Animal Farm At The Magic Lantern
Published 9th Jan 2008 by Alessandra Romanelli

The Magic Lantern starts the second cycle of its 2007-2008 program with “Animal Farm”, a very unusual animated film. Animal Farm is a quite exceptional film in the history of cinema: for the first time a cartoon aimed at children talks about a subject usually reserved for adults. The choice of this film reflects one of The Magic Lantern’s aims: help children reflect upon films they see and thereby see the world around them more clearly.

When Joy Batchelor and John Halas decided in 1954 to turn Orwell’s book into a cartoon these two English filmmakers took the position that children are never too young to start thinking about politics.  To help children approach this difficult film, the Magic Lantern show starts with a little sketch informing them about the concept of cinematographic adaptation: a narrative written under the shadow of dictatorships that is clever and funny but at the same time also a bit sad.

The introductory sketch is performed by The Magic Lantern actors Mark Locke and Laura Stephens. While expanding on cinematographic adaptation, the show will lead the children through the history of animation and underline the author’s message: think for yourself; don’t let others to do it for you or there’ll be trouble!

Aimed at 5 to 12 year olds, The Magic Lantern is an educational film club like no other. It aims to introduce its young members to the pleasures of discovering great films in a real cinema where they can experience films in a fun and imaginative way in the absence of parents.

A few days before each show, members receive an illustrated magazine to introduce the film and inform them about its creators. Then, before each screening, the children see a short stage show performed by professional actors who introduce the film in a comic way while informing them about the history, genres and techniques of cinema.

This year’s program of 9 films comprises three cycles: three films that make you laugh, three that make you feel a bit sad, and three to make you dream – the three essential emotions of cinema!

Each cycle has three subcategories: a film from the early days of cinema, a classic from the 1940s-80s and a more recent work.

The first cycle included three of Charlie Chaplin’s early shorts followed by Jacques Tati’s “Jour de fête” and the more recent “Toy Story”, all presented in The Magic Lantern fashion (stage show followed by screening), the last being shown as part of the Brighton CineCity Film Festival.

Magic Lantern sessions are held at the Brighton Odeon at 10.30 on Saturday mornings. Forthcoming dates are 19th January, 16th February, 27th March, 19th April, 17th May and 14th June.

Annual membership for a season’s 9 shows costs £20 for the first child and £15 for each sibling. Adults are not normally allowed except to accompany children with special needs. However, the November show, being part of the CineCity Film Festival, is open to the public, admission to non-members £3 payable at the door.

For info please contact Balint Bodroghy: by phone at 01273 774770, by mail at b.bodroghy@lanterne.ch.

The Brighton & Hove club is the first to be established in the UK. It has received support from the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, the Cultural Foreign Policy Centre, the Arts Council, Brighton & Hove Council, the Odeon and Screen South.

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