This film is part of Rentals
Men of Merit (a Lantern Lecture)
Vibrant, progressive animation contrasts with some outdated attitudes in this Electricity Council cartoon on energy usage
Overview
How dare housewives use heating and lighting in peak hours? That’s the bottom line of this Electricity Council cartoon, although it is dressed up in a mini-history of scientific advance. Visually however, the film is ahead of its time – Nancy Hanna’s remarkable drawings are the epitome of modern cartooning, coloured with highlighter pen luminescence.
The stop-motion professor draws on art director Peter Sachs’ time in the Dutch “Dollywood” studio of George Pal. The lecture dialogue was typical of the collaborations between the Larkins Studio and Roger MacDougall, a cousin of Ealing director Alexander Mackendrick. Few writers would have the nerve to rhyme “ox” with “walks”, but with the aid of narrator Geoffrey Sumner it somehow works.
Related
Kensuke's Kingdom Kensuke's Kingdom
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 84 mins Director: Neil Boyle and Kirk Hendry
Michael Morpurgo’s beloved novel is brought to life in this delightful, animated tale of a young castaway who discovers he’s not alone.
Robot Dreams Robot Dreams
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 103 mins Director: Pablo Berger
Spanish director Pablo Berger delivers a rich and emotionally engaging dialogue-free animation about friendship, set in a bustling 1980s New York City.
Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2022 108 mins Director: Pierre Földes
Impressive and captivating animated adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s short stories.
Times For Times For
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1970 80 mins Silent Director: Stephen Dwoskin
Four characters go through a series of deeply emotional, psychedelic, sensual, sexual encounters, evoking the times and textures of the 1960s underground.
Estuary Estuary
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1980 49 mins Director: Chris Welsby
Tides rise and fall and the landscape twists around the camera.
Belle Belle
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2021 122 mins Director: Mamoru Hosoda
High-school student Suzu finds her voice in an incredible virtual world that allows everyday people to become extraordinary.
Paddington Paddington
Children's 2014 95 mins Director: Paul King
Unexpectedly beautiful and bewitching return for the marmalade-loving bear with a sense of adventure.
Chicken Run Chicken Run
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2000 84 mins Director: Peter Lord and Nick Park
Mel Gibson’s Rocky the rooster helps the chickens escape from fascistic farmers in Aardman Animations first foray into feature films.
Shaun the Sheep Movie Shaun the Sheep Movie
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2014 85 mins Director: Richard Starzak and Mark Burton
Aardman returns with another delightful animation for young and old, telling the story of Shaun’s adventures in the big city after Farmer is led astray.
Do I Detect a Change in Your Attitude? Do I Detect a Change in Your Attitude?
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1980 7 mins Director: Vera Linnecar
An alternative cartoon cat and mouse chase produced by a trio of pioneer women animators
Paddington 2 Paddington 2
Children's 2017 103 mins Director: Paul King
Britain’s favourite bear returns for another adventure. Porridge rather than marmalade looks set to be Paddington's new staple after he's framed for a robbery, unless the Brown family can help solve the mystery.
When the Wind Blows When the Wind Blows
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1986 84 mins Director: Jimmy Teru Murakami
A middle-aged couple prepare for nuclear war in this humorous and macabre cautionary tale, adapted by Raymond Briggs (The Snowman) from his best-selling book.
Timestalker Timestalker
Comedy 2024 89 mins Director: Alice Lowe
Alice Lowe's time-jumping fantasy rom-com is a colourful, darkly funny treat.
South: Sir Ernest Shackleton's Glorious Epic of the Antarctic South: Sir Ernest Shackleton's Glorious Epic of the Antarctic
Documentary 1919 81 mins Silent Director: Frank Hurley
An extraordinary story of survival in the wastes of Antarctica.
Night Courier (Mandoob) Night Courier (Mandoob)
Comedy 2023 112 mins Director: Ali Kalthami
A desperate delivery driver gets caught up in the dark underworld of Riyadh in Ali Kalthami’s gripping, pitch-black satire.
Utopia Utopia
Documentary 2013 111 mins Director: John Pilger and Alan Lowery
John Pilger's portrayal of the oldest continuous human culture is also an investigation into a suppressed colonial past, and rapacious present.
The Ballymurphy Precedent The Ballymurphy Precedent
Documentary 2018 108 mins Director: Callum Macrae
John Pilger's film on the conflict in Northern Ireland is a skilful mix of investigative journalism, documentary storytelling and reflections on contemporary history.
The Coming War on China The Coming War on China
Documentary 2016 113 mins Director: John Pilger
John Pilger’s prescient 60th film for ITV is both a warning and an inspiring story of resistance.