The Dream of Arthur Sleap

1972
Sound
1m

Dangerously addicted to old movies? This is a case for Dr BFI, as demonstrated in this 1970s animated promo

Are you dangerously addicted to boring old movies? The BFI was nearing its fortieth year of curing such an affliction when this animated promotional film was made to sell its virtues. Another 40+ years on and the features highlighted here are still very familiar today, although - Spoiler Alert! - BFI Membership and subscription no longer costs £3.

The film was made by Alan Kitching whose studies in architecture had been distracted by a growing interest in animation in the late 1960s. His development of the Antics software from 1972 onwards was a pioneering effort to put computer animation within the easy reach of all artists – note the computer animated BFI logo at the end of this film.

Animated film advertising the membership services of the BFI and particularly the National Film Theatre.

Animated Britain

An animated portrait of a nation, brought to life frame by painstaking frame

Since the early 1900s a disparate array of artists in Britain have drawn, sculpted, snipped, stamped, posed, clicked and scratched their art into celluloid life. This collection surveys a stunningly rich history, from the age of the pioneers to the best commercial and independent animators, taking in home hobbyists bitten by the animation bug.

Through its own weird alchemy, animation can bring our wildest imaginings to life, and yet it can also be a powerful tool for exploring our everyday reality. Silly, surreal, sweet or caustic, this dizzyingly diverse selection showcases British animation's unique contribution to the art form, and offers a history ripe for rediscovery.