Animal Farm Remastered – A Review

Inspired by the dream of Old Major, a prize boar, the overworked animals of Manor Farm rise up against their negligent, drunken human owner and drive him out. Led by two young pigs, Snowball and Napoleon, they establish their own self-sufficient farm, but as the farm flourishes it begins to slide into dictatorship.

Britain’s first animated feature. From Halas and Batchelor, Europe’s groundbreaking animation studio, this 1954 adaptation brilliantly conveys George Orwell’s scathing satire on the corruption of Communist ideals and the Soviet Union’s slide into totalitarianism.

The celebrated animated feature film, Animal Farm, was made between 1951-54, using over 250,000 drawings, 1,000 colour backgrounds and 300,000 hours of work. It was the first full length animation made in Britain. It captures the true spirit of George Orwell’s satirical masterpiece on which it was based, with skill and sympathy. A fine example of classic animation, the film remains today as relevant as ever. The story of the animal’s uprising and their inevitable discovery that even amongst themselves ‘some are more equal than others’ is expertly designed and animated in classic 2D cel animation.

Received with great enthusiasm by reviewers when it was first released in 1954, its impact is still as impressive 60 years later. Animal Farm has become the classic political fable of the twentieth century.

Animal Farm remains an outstanding achievement for award-winning animators John Halas and Joy Batchelor. Actor and singer Gordon Heath narrates and all characters are voiced by one of Britain’s best loved stage and screen character actors Maurice Denham.

In celebration of its 60th anniversary, Animal Farm has been brought back to life with Network’s latest restoration. Earlier in the year Network announced they would be releasing a fully High Definition version of the modern-classic. Described as ‘lovingly restored’, the team at Network have gone to great lengths to enhance the finer details on Halas & Batchelor’s original masterpiece.

Network have done an outstanding job with the musical elements of Animal Farm, treating them with importance and respect. Matyas Seiber’s score is simply breathtaking and brings a whole new dimension to cartoon animation. Interestingly, Halas & Batcehlor’s Animal Farm is often dictated by the rise and fall of the score, giving the audience an immersive experience that’s only heightened by Network’s competent restoration.

The voices of Old Major and Co are crisp and precise, with their characters being witnessed for the first time in this unseen HD clarity. George Orwell’s Animal Farm possesses a message and story of great importance and for younger audiences, it’s vital that his message is carried through generations and its use in schools, college’s and Universities be secured for the future. Network’s rendition will allow Orwell’s and Halas & Batchelor’s legends to survive respectively; with the twentieth century tale facing a contemporary and ever-changing audience.

Network released their restored version of Animal Farm on the 27th of October and it’s now available to buy on Blu-Ray, DVD and purchased from iTunes. The DVD and Blu-Ray versions include bonus material of character sketches, a poster gallery and commentary from writer, broadcaster and film historian Brian Sibley.