356:...initially Diane and I were not enthusiastic because at the end the grandfather's chair is suddenly empty- he has died. On December 31st that year it happened that my own father was dying in Brighton General Hospital, aged 88, and my daughter Catherine who was then six came with me to visit him. She had had a very similar relationship as that described in the book, since she adored my father who was for ever telling stories and rhymes and jokes which made her laugh. The doctor told us that very sadly he could not last out the week and my daughter said to me: 'Will he go to heaven?' I said: 'I very much hope so' and Catherine with the sublime innocence of youth said: 'Can I come and watch?' This made me laugh despite myself and to see how as children we are able to accept all of life in a way that we find so difficult as adults.
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430:, but was perhaps more satisfying to her creatively, demanding a more subtle approach." Toonhound notes that "Just like that film there is a tangible sense of loss at the end; a loss which builds with repeated viewings. You know that Granpa won't be playing with Emily for much longer, and what's more, you're aware that he knows this too."
368:
that while
Burningham's book is open ended, with Emily ultimately left alone to contemplate her grandfather's death, the film offers a less "stark" interpretation; his death is explored through her implied remembrance of him in the final scene. Collins suggests that this was probably because the
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As the seasons pass, Granpa grows frailer, and eventually Emily is left alone with an empty chair and the old man's loyal dog. She leaves the house with the dog and climbs a hill. As they travel, a group of children from her grandfather's stories join them.
360:
John Coates said that, a month after agreeing to do the film, Blake and
Jackson told him that the subject was too dark and they were not going to proceed with it, but several hours of persuasion from Coates brought them back on board.
438:
The film has rarely been repeated, and has never been released on DVD. A special screening had to be arranged for Peter
Ustinov to see his film, as he had been away in America on the day that it was broadcast.
318:-influenced story, where Granpa's house is submerged and the pair have to accommodate exotic animals. The final jungle section, in which monkeys steal Granpa's storybook, is left intentionally incomplete.
388:, with many of the tales within the animation sung by the lead characters, along with children from the Wroughton Middle School choir (winners of BBC Choir of the Year) and a forty-piece orchestra (the
426:
even further, "exploring an aspect of life rarely approached in animated form." Paul Madden, writing Dianne
Jackson's obituary in 1993 suggests that the film "was less of immediate popular appeal than
287:), along with a dog. Emily's playful innocence is contrasted with Granpa's increasing frailty. Aware that he will not be around for much longer, he shares his memories of adventures and days gone by.
290:
These memories are vividly brought to life by her grandfather's tales, beginning with a description of Granpa's childhood and youth in the early part of the 20th
Century. Other adventures include a
372:
The film was entirely financed by
Channel 4 and cost over one million pounds to make according to Coates. It was first broadcast on the channel on New Year's Eve 1989 at 6:30 pm.
275:, which annually recognised the author(s) of one "work of imagination for children, in which text and illustration are integrated so that each enhances and balances the other."
352:. Blake was initially reluctant due to the book's upsetting ending, but was convinced after witnessing his own daughter's reaction to her grandfather's death that year.
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The film celebrates the relationship between a small girl named Emily (voiced by Emily
Osborne), and her kindly but ailing grandfather (voiced by
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The film won the Prix
Jeunesse International award for excellence in children's television programming in 1990. The film review site
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John Coates: the man who built The
Snowman: a biography of the producer of The snowman, Yellow submarine and many other films
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original offered an unremittingly bleak ending that would be difficult for its intended child audience.
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won the Prix
Jeunesse International award for excellence in children's television programming in 1990.
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is hand-illustrated with coloured pencil, imitating Burningham's style in the book. It was directed by
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221:(1978), a wordless picture book, as an exceptionally successful family-oriented animated film (1982).
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After owners TVS lost their licence in December 1992, they sold their film library, which included
233:, which is referred to as an "animated children's opera". The voices of Granpa and Emily are by
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525:, VHS, Universal Studios, released 12 September 1994. Retail product display. Amazon.com.
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The "Toonhound" review suggest that the film takes the tone of the ending of
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has called the film "a sensitive and life-affirming animated adaptation".
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Turning the Page: Children's Literature in Performance and the Media
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Turning the Page: Children's Literature in Performance and the Media
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310:, a trip to the seaside which culminates in a re-enactment of the
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In 1984, following the success of the animated Christmas film
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619:. New Barnet, Herts.: John Libbey. pp. 111–114.
395:The end title song "Make Believe" is performed by
407:. The song was released as a single at the time.
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733:
380:The musical score was written and composed by
271:, or "the Emil", from Maschler publishers and
819:""Make Believe" at Early Sarah Brightman.com"
716:""Make Believe" at Early Sarah Brightman.com"
462:. The film is believed to be confined to the
767:
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656:"John Coates interview at savekidstv.org.uk"
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36:
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384:and is almost in the form of a miniature
962:Animated films based on children's books
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630:Collins, Fiona; Ridgman, Jeremy (2006).
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302:trip which ends with a journey down the
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348:, suggesting Burningham's picture book
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19:For the term for grandfather, see
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952:British children's animated films
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634:. Peter Lang. pp. 157–158.
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797:Madden, Paul (8 January 1993).
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255:of the children's picture book
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203:An expensive film to produce,
180:that adapts a picture book by
1:
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325:
259:, written and illustrated by
211:, who had previously adapted
176:is a British family-oriented
100:Wroughton Middle School Choir
42:Screen shot of the title card
982:English-language short films
972:1980s English-language films
967:Films scored by Howard Blake
545:"Howard Blake official site"
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267:in 1984. Burningham won the
192:in 1989, it was released on
7:
569:"Press release at Noble PR"
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296:Saint George and the Dragon
16:1989 film by Dianne Jackson
10:
998:
907:Howard Blake official site
799:"Obituary: Dianne Jackson"
298:imagined on a bedcover, a
225:, who wrote the music for
129:31 December 1989
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615:Beardmore, Marie (2012).
446:. The title went through
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251:The animated film is an
84:Emily Osborne (as Emily)
600:. Retrieved 2013-10-06.
364:Fiona Collins noted in
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957:British graphic novels
875:British Film Institute
690:British Film Institute
594:"Kurt Maschler Awards"
399:and has the theme of "
358:
61:John Burningham (book)
502:Children's literature
354:
190:Channel 4 Television
977:1980s British films
947:1989 animated films
269:Kurt Maschler Award
237:and Emily Osborne.
390:Sinfonia of London
777:at Toonhound.com"
662:on 28 August 2008
312:Battle of Britain
263:and published by
169:
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114:Universal Studios
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942:1989 short films
895:at Toonhound.com
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827:. Retrieved
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464:Disney Vault
458:and finally
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145:Running time
122:Release date
93:Howard Blake
25:
912:Samples of
598:bizland.com
428:The Snowman
424:The Snowman
340:approached
338:John Coates
333:The Snowman
227:The Snowman
214:The Snowman
111:(broadcast)
82:(as Granpa)
70:John Coates
66:Produced by
48:Directed by
21:Grandparent
937:1989 films
931:Categories
829:20 January
726:2008-05-24
509:References
326:Production
316:Noah's Ark
308:blue whale
292:chivalrous
253:adaptation
149:26 minutes
133:1989-12-31
58:Written by
490:Animation
434:Ownership
411:Reception
273:BookTrust
200:in 1994.
109:Channel 4
864:AllMovie
470:See also
456:Fox Kids
294:tale of
162:Language
89:Music by
76:Starring
873:at the
476:Portals
403:" as a
300:fishing
165:English
154:Country
131: (
914:Granpa
900:Granpa
892:Granpa
881:Granpa
870:Granpa
859:Granpa
848:Granpa
782:24 May
775:Granpa
754:24 May
743:Granpa
700:24 May
684:Granpa
666:24 May
638:
579:24 May
550:24 May
522:Granpa
460:Disney
444:Granpa
350:Granpa
314:and a
304:Thames
257:Granpa
241:Granpa
231:Granpa
205:Granpa
173:Granpa
31:Granpa
386:opera
376:Music
116:(VHS)
853:IMDb
831:2011
784:2008
756:2008
702:2008
668:2008
636:ISBN
581:2008
552:2008
279:Plot
247:Book
188:for
918:by
884:at
862:at
851:at
392:).
217:by
196:by
194:VHS
186:TVS
933::
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530:^
466:.
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450:,
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23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
