Animal Farm - DaaVeeDee

Animal Farm (DVD) (*)

~~$20.99~~ $14.97

Screened, competed or awarded at:
Emmy Awards
Fantasporto Awards
Other Film Festival Awards

Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )

Product Origin/Format:
United Kingdom ( PAL/Region 2 )

Running Time:
90 min

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen

Special Features:
Interactive Menu
Scene Access

Movie filmed in 1999 and produced in:
United States ( USA, Canada )

Directed By:
John Stephenson

Written By:
George Orwell
Alan Janes

Actors:
Kelsey Grammer ..... Snowball
Ian Holm ..... Squealer
Julia Louis-Dreyfus ..... Mollie
Julia Ormond ..... Jessie
Pete Postlethwaite ..... Benjamin / Farmer Jones
Paul Scofield ..... Boxer
Patrick Stewart ..... Napoleon
Peter Ustinov ..... Old Major
Alan Stanford ..... Farmer Pilkington
Caroline Gray ..... Mrs. Jones
Gail Fitzpatrick ..... Mrs. Pilkington
Jimmy Keogh ..... Dennis
Noel O'Donovan ..... Eric
Gerard Walsh ..... Farmer
Jer O'Leary ..... Farmer

Synopsis:

George Orwell's political fable about corruption and betrayal in post-revolutionary Russia gets a new look in this version that employs a cast of real animals alongside digitally manipulated critters and lifelike beasts crafted by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. At the Manor Farm, the alcoholic master Mr. Jones (Pete Postlethwaite) is cruel to his animals and has horribly mismanaged the property. One night, the wise but elderly pig Old Major (voice of Peter Ustinov) gathers the animals and speaks of a remarkable dream, in which the animals throw off their tyrannical human masters and learn to reap the fruits of their own labors. After Old Major's death, two other pigs, Snowball (voice of Kelsey Grammer) and Napoleon (voice of Patrick Stewart) lead a revolution that drives Jones from his land and leaves the animals in charge of their own destiny. After their revolt, Snowball and Napoleon rule side by side, but Napoleon soon becomes drunk with power and squeezes Snowball out of authority, eventually turning the other animals against him. With Boxer (voice of Paul Scofield), a simple-minded but loyal and physically powerful horse, as a role model, Napoleon leads the animals on a campaign of self-denial and hard work that will bring them security and freedom; however, it soon becomes obvious that Napoleon is growing fat while the other animals are starving, and he is quickly becoming the sort of creature he once waged war against. Animal Farm received its American premiere on the TNT cable TV network in October 1999; it opened as a theatrical release in several other countries shortly afterward.

A direct allegory to the rise of Stalinist Russia, this film combines Orwells parable with animatronics and voice characterizations by popular actors. Following a speech made by a venerable pig named Old Major (Lenin), the animals of Manor Farm form their own philosophy of Animalism (Communism), and lead a successful revolution orchestrated primarily by the pig Snowball (Trotsky) who tries to implement Old Majors ideas to the letter. Snowballs idealism does not save him when he is exiled by a more ambitious pig named Napoleon (Stalin) who seizes power over the farm, and proceeds to reshape Old Majors ideas to his own liking, and bringing the animals into a darker existence than they had ever dreamed.

A satire of Stalinist Russia, Animal Farm tells of the revolt of the animals of Manor Farm against their human masters. Led by the pigs Snowball (Lenin) and Napoleon (Stalin), the animals attempt to create a utopian society. Soon, however, Napoleon gets a taste for power, drives out Snowball, and establishes a totalitarian regime as brutal and corrupt as any human society. Manor Farm becomes a world where all animals are equal--but some are more equal than others.

This product was added to our catalog on Tuesday 07 December, 2010.

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