Halas & Batchelor Collection

Synopsis: Affectionately referred to as ‘the British Disney’, Halas & Batchelor’s highly influential and internationally acclaimed body of work encompassed children’s series, public education films, adverts and more. This collection of short films shows how stunningly innovative, whimsically humorous and subversively entertaining their four-decade body of work actually was.

From an uncannily prophetic, Oscar nominated satire on technological overkill and automated gridlock (Automania 2000) to the adventures of of a paper-cutout dog and his friends (Snip and Snap), the films present wide-ranging content in a gloriously inventive fashion. Drawn from an archive that includes numerous international award winners, these animated gems have been newly transferred from the original film elements; all showcase the beguiling humour, questing yet playful spirituality and sheer technical brilliance that characterised the studio’s output, serving as both an introduction to and celebration of a unique body of work that is ripe for re-evaluation.
Extras:
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
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Year of production: 1948-1981
Subjects: Film studies
Keywords: animation films; cinema - UK

Name: Network
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Notes: Founded in 1997, Network specialises in distributing niche television programmes, predominantly licensed from Granada Ventures and Fremantle. They have recently branched into feature film distribution. Sale via retail outlets or direct via Network’s website, which has some’web exclusive’ offers.

Name: BFI Distribution
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Notes: The British Film Institute is a specialist non-theatric rental distributor of international fiction and documentary films on 16mm and 35mm film, as well as VHS and DVD video. The holdings are so vast that only those titles available on DVD and HD Digital are listed in full on the website, so it is worth enquiring about specific titles that might only be available for hire in other formats. The BFI has partnered with on-line platforms such as lovefilm and blinkbox to deliver a selection of films to buy or rent in digital format, and others are streamed free of charge on the BFI’s YouTube channel or as dowloadable clips on the Creative Archive section of the BFI’s own website.

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British Universities Film & Video Council