The Shoemaker and the Hatter

The cartoon is one of the Marshall Plan's most popular films. A clash between a shoemaker and a hat maker illustrates the contrasts between protectionism and free trade. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2003.

The Candlemaker

A candlemaker entrusts his young son with the task of making candles for their church on Christmas Eve.

The Christmas Visitor

T'was the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The Hoffnung Palm Court Orchestra

This a story of a violinist, pianist and cellist as they perform from place-to-place, under very unusual conditions. Every time they play, they remind someone of a lost love, so they are hired immediately hired by nightclub owners, ship captains and even a pirate... wherever circumstances take them.

Charley in New Town

Meet Charley, your jovial cartoon guide to Britain’s changing towns and cities.

A Modern Guide to Health

Modern advice and old-fashioned values combine in this postwar animated health guide from the makers of Animal Farm.

6 Little Jungle Boys

A short animated War Office commissioned health education film, showing the fate of each of the 6 jungle soldiers.

Autobahn

An animated visual interpretation of the song "Autobahn," by German electronic pioneers Kraftwerk. A fast-paced experimental film which proved to be a groundbreaking combination of electronic and manual animation. One of the first films produced specifically for video disk.

The History of the Cinema

A humorously semi-factual account of the history of cinema.

Players

Cartoon tennis match, with players based on Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe.

The Owl And The Pussycat

A short animation based on the Edward Lear poem

Automania 2000

An animated, dark satire of America's automobile-obsessed, consumerist culture. An anonymous, brilliant scientist toils tirelessly in his ivory tower satisfying the public's ever-increasing demands for novelty and status consciousness, with predictable environmental consequences.

Midsummer Nightmare

Puck is introduced to the twentieth century and is as amused by the contemporary obsession with television as he was by the lovers' antics.

Filling the Gap

This World War II propaganda short encourages British people to "dig for victory," by planting vegetable gardens.

The Question

This satirical animated short by the renowned Halas & Batchelor Studio asks the big Question. Can the meaning of life be found in religion or science? Patriotism or war? Money or self-discovery? Or none of the above?

Dolly, Put the Kettle On

Joy Batchelor directed, produced, wrote and designed this short film for Brook Bond Tea: two girls compete for the affections of a Teddy Bear.

Birds, Bees and Storks

A naïve father makes an embarrassing attempt to explain the facts of life to his son, but he becomes increasingly embarrassed to the point where his explanations are so vague as to be incomprehensible.

The Magic Canvas

A powerfully graphic piece of animation that best expresses John Halas' own feelings about mans universal quest for freedom.

Cold Comfort

A dancing radio stops partying to transmit an announcement on fuel conservation in this WWII cartoon short.