Various (director)
Network On Air (studio)
Cert PG (certificate)
146min (length)
29 June 2015 (released)
15 July 2015
Halas & Batchelor's highly influential and internationally acclaimed body of work encompassed children's series, public education films, adverts and more. Here we have a treasury of some of their very best short films covering a spectrum from 1948 to 1981.
Each one will have their own personal favorite out of the 18 shorts on offer. Personal favorites of this reviewer include an enchanting version of Edward Lear’s famous poem The Owl And The Pussycat (1952), followed by The Figurehead (based on a poem by Crosbie Garstin) which relates the sad story of a mermaid who falls in love with a ship’s figurehead.
Look at the whimsical The History Of Cinema and be amazed at what can be done in a few minutes! In a similar vein, and equally educative, is Tales From Hoffnung: The Symphony Orchestra. This is based on Gerard Hoffnung’s humorous musical cartoon works, illustrating the various instruments of an orchestra. And know we know what the now obsolete Ophicleide looked like.
Hamilton the Musical Elephant is a witty little piece with a score by renowned jazz musician Johnny Dankworth.
The Oscar-nominated and uncannily prophetic satire Automania 2000 is about technological overkill and the dangers of overpopulation of one kind or another.
We also get yet another futuristically-themed short (in fact the longest on the disc) with Autobahn, commissioned by German electronic band Kraftwerk.
The Question poses an interesting question (duh!) about the deeper meanings in life – just what is the answer?
Many will be familiar with the Butterfly Ball ( 1974) thanks to Alan Aldridge and Roger Glover and hear you can see this charming and rather psychedelic excerpt featuring a parade of animals and insects – lead by ‘Froggy’ twanging his guitar.
Drawn from an archive that includes numerous international award winners, these animated gems have been newly transferred in High Definition from the original film elements.
This is a delightful collection beginning to end from the groundbreaking studio that gave us the 1954 Animal Farm.
SHORT FILMS:
* THE MAGIC CANVAS
* FLYING FREE
* THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT
* THE FIGUREHEAD
* THE HISTORY OF THE CINEMA
* FOO FOO: THE STOWAWAY
* HABA TALES: THE CULTURED APE
* SNIP AND SNAP: TOP DOGS
* HAMILTON THE MUSICAL ELEPHANT
* AUTOMANIA 2000
* DODO - THE KID FROM OUTER SPACE: THE KIDNAPPED KID
* TALES FROM HOFFNUNG: THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
* FLOW DIAGRAM
* THE QUESTION
* CHILDREN AND CARS
* BUTTERFLY BALL (1974)
* AUTOBAHN
* DILEMMA
SPECIAL FEATURES on this Blu-ray include:
* John Halas Remembered
* Ode to Joy: A Life in Animation
* The Cultured Ape: 1980 Colourised Version
* Clapperboard: The Halas & Batchelor Story
* An Animated Utopia: the Life and Achievement of John Halas
* Image Gallery
