Take”, Hiccup fashions solutions to the problem that would keep Toothless from taking flight.
I grew up LOVING dragons as a little kid, and HTTYD totally catered to my inner child. I was immediately hooked from the previews, and I’m not ashamed to say I watch my copy at home as often as I can. Its fantastic animation and beautiful music soundtrack honed in exactly on the magic I always felt as a kid. Cannot wait for June 13! :D
I watched this with my boyfriend of the time and we loved it. We both went on to watch it again while it was still in theaters. Everything about is adorable, the soundtrack is amazing, and if they don’t give the second one an Oscar I will be upset!
The Random Number Generator says you’re the second of the five winners! E-mail me at gordon at multiplexcomic.com with your full name and mailing address, and I’ll pass it on to the Powers That Be!
Thanks to everybody who entered. I hope you’re as excited as I am about the movie — and I’m excited about the book, too, but I’m not letting myself flip through it until I’ve seen the movie (spoilers!)…
And thanks once again to Newmarket Press/HarperCollins for making this giveaway possible!