"Sex, violence and opera are not usually associated with puppets or animation. br But Brit Barry Purves leaves Punch and Judy in the dust as he takes animated puppetry into an operatic, erotically charged realm of violence that is as disturbing as it is visually lavish. His latest short film, "Achilles," based on the mythical Greek hero, is a sexually graphic retelling of the br relationship between Achilles and Patroclus, his male lover, which culminates br in a bloody tragedy during the Trojan War. br br Made in 1995, "Achilles tells us the bold tale of the erotic relationship between Achilles and his young soldier-lover, Patroclus." What makes the short so astonishing is that Purves has utilized the old-fashioned, Ray Harryhausen style of stop-motion animation. br br His two lead characters have the look of classic marble statues brought to life—sans togas or fig leaves! The other soldiers wear Taurus-like masks and are donned in S&M leather chest straps and studded jocks. Not only is the animation amazingly well done, but also Purves tells the story using terrifically edited and surreal montage sequences.