In the wonderfully vivid poem entitled “Deux Escargots S’ent Vont” (“Two Snails Set Off”) by filmmakers Romain Segaud and Jean-Pierre Jeunet, a forest full of animated animals encourage a pair of snails, who are fully clad in black because they are in mourning for a dead leaf, to celebrate the new spring and reclaim the colors of life. The film’s story is based upon a classic children’s poem by Jacques Prévert entitled “Chanson des escargots qui vont à l’enterrement” (Song of the snails who are on their way to a funeral”).
And the sun says to them
Take, take the trouble
The trouble to sit down
Take a glass of beer
If that’s what you fancy
Take, if you’d like to
The coach up to Paris
It’s leaving tonight
You’ll see the world
But don’t wear mourning
You mark my words
It makes you look ugly
And blacks out your eyes
All this coffin business
Is grim and not nice
Take back your colours
The colours of life
