Peter and the Wolf (film)

Infobox Film
name = Peter and the Wolf


caption =
director = Suzie Templeton
producer = Hugh Welchman, Alan Dewhurst
writer = Suzie Templeton & Marianela Maldonado
narrator =
starring =
music = Sergei Prokofiev
cinematography = Hugh Gordon & Mikołaj Jaroszewicz
editing = Suzie Templeton & Tony Fish
distributor = Breakthru Films
released = 2006
runtime = 32 mins
country = UK
POL
NOR
MEX
CZE
language =
budget = £2 Million
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website = http://www.peterandthewolffilm.co.uk
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0863136

Peter & the Wolf ( _pl. Piotruś i wilk, also known as "Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf") is a short BAFTA nominated and Oscar-winning Polish-British-Norwegian model animation film released in 2006. It was written and directed by Suzie Templeton, made in Se-ma-for Studios in Łódź, and has been shown both in cinemas and with live musical accompaniment.

The film is based around the story of Peter and the Wolf and is set to the music Sergei Prokofiev wrote for the story in 1936. In common with other animated shorts such as "The Snowman" the film has no vocals but relies on music and action to tell the story.

A new recording of Prokofiev's music was made to accompany the cinema and television release. The recording was made by the Philharmonia Orchestra and conducted by Mark Stephenson.

Plot

On the edge of the vast forests of Russia, where wolves still roam, lies a little cottage surrounded by a big, high fence. This is where Peter lives with his grumpy Grandfather. Grandfather will not let Peter go out into the forest. Peter has a friend, the lovable Duck (a Runner Duck in this version), with whom he hangs around Grandfather's yard. A Bird (a Hooded Crow in this version) with a broken wing arrives in the yard. Bird is very impatient with Peter and signals to go into the forest. His heart beating fast, Peter tiptoes into the cottage and reaches over his sleeping Grandfather and the snoring, fat, pet Cat. Ever so carefully Peter takes the keys to the gate.

Peter has the time of his life playing in the forest with his friends. He helps Bird to fly, using a balloon and some rope.

Then everyone skates on the frozen lake. Everyone, that is, except Cat. She chases Bird, but is so fat that she crashes straight through the ice and into the freezing water. Grandfather awakes and sees that Peter is in the forest. Very angry, he grabs his gun and rushes outside. He grabs Peter off the ice and drags him back into the yard. Suddenly the forest goes quiet. Peter looks out through a hole in the fence and sees the Wolf on the edge of the forest. Moments later the Wolf snatches up Duck, tosses her high into the air and swallows her in a single gulp. Peter slings a heavy net over his shoulder and climbs up the tall fence and into the tall tree. Peter falls from the tree and the Wolf attacks him. Eventually, after a fierce struggle, Peter catches the Wolf.

Grandfather drives into town with the captured Wolf, Peter standing, triumphant, on top of the Wolf's cage. The town bullies arrive and tease the defenseless Wolf with a gun. After looking into the Wolf's sorry eyes, Peter opens the cage and the Wolf races back into the forest.

The ending is a complete departure from the original, in which the wolf is presumably left caged in the zoo. In addition, the film gives no indication, as the original narration for the piece does, that the duck is still alive and quacking inside the wolf's belly.

Production & Distribution

Peter and The Wolf was a multinational production. The main producers were UK production company Breakthru Films, and the co-producers were Se-ma-for Studios in Łódź, Poland and Storm Studio, based in Oslo, Norway. Additionally TV UNAM (XHUNAM-TV Mexico) and ArchAngel SA (Czech Republic) participated in it's productionPedro y el lobo, coproducción de la UNAM y Suzie Templeton, va por el Oscar al Mejor Cortometraje de Animación [http://www.cronica.com.mx/nota.php?id_nota=344115] ] . All of the puppet animation was completed in Łódź with a mainly Polish crew. Special effect shots were made at Storm Studio in Oslo.

The film was made at Se-ma-for Studios in Łódź, Poland between February and August 2006. The live premier was heldon 29th September 2006 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, accompanied by the Philharmonia Orchestra. Since then the film has toured with both live and recorded accompaniment around Britain [7/10/06 Bradford Animation Festival, 23/12/2006 Cadogen Hall, London, 17/02/2007 Exeter Animation Festival, Exeter] , Hong Kong [11-13-14/04/2007 HK Cultural Centre Concert Hall] and Australia [09/02/2007 Perth International Festival, Australia] . The British television premier was shown on Channel 4 on Christmas Eve, 2006, and was accompanied by pre-recorded music performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra.

The film received its North American premier on 25th July 2007 at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts. This was a live performance accompanied by the Philadelphia Orchestra with an audience of approximately 9,000 people. Further shows are expected to be scheduled in the US in 2008.

Reception

Response to Peter and the Wolf has so far been generally positive. Animation Magazine praised it for "the manner in which it works seamlessly in conjunction with the music" [ [http://breakthrufilms.co.uk/press%20review%201.htm Untitled Document ] ] , while Classic FM Magazine called it "a small masterpiece" [ [http://breakthrufilms.co.uk/press%20review%202.htm Untitled Document ] ] .

Peter and the Wolf has won several awards, including the Academy Award (the 'Oscar') in 2008 for best Short Film (Animated), a British Animation Award (BAA) in 2008 for Best TV Special, the Grand Prize ('The Annecy Cristal') and the Audience Award at the 2007 Annecy International Animation Festival, the Golden Rose for Performing Arts at the 2007 Rose d'Or Festival, the Pulcinella Award for Best European Programme at the 2007 Cartoons on the Bay Festival in Italy and the Special Prize at the 2007 Krok International Animated Film Festival in the Ukraine. It was also nominated for a BAFTA, a Royal Television Society Programme Award and the Cartoon D'Or in 2007.

Notes

External links

*imdb title|id=0863136|title=Peter and the Wolf
* [http://www.breakthrufilms.co.uk Breakthru Films]
* [http://www.se-ma-for.com Semafor Studios]
* [http://www.stormstudio.no Storm Studio]
* [http://www.philharmonia.co.uk/ Philharmonia Orchestra]
* [http://www.markstephenson.net/ Mark Stephenson's homepage]
* [http://www.suzietempleton.com/ Suzie Templeton official site]