Before going to the House of YA Festival at the Waterstones in Manchester, (where after a Q&A with four authors, I got the chance to have a nice chat to, and get my book signed by Marie Lu) I decided to check the local CEX.
Having great memories of watching it on CITV with my mum, I was excited to spot a DVD of the original TV version, (the title had been released as one film on video, with the opening and closing credits being cut, in order to turn it into a feature) which led to me getting ready to revisit the first animated adaptation of Terry Pratchett.
View on the film:
Running for 11 minutes once a week over 13 weeks and playing just after children had gotten home from school, the screenplay by Brian Trueman remarkably stays true to the spirit of Pratchett's novel, (with Pratchett later calling this adaptation "Superb") at the same, as setting the wheels in motion for an enchanting tale of the Nomes in a race against time to leave what has become their home, in order to survive.
Athough screened as a family program, Trueman does not shy away from visceral peril, which enters the world of the Nomes from the moment a vicious fox attack leaves one of the Nomes dead, and their drive to risk it all and explore the great outdoors, ignites the ultimate fire sale at the Arnold Brothers est 1905 department store.
Bringing The Thing/ Black Box to life with electric inside the store, whilst the Nomes pay their respect to Abbot of the Stationeri, and pray to Arnold Brothers est 1905 that Abbot will go to the great department store in the sky, Trueman brilliantly brings Pratchett's satirical sketch of religion into the store, following the Nomes treating every change to the shelves as some sort of major event, and the unseen Arnold Brothers est 1905 being viewed as Gods, until The Thing/ Black Box brings in an age of enlightenment, giving rational, scientific explanations for what the Nomes had believed to be miracles, and tantalizing details for what awaits in the outside world.
Bringing Nomes from the outside world into the department store, Trueman masterfully draws each of them with a wry sense of humour, from Masklin firmly holding his ground,over the belief that all the Nomes are in danger the longer they stay in the department store,to the elbow grease of Gurder of the Stationeri, cutting through all the myths and the doubts, in order to look in the most practical terms at how the Nomes can safely leave, via driving a truck.
Dividing the 13 episodes between themselves, and backed by a textured Jazz score from Colin Towns, directors Chris Taylor, Francis Vose & Jackie Cockle present a united, team vision, displaying every beautifully made stop-motion animation model, running on zoom-ins of the killer fox, to refine panning shots across the immaculately made backgrounds (filled with playful background jokes.)
Going above ground to explore the floors of Arnold Brothers est 1905, (filmed at the Lewis's Department Store in Manchester, the distinctive storefront of which still stands) the directors intelligently contrast the rich design of the Nomes, with blurred, distorted voices, faces and slow-motion live action, that captures the Nomes perspective of humans being dangerous giants (giants being a subject Cosgrove Hall had recently covered in their adaptation of The BFG.)
Continuing his collaboration with Cosgrove Hall after The Wind in the Willows, Michael Hordern gives a towering performance as Abbot of the Stationeri, whose last days are given a sliver of skepticism by Abbot over what he has always blindly believed, whilst
Edward Kelsey hits on a note of encouragement, springing out from the rumbling machinery of The Thing/the Black Box, as the Nomes become truckers.
0 out of 0 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
