Sweet Disaster
Sweet Disaster is a 1986 series of short films, made for Channel 4.[1] It consists of "animated visions of the apocalypse",[2] and includes films such as Babylon and Sweet Disaster. The series was conceived by producer David Hopkins.[3] TheLostContinent explains "Hopkins scripted each of these films aside from the dialogue-free Dreamless Sleep".[2] The films are fairly obscure; Nick Park noted that Babylon "hasn't really seen the light of day for a long time."[4]
Films
Babylon (1986)
Babylon was one of several Aardman Animations films commissioned by Channel 4 Commissioning Editor Paul Madden.[3] The film was directed by Peter Lord and David Sproxton.[2] The editor is David McCormick.[5] It is included on the Aardman Classics DVD, and so is the least obscure of the series.[2] The short is 15 minutes long. Its release date in the UK was 4 May 1986, and it was later released in Canada on 7 June 2003 at the Worldwide Short Film Festival.[6] Tony Robinson plays the role of Voice of Speaker.[7] The film received two awards: Peter Lord and David Sproxton won the Audience Award, and Peter Lord won the Award of Merit for a Film Between 5 and 15 Minutes[8] This was the first film project Nick Park worked on after joining Aardman Animations in the mid 80s.[9][10] Aardman agreed to supply Park with extra resources for A Grand Day Out if he agreed to help them finish the film.[11]
Dreamless Sleep (1986)
Dreamless Sleep was made by David Anderson.[3] ScreenOnline notes that the film "spent ten wordless minutes subtly conveying a couple's fear in the face of an incoming nuclear blast."[1] The film won the Hiroshima Peace Prize.[12] The film had an estimated budget of £125,000 [13] The short was made in Bristol. The title of the short came from David Anderson "going to a carol concert in Bristol with the composer Martin Kiszko and listening to 'Oh Little Town of Bethlehem".[14]
Paradise Regained (1986)
Paradise Regained was directed by Andrew Franks.[2] The film had an estimated budget of £80,000.[15]
Conversations by a Californian Swimming Pool (1986)
Conversations by a Californian Swimming Pool was directed by Andrew Franks.[2] The film had an estimated budget of £80,000.[16]
Death of a Speechwriter (1986)
Death of a Speechwriter was directed by David Hopkins.[2] Tony Robinson played The Speechwriter. The film had an estimated budget of £75,000.[17]
Critical reception
Animation World Network described Babylon as "hauntingly powerful", and described Dreamless Sleep as "equally haunting".[3] ScreenOnline cited Dreamless Sleep as an example of how "later work strengthened Anderson's command of his complex technical resources".[1]
References
- ^ a b c "BFI Screenonline: Anderson, David (1952-) Biography". screenonline.org.uk. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g "The Lost Continent: Dreamless Sleep and Sweet Disaster". ukanimation.blogspot.com.au. 29 April 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ a b c d "The History of Channel 4 and The Future of British Animation | Animation World Network". awn.com. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ "Aardman Animations · Interview · The A.V. Club". avclub.com. 21 June 2000. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ "New British animation (1993)". dla.library.upenn.edu. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ "Babylon (1986) - Release Info - IMDb". imdb.com. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ "Babylon (1986) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb". imdb.com. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ "Babylon - Awards - IMDb". imdb.com. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ "BFI Screenonline: Film Studios and Industry Bodies > Aardman Animations". screenonline.org.uk. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ "Observations on film art : Tracking down Aardman creatures". davidbordwell.net. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ "YouTube - A History of Aardman: Episode 4 - Pete and Dave Meet Nick Park!". m.youtube.com. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ "animate! " Films " The Tongue of the Hidden by David Alexander Anderson " all " synopses " direction & collaboration " full production credits " film stills " tools & processes " background material". animateonline.org. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ "Dreamless Sleep (1986) - IMDb". imdb.com. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ "dreamless". davidandersonfilms.com. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ "Paradise Regained (1986) - IMDb". imdb.com. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ "Conversations by a Californian Swimming Pool (1986) - IMDb". imdb.com. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ "Death of a Speechwriter (1986) - IMDb". imdb.com. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- v
- t
- e
- Animated Conversations
- Down and Out (1977)
- Confessions of a Foyer Girl (1978)
- Conversation Pieces
- On Probation (1983)
- Sales Pitch (1983)
- Sweet Disaster: Babylon (1986)
- Sledgehammer (1986)
- My Baby Just Cares for Me (1987)
- Barefootin' (1987)
- A Grand Day Out (1989)
- Lip Synch
- Creature Comforts (1989)
- Going Equipped (1990)
- War Story (1989)
- Ident (1990)
- Next (1990)
- Rex the Runt: How Dinosaurs Became Extinct (1991)
- Rex the Runt: Dreams (1991)
- Adam (1992)
- Never Say Pink Furry Die (1992)
- Loves Me, Loves Me Not (1992)
- Not Without My Handbag (1993)
- The Wrong Trousers (1993)
- The Morph Files (1995)
- Pib and Pog (1995)
- A Close Shave (1995)
- Rex the Runt: North by North Pole (1996)
- Wat's Pig (1996)
- Pop (1996)
- Owzat (1997)
- Stage Fright (1997)
- Humdrum (1998)
- Al Dente (1998)
- Viva Forever (1998)
- Minotaur and Little Nerkin (1999)
- Angry Kid (1999)
- The Deadline (2001)
- Len's Lens (2002)
- Angry Kid: Who do you think you are? (2004)
- The Pearce Sisters (2007)
- A Matter of Loaf and Death (2008)
- Dot (2010)
- Gulp (2011)
- Timmy Time – Timmy's Christmas Surprise (2011)
- Timmy Time – Timmy's Seaside Rescue (2012)
- Wallace & Gromit's Jubilee Bunt-a-thon (2012)
- A Pig's Tail (2012)
- The Pirates!: So You Want to Be a Pirate! (2012)
- Darkside trailer (2013)
- Sphere (2013)
- Ray's Big Idea (2014)
- Special Delivery (2015)
- Shaun the Sheep: The Farmer's Llamas (2015)
- Robin Robin (2021)
- Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas (2021)
- Star Wars: Visions: I Am Your Mother (2023)
series of shorts
- Animated Conversations (1977–78)
- The Amazing Adventures of Morph (1980–81)
- Conversation Pieces (1983–84)
- Pee-wee's Playhouse (1986, Penny cartoons, Season 1 only)
- Lip Synch (1989)
- Rex the Runt (1998–2001)
- Angry Kid (1999–2019)
- Wallace and Gromit's Cracking Contraptions (2002–03)
- Creature Comforts (2003–07)
- Planet Sketch (2005-07)
- Purple and Brown (2005–08)
- Pib and Pog (2006)
- Shaun the Sheep (2007–present)
- Chop Socky Chooks (2007–08)
- Timmy Time (2009–12)
- Wallace and Gromit's World of Invention (2010)
- Canimals (2011–present)
- DC Nation Shorts: DC's World's Funnest (2012–14)
- Counterfeit Cat (2016–17)
- Star Wars: Visions ("I Am Your Mother"; 2023)
films
- Chicken Run (2000)
- Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
- Flushed Away (2006)
- Arthur Christmas (2011)
- The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! (2012)
- Shaun the Sheep Movie (2015)
- Early Man (2018)
- A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon (2019)
- Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (2023)
- Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (2024)
- Morph (1977–present)
- Creature Comforts (1989–2011)
- Wallace and Gromit (1989–present)
- Angry Kid (1998–2019)
- Chicken Run (2000–present)
- Shaun the Sheep (2007–present)