"Faeries" is an Amercian 24-minute animated short film from 1981, so this one is already over 35 years old and despite the age, I am a bit surprised how this is almost forgotten by now. Thhe reason is that it received a pretty strong deal of Emmy attention (it is a television special of course) and that the genre also appeals to many I guess. I am not the very greatest fantasy lover, but it still worked out nicely. The director and also among the writers who adapted the books is Lee Mishkin, but the more known names are probably included in the voice acting cast, namely Hans Conried, Frank Welker and June Foray, who just died very recently close to the age of 100. It is fitting that this trio voiced supporting characters as the human hero in charge of saving the fairies in here is pretty generic and forgettable and maybe also the reason why this was not made as a series after the success of this one. Or at least a sequel. The heart and soul are the supporting characters as they are still interesting thanks to their looks, even if we don't find out that much about most of them. The story is okay, nothing too special and slightly predictable. The animation is really solid too and you could see that it was improving again after the years of drought past the Golden Age of Animation. Good for us, the audience. This is an underseen little film. Go check it out if you like fantasy animation. It is worth seeing.
8 Reviews
Short, sweet faerie tale
ztonus17 May 2002
This could have been easily an ABC Weekend Special. Sadly, I only found it once in a rental store and never saw it again.
Sad, because this was a pretty good story with so-so heroes and cool villians.
Oisin is a poor hunter. When he tries to shoot a deer, it becomes a blue fairy that takes him to FairyLand (obviously). There, he learns that he has to destroy the evil Shadow, who was created from the fairy king's own shadow.
It's a typical fairy tale, but it'll keep your interest if you have a half hour to spare. Good news for Disney Haters: there's no songs, only a ballet-like theme. The animation is okay, but does seem sketchy at times.
Fun Fact: This film was based on a book written and illustrated by artist Brian Froud. He would go on to create the artwork for the films "The Dark Crystal" and "Labyrinth", both directed by the Great Jim Henson....
Sad, because this was a pretty good story with so-so heroes and cool villians.
Oisin is a poor hunter. When he tries to shoot a deer, it becomes a blue fairy that takes him to FairyLand (obviously). There, he learns that he has to destroy the evil Shadow, who was created from the fairy king's own shadow.
It's a typical fairy tale, but it'll keep your interest if you have a half hour to spare. Good news for Disney Haters: there's no songs, only a ballet-like theme. The animation is okay, but does seem sketchy at times.
Fun Fact: This film was based on a book written and illustrated by artist Brian Froud. He would go on to create the artwork for the films "The Dark Crystal" and "Labyrinth", both directed by the Great Jim Henson....
Just Wonderful
Gdenofa13 January 2011
I was about 7 when I first saw this CBS special that my mom recorded for me. Years later, I was able to obtain a new VHS of the show. Sadly this classic was never put on DVD so I had it done so I no longer had to worry about the tape getting damaged.
All I can say is that cartoons lack so much these days. This is your classic good vs evil storyline. But what makes it so intriguing, is the characters are based on the book Faeries by Brian Froud, the guy that helped with the Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. The music is wonderful and the ending with the hero fighting the villain is dramatic and intense and keep you on your seat.
I would rate this a 10 but I give it a 9 only because I wish it was longer.
If your lucky to get a copy, have your kids watch it. Should them the good stuff that they missed out on!
All I can say is that cartoons lack so much these days. This is your classic good vs evil storyline. But what makes it so intriguing, is the characters are based on the book Faeries by Brian Froud, the guy that helped with the Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. The music is wonderful and the ending with the hero fighting the villain is dramatic and intense and keep you on your seat.
I would rate this a 10 but I give it a 9 only because I wish it was longer.
If your lucky to get a copy, have your kids watch it. Should them the good stuff that they missed out on!
god this stuck with me.
cheeseland7 June 2007
Warning: Spoilers
i haven't seen it since I was a little kid, but I remember the final battle where the hero is injured because his shadow was injured. Mind you my memory has fuzzed over the years, so i may be wrong about that scene, but it always seemed to be a scene i remembered.but I am always looking to find this cartoon. I am still looking and if anyone has a lead it would be appreciated. It has been so long I also thought I may have dreamed seeing this movie. I'm also wondering if anyone has a link on more info for this cartoon. Right now I am hunting for all the obscure cartoons I saw as a kid it's entertaining to go back and see what I thought was cool as a kid compared to now.
"Good,Bad...I'm the one with the gun."
"Good,Bad...I'm the one with the gun."
One of my favorites 10/10
mtaylor-448441 September 2020
This is a movie that has stuck with me over time. Back when I was a child, Watership Down was coming on TV but Faeries was showed before it. Luckily I was able to watch the entire thing and it became one of my favorites. Watching it as an adult still has the same effect! Great movie! Don't miss out
Amazing Fantasy
brandon_chuck_norris23 March 2022
I agree, it's a hot day in July 1982, we just got out of the pool and sucking on astro pops, we are drying off and come to find some fantasy legend, we turn off the pitfall and atari 2600 to enjoy this amazing "alice in wonderland" romp through froud's mind, it's amazing, enthralling, my 8 year old brain can't quite wrap around it, it's dangerous, wild, engaging, I love it, I'm now 50 and I still remember it as if it was yesterday.
This is one they ought to resurrect.
sneakyclevermongols19 September 2006
WOW. Here we are, twenty-five years after "Faeries" first aired, and I thought I'd COMPLETELY hallucinated the experience.
Supposedly it was based upon the 1978 book of the same name, which was basically a collection of paintings by Brian Froud -- the artist who would go on to do the conceptual art for such films as "Labyrinth" and "The Dark Crystal" -- of different types of Faeries, with the illustrations strung together by some narrative text. (I read the book afterward, and it's very enjoyable.) But "Faeries" also borrows several significant characters from actual Irish legend: part of the Fenian Cycle involving Oisín, the son of the hero Fionn mac Cumhal, and his adventures in the "other world" with a Faerie woman named Niamh.
That's a LOT of unexpected depth for an ABC weekend special. Especially considering its short running time, and being mainly geared for children, it packed a narrative wallop, was visually pleasing, and didn't patronize the viewer.
Today, it's an official "rare cartoon"; it just seemed to vanish into thin air after one viewing like one of its namesakes.
Pity.
Supposedly it was based upon the 1978 book of the same name, which was basically a collection of paintings by Brian Froud -- the artist who would go on to do the conceptual art for such films as "Labyrinth" and "The Dark Crystal" -- of different types of Faeries, with the illustrations strung together by some narrative text. (I read the book afterward, and it's very enjoyable.) But "Faeries" also borrows several significant characters from actual Irish legend: part of the Fenian Cycle involving Oisín, the son of the hero Fionn mac Cumhal, and his adventures in the "other world" with a Faerie woman named Niamh.
That's a LOT of unexpected depth for an ABC weekend special. Especially considering its short running time, and being mainly geared for children, it packed a narrative wallop, was visually pleasing, and didn't patronize the viewer.
Today, it's an official "rare cartoon"; it just seemed to vanish into thin air after one viewing like one of its namesakes.
Pity.
A Little Slice of My Childhood
syllavus25 October 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Faeries was one of those films that I could never get out of my mind. We had taped it off of the TV when it first aired, and I watched this battered VHS copy of it several times during my toddler-hood. For some reason, even though I couldn't have been any older than four the last time I saw it, this film made an indelible impression.
I was recently lucky enough to purchase a used video-store copy of this film from a seller at amazon.com, and I was amazed at how much of this film I remembered even though over two decades have passed since I last saw it.
The dancing of the faeries accompanied by string and woodwind instruments, the three hags, the one-legged demon, the shape-changing Puck, the frightened Kobold, the Faerie King dancing with his shadow, the journey across the lake, and the final frightening battle between Oisin and the Shadow; it was all lying dormant in my brain, just waiting to be awoken.
The film follows the would-be hero Oisin, as he is brought into the land of faerie by a beautiful faerie princess with long blue hair. The faerie King foolishly brought his shadow to life, and the shadow has since sapped the King's own powers, and threatened to plunge the world of Faerie into darkness. Only a mortal can destroy the shadow, and so Oisin agrees to help out the faerie folk, and sets out, accompanied by the shape-changer Puck. While venturing to the Shadow's evil castle, they come across a group of goblins, getting ready to make Kobold stew out of a poor helpless little fellow whom they captured. Oisin and Puck free the Kobold, and he joins them on their quest.
With the help of the Kobold's candles, Oisin is able to defeat the evil Shadow, and the land of faerie is saved.
I wouldn't say that this film is a great film, but there's definitely something magical and enchanting about it. I wish that Brian Froud's influence were more prevalent in the look of the film, and of course it's far too short, lasting only 30 minutes. All-in-all though, I'm very happy to own a copy of this charming, if-short fairy tale.
I was recently lucky enough to purchase a used video-store copy of this film from a seller at amazon.com, and I was amazed at how much of this film I remembered even though over two decades have passed since I last saw it.
The dancing of the faeries accompanied by string and woodwind instruments, the three hags, the one-legged demon, the shape-changing Puck, the frightened Kobold, the Faerie King dancing with his shadow, the journey across the lake, and the final frightening battle between Oisin and the Shadow; it was all lying dormant in my brain, just waiting to be awoken.
The film follows the would-be hero Oisin, as he is brought into the land of faerie by a beautiful faerie princess with long blue hair. The faerie King foolishly brought his shadow to life, and the shadow has since sapped the King's own powers, and threatened to plunge the world of Faerie into darkness. Only a mortal can destroy the shadow, and so Oisin agrees to help out the faerie folk, and sets out, accompanied by the shape-changer Puck. While venturing to the Shadow's evil castle, they come across a group of goblins, getting ready to make Kobold stew out of a poor helpless little fellow whom they captured. Oisin and Puck free the Kobold, and he joins them on their quest.
With the help of the Kobold's candles, Oisin is able to defeat the evil Shadow, and the land of faerie is saved.
I wouldn't say that this film is a great film, but there's definitely something magical and enchanting about it. I wish that Brian Froud's influence were more prevalent in the look of the film, and of course it's far too short, lasting only 30 minutes. All-in-all though, I'm very happy to own a copy of this charming, if-short fairy tale.
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