Influenced by the German Expressionist movement of the early 1900s and the silhouette animated films by Lotte Reiniger, The Animals is a paper cut-out stop-motion animation that is adapted from the life of Joseph Merrick, the historically famed Elephant Man who walked the streets of Victorian England, exhibiting himself in freak shows. Abused and despised by society for his horrific appearance, Merrick is at his wit’s end when things take a serendipitous turn.