.gif)
Granpa (film)
Encyclopedia
Granpa is a 1989
English family-oriented animated film
, based on a 1984
children's illustrated story book by John Burningham
. The film initially appeared on Channel 4 Television and was later released on VHS
by Universal Studios
.
Directed by Dianne Jackson
, who had previously adapted Raymond Briggs
's The Snowman
into an animated film, it is hand-illustrated with coloured pencil in imitation of the style of the original Burningham book. In common with The Snowman, the music is by Howard Blake
, who also wrote the script for the film, which is referred to as an "animated children's opera". The voices of Granpa and Emily are by Peter Ustinov
and Emily Osborne respectively.
An expensive film to produce, it won the Prix Jeunesse International award for excellence in children's television programming in 1990.
The film celebrates the relationship between a small girl, Emily (voiced by Emily Osborne), and her kindly but ailing grandfather (voiced by Peter Ustinov
). Emily's playful innocence is contrasted with Granpa's increasing frailty. Aware that his days are numbered, he shares his memories of adventures and days gone by.
These memories are vividly brought to life by her grandfather's tales, beginning with a description of Granpa's childhood and youth in the early part of the 20th Century. Other adventures include a chivalrous
tale of Saint George and the Dragon
imagined on a bedcover, a fishing
trip which ends with a journey down the Thames on a blue whale
, a trip to the seaside which culminates in a re-enactment of the Battle of Britain
and a Noah's Ark
-influenced story, where Granpa's house is submerged and the pair have to accommodate exotic animals.
The final jungle section is left intentionally incomplete. As the seasons pass, Granpa grows frailer, and eventually Emily is left alone with an empty chair and the old man's loyal dog.
, Channel 4 commissioned another animation from TVC studios; producer John Coates
approached Dianne Jackson
and composer Howard Blake
, suggesting Burningham's picture book Granpa. Blake was initially reluctant due to the book's upsetting ending, but was convinced after witnessing his own daughter's reaction to her grandfather's death that year.
The film was entirely financed by Channel 4 and cost over one million pounds to make according to Coates. It was first broadcast on the channel on New Year's Eve 1989 at 6.30pm.
and is almost in the form of a miniature opera
, with many of the tales within the animation sung by the lead characters, along with children from the Wroughton
Middle School choir (winners of BBC Choir of the Year) and a forty-piece orchestra (the Sinfonia of London
).
The end title song "Make Believe" is performed by Sarah Brightman
and has the theme of "Auld Lang Syne
" as a counter-melody. The song was released as a single at the time.
has called the film "a sensitive and life-affirming animated adaptation".
Fiona Collins noted in Turning the Page: Children's Literature in Performance and the Media that while Burningham's book is open ended, with Emily ultimately left alone to contemplate her grandfather's passing, the film offers a less "stark" interpretation; his death is explored through her implied remembrance of him in the final scene. Collins suggests that this was probably because the original offered an unremittingly bleak ending that would be difficult for its intended child audience.
The film has rarely been repeated, and has never been released on DVD, perhaps due to its subject matter. The "Toonhound" review suggest that the film takes the tone of the ending of The Snowman even further, "exploring an aspect of life rarely approached in animated form." Paul Madden, writing Dianne Jackson's obituary in 1993 suggests that the film "was of less immediate popular appeal than The Snowman [but] was perhaps more satisfying to her creatively, demanding a more subtle approach."
1989 in film
-Events:* Batman is released on June 23, and goes on to gross over $410 million worldwide.* Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million...
English family-oriented animated film
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
, based on a 1984
1984 in literature
The year 1984 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*The book Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is widely read....
children's illustrated story book by John Burningham
John Burningham
-Biography:Burningham was born April 27, 1936 in Farnham, Surrey, England to Charles and Jessie Burningham. After primary school, he joined the Friends' Ambulance Unit in 1953. When he was 20, he attended the Central School of Art and graduated in 1959...
. The film initially appeared on Channel 4 Television and was later released on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
by Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
.
Directed by Dianne Jackson
Dianne Jackson
Dianne Jackson was an English animation director, best known for The Snowman, made in 1982 and subsequently repeated every Christmas on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom....
, who had previously adapted Raymond Briggs
Raymond Briggs
Raymond Redvers Briggs is an English illustrator, cartoonist, graphic novelist, and author who has achieved critical and popular success among adults and children...
's The Snowman
The Snowman
The Snowman is a children's book by English author Raymond Briggs, published in 1978. In 1982, this book was turned into a 26-minute animated movie by Dianne Jackson for the fledgling Channel 4. It was first shown on Channel 4 late on Christmas Eve in 1982 and was an immediate success. The film was...
into an animated film, it is hand-illustrated with coloured pencil in imitation of the style of the original Burningham book. In common with The Snowman, the music is by Howard Blake
Howard Blake
Howard Blake, OBE is an English composer , particularly noted for his film scores, although he is prolific in several fields of classical and light music...
, who also wrote the script for the film, which is referred to as an "animated children's opera". The voices of Granpa and Emily are by Peter Ustinov
Peter Ustinov
Peter Alexander Ustinov CBE was an English actor, writer and dramatist. He was also renowned as a filmmaker, theatre and opera director, stage designer, author, screenwriter, comedian, humourist, newspaper and magazine columnist, radio broadcaster and television presenter...
and Emily Osborne respectively.
An expensive film to produce, it won the Prix Jeunesse International award for excellence in children's television programming in 1990.
Plot
Peter Ustinov
Peter Alexander Ustinov CBE was an English actor, writer and dramatist. He was also renowned as a filmmaker, theatre and opera director, stage designer, author, screenwriter, comedian, humourist, newspaper and magazine columnist, radio broadcaster and television presenter...
). Emily's playful innocence is contrasted with Granpa's increasing frailty. Aware that his days are numbered, he shares his memories of adventures and days gone by.
These memories are vividly brought to life by her grandfather's tales, beginning with a description of Granpa's childhood and youth in the early part of the 20th Century. Other adventures include a chivalrous
Chivalry
Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. Chivalry was also the term used to refer to a group of mounted men-at-arms as well as to martial valour...
tale of Saint George and the Dragon
Saint George and the Dragon
The episode of Saint George and the Dragon appended to the hagiography of Saint George was Eastern in origin, brought back with the Crusaders and retold with the courtly appurtenances belonging to the genre of Romance...
imagined on a bedcover, a fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
trip which ends with a journey down the Thames on a blue whale
Blue Whale
The blue whale is a marine mammal belonging to the suborder of baleen whales . At in length and or more in weight, it is the largest known animal to have ever existed....
, a trip to the seaside which culminates in a re-enactment of the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
and a Noah's Ark
Noah's Ark
Noah's Ark is a vessel appearing in the Book of Genesis and the Quran . These narratives describe the construction of the ark by Noah at God's command to save himself, his family, and the world's animals from the worldwide deluge of the Great Flood.In the narrative of the ark, God sees the...
-influenced story, where Granpa's house is submerged and the pair have to accommodate exotic animals.
The final jungle section is left intentionally incomplete. As the seasons pass, Granpa grows frailer, and eventually Emily is left alone with an empty chair and the old man's loyal dog.
Production
In 1984, following the success of the animated Christmas film The SnowmanThe Snowman
The Snowman is a children's book by English author Raymond Briggs, published in 1978. In 1982, this book was turned into a 26-minute animated movie by Dianne Jackson for the fledgling Channel 4. It was first shown on Channel 4 late on Christmas Eve in 1982 and was an immediate success. The film was...
, Channel 4 commissioned another animation from TVC studios; producer John Coates
John Coates
John Henry Coates, FRS is a mathematician who holds the position of Sadleirian Professor of Pure Mathematics at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.-Early life and education:...
approached Dianne Jackson
Dianne Jackson
Dianne Jackson was an English animation director, best known for The Snowman, made in 1982 and subsequently repeated every Christmas on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom....
and composer Howard Blake
Howard Blake
Howard Blake, OBE is an English composer , particularly noted for his film scores, although he is prolific in several fields of classical and light music...
, suggesting Burningham's picture book Granpa. Blake was initially reluctant due to the book's upsetting ending, but was convinced after witnessing his own daughter's reaction to her grandfather's death that year.
The film was entirely financed by Channel 4 and cost over one million pounds to make according to Coates. It was first broadcast on the channel on New Year's Eve 1989 at 6.30pm.
Music
The musical score was written and composed by Howard BlakeHoward Blake
Howard Blake, OBE is an English composer , particularly noted for his film scores, although he is prolific in several fields of classical and light music...
and is almost in the form of a miniature opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, with many of the tales within the animation sung by the lead characters, along with children from the Wroughton
Wroughton
Wroughton is a large village in Wiltshire, England. It is part of the Borough of Swindon and is south of Swindon.-History:The earliest evidence of human presence in the area is from the Mesolithic period, although this is fairly limited...
Middle School choir (winners of BBC Choir of the Year) and a forty-piece orchestra (the Sinfonia of London
Sinfonia of London
The Sinfonia of London is a session orchestra based in London, England. Muir Mathieson, the director of music for Rank Films, founded the ensemble in 1955 specifically for the recording of film music...
).
The end title song "Make Believe" is performed by Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman is an English classical crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She is famous for possessing a vocal range of over 3 octaves and singing in the whistle register...
and has the theme of "Auld Lang Syne
Auld Lang Syne
"Auld Lang Syne" is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song . It is well known in many countries, especially in the English-speaking world; its traditional use being to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight...
" as a counter-melody. The song was released as a single at the time.
Reception
The film won the Prix Jeunesse International award for excellence in children's television programming in 1990. The film review site Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
has called the film "a sensitive and life-affirming animated adaptation".
Fiona Collins noted in Turning the Page: Children's Literature in Performance and the Media that while Burningham's book is open ended, with Emily ultimately left alone to contemplate her grandfather's passing, the film offers a less "stark" interpretation; his death is explored through her implied remembrance of him in the final scene. Collins suggests that this was probably because the original offered an unremittingly bleak ending that would be difficult for its intended child audience.
The film has rarely been repeated, and has never been released on DVD, perhaps due to its subject matter. The "Toonhound" review suggest that the film takes the tone of the ending of The Snowman even further, "exploring an aspect of life rarely approached in animated form." Paul Madden, writing Dianne Jackson's obituary in 1993 suggests that the film "was of less immediate popular appeal than The Snowman [but] was perhaps more satisfying to her creatively, demanding a more subtle approach."
External links
- Granpa at the British Film InstituteBritish Film InstituteThe British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
- Granpa at Toonhound.com
- Granpa at Fandando.com
- Howard Blake official site
- Samples of Granpa music scores by Howard BlakeHoward BlakeHoward Blake, OBE is an English composer , particularly noted for his film scores, although he is prolific in several fields of classical and light music...