Animal Farm (1954)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Directors:

Joy Batchelor
John Halas

Writer:

George Orwell (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

13 February 1956 (Sweden)

Genre:

Animation | Drama

Tagline:

He's got the world in an UPROAR!

Plot:

A successful farmyard revolution by the resident animals vs. the farmer goes horribly wrong when corrupt pigs hijack it for their personal gain.

Plot Keywords:

Farm | Farmer | Pig | Manor | Revolution

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Gordon Heath	...	Narrator (voice)
Maurice Denham	...	All Animals (voice)

Directed by
Joy Batchelor
John Halas

Writing credits
George Orwell		(novel)
Philip Stapp		writer (uncredited)

Produced by
Joy Batchelor	....	producer
John Halas	....	producer

Original Music by
Matyas Seiber

Sound Department
William S. Bland	....	sound recordist (as W. Bland)
Jack King	....	sound effects
Jack King	....	sound
George Newberry	....	sound recordist (as G. Newbury)

Camera and Electrical Department
Sid Griffiths	....	camera operator (as S.G. Griffiths)
J. Gurr	....	camera operator
William Traylor	....	camera operator (as W. Traylor)
Roy Turk	....	camera operator (as R. Turk)

Animation Department
Ralph Ayres	....	animator (as R. Ayres)
Bernard Carey	....	background artist
Arthur Humberstone	....	animator (as A. Humberstone)
Geoffrey Martin	....	layout artist
Frank Moysey	....	animator (as F. Moysey)
Edric Radage	....	animator (as E. Radage)
John Reed	....	animation director (as John F. Reed)
Digby Turpin	....	background artist
Harold Whitaker	....	animator (as H. Whittaker)
Matvyn Wright	....	background artist
Alma Coles	....	ink and paint artist (uncredited)
Nicholas Spargo	....	animator (uncredited)

Music Department
Matyas Seiber	....	conductor

Other crew
Joy Batchelor	....	story developer
Louis De Rochemont	....	presenter
John Halas	....	story developer
Borden Mace	....	story developer
Lothar Wolff	....	story developer

Production Companies

• Halas and Batchelor Cartoon Films

Distributors

• Associated British-Pathé (1954) (UK) (theatrical)
• Louis De Rochemont Associates (1954) (USA) (theatrical)
• Distributors Corporation of America (DCA) (1955) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Asociace Ceských Filmových Klubu (ACFK) (2009) (Czech Republic) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Blue Dolphin Film Distribution (1998) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Ghibli Museum, The (2008) (Japan) (theatrical)
• atlas Film (1982) (West Germany) (theatrical) (re-release)
• BBC Enterprises (1985) (UK) (VHS)
• Hollywood Home Theatre (1980) (USA) (VHS)
• Home Vision Entertainment (HVE) (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• PolyGram Video (1999) (UK) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures (2003) (UK) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)  funding

Runtime:

72 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec) | UK:X (original rating) | Czech Republic:U | Australia:G | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:15 | UK:U | USA:Unrated | West Germany:6 (nf)

Company:

Halas and Batchelor Cartoon Films

Trivia:

The CIA obtained the film rights to "Animal Farm" from Orwell's widow, Sonia, after his death and covertly funded the production as anti-Communist propaganda. Some sources assert that the ending of the story was altered by the CIA (in the book, the pigs and humans join forces) to press home their message, but it is equally possible that the more upbeat ending of the movie was an artistic decision, to give the film more audience appeal.

Goofs:

Continuity: After the first battle, the color of the puppies changes between shots - cream-ivory colored when we first see them, grey when Napoleon takes them up into the barn.

Quotes:

[The laws of Animal Farm are being read]
Snowball: No animal shall drink alcohol. No animal shall sleep in a bed. Four legs good, two legs bad.
[The chickens are very annoyed at this rule]
Squealer: Wings count as legs.
[The chickens realize that Squealer is right]
Group of sheep: Four legs good, two legs bad. Four legs good, two legs bad.
Snowball: [continuing the reading of the laws] No animal shall kill another animal. All animals are equal.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 100 Greatest Cartoons (2005) (TV)

Disappointing rethinking of the Orwell classic.

Animal Farm (1954) was a very good read about the dangers of totalitarianism. How good ideals can be changed and distorted by those who are ignorant or rule with an iron fist and an empty head. Sadly this movie does not portray either of these. What we're shown is a propaganda piece with a lot of finger waving and pointing. The animation and the direction were good considering the budget and the time period but the very essence of George Orwell's novel is sorely missing.

If you're one of those who want to see how not to adapt a novel or are just interested in seeing an adaptation of this brilliant novelette then by all means watch. I just found this one to be somewhat mediocre. Just one man's opinion however.

The remake is a notch below but not by much.