Ruddigore / Tales from Hoffnung [DVD]

For the first time ever on DVD, the animated Tales from Hoffnung and Ruddigore by Halas & Batchelor are available on Blue Dolphin DVD. Steeped in music, magic and mystery, Tales from Hoffnung and Ruddigore are spectacular films from Britain s first animation studio: the legendary Halas & Batchelor, who are behind such fine animations as Animal Farm and Dilemma. Based on the weird and wonderful world of Gerard Hoffnung and the Gilbert and Sullivan classic, Tales from Hoffnung and Ruddigore will delight viewers and music lovers everywhere. Tales from Hoffnung is a collection of seven enchanting stories which mix the original drawings of the hugely entertaining Gerard Hoffnung with the lively music of Francis Chagrin. Here in this spectacular, musical world of Hoffnung's 'silly symphonies', instruments can spring to life and mayhem always ensues. Tales from Hoffnung blends vibrant fantasies with a wonderful score that will inspire young musicians everywhere. Additional footage includes Tony Guy explaining how he animated Bords, Bees and Storks with Peter Sellers doing the voices. Ruddigore - A Gilbert and Sullivan score is brought to life in animation for the first time in this version of their classic Operetta Ruddigore, which features the musical talents of the acclaimed D Oyle Carte Opera and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Here the Barons of Ruddigore have been struck by a hereditary curse which condemns them to committing a crime everyday or face a painful death. The supernatural, revenge and love further complicate a long-lost heir's attempts to escape his destiny. Bonus material includes the trailer to the original 1964 Ruddigore release and Vivien Halas and animator Tony Guy in conversation. Tales from Hoffnung and Ruddigore have been digitally restored, and Professor of Animation Studies, film critic and broadcaster Paul Wells introduces and reviews the films. This charming collection is a hugely entertaining way to introduce children to classical music and its warmth and humour can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

This delightful release will entertain people of all ages. --New Classics

Richard Henry Sellers, CBE, commonly known as Peter Sellers was a British comedian and actor best known for his roles in Dr. Strangelove, as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, in comedy films such as The Millionairess and The Party, and as the guileless man-child Chance in his penultimate film, Being There. Sellers rose to fame on the BBC Home Service radio series The Goon Show. His ability to speak in different accents along with his talent to portray a range of characters to comedic effect, contributed to his success as a radio personality and screen actor and earned him national and international nominations and awards. Many of his characters became ingrained in public perception of his work.

Halas and Batchelor was an animation company founded by John Halas and his wife, Joy Batchelor. The company started as a small animation unit that created commercials for theatrical distribution. The unit continued this until the outbreak of World War II and became well known for its over 70 animated propaganda short films. Its first feature film was Handling Ships, made in 1945, and is the first-ever British animated feature. After the war, Halas and Batchelor continued to make short films, while in production, the first British animated feature released worldwide, Animal Farm was being made. The studio grew from a small unit to a proper animation company, located on several areas in Britain. Its best-known animation series were Foo Foo and DoDo, The Kid from Outer Space. As well as short films, the studio made a small number of feature films, such as Ruddigore in the late 1960s.