- published: 28 Oct 2014
- views: 149061
Animal Farm is a 1954 British animated film by Halas and Batchelor, based on the book of the same name by George Orwell. It was the first British animated feature to be released (Handling Ships, a Royal Navy training film, was produced earlier, but due to its purpose did not receive a formal theatrical release).
Manor Farm is a former prosperous farm that has fallen on hard times, and suffers under the now ineffective leadership of its drunken and aggressive owner, Mr. Jones. One night, Old Major, the prize boar and the second-oldest on the farm, calls the animals on the farm for a meeting, where he compares the humans to parasites and encourages them to break free from their tyrant's influence, while reminding them that they must hold true to their convictions after they have gained freedom. With that, he teaches the animals a revolutionary song, "Beasts of England", before collapsing dead mid-song to the animals' horror.
The next morning, Jones neglects to feed the animals for breakfast, and they decide to break into the storehouse to help themselves. When Jones wakes up and attempts to intimidate them with his whip, the animals revolt and drive the drunken and irresponsible Mr. Jones from the farm, renaming it "Animal Farm". They set to work destroying every trace of Jones' influence, mainly the weapons used against them. An investigation of the farmhouse leads them to concede against living there, though one of the head pigs, an antagonistic boar named Napoleon, who takes interest in the abandoned house, and even more so in a litter of puppies left motherless.
{Words & Music: Hazel O'Connor}
The cock it crowed "It's morning" the donkey said "Ee-aw"
The pigs they grunted expectantly for the farmer to open the door
The chickens started clucking, they could not lay no eggs
They were just plain frightened,
Remembering what the pigs had said "just do as you're told"
Remembering what the pigs had said
And they all sang
[CHORUS:]
We will be happy, we will be free,
We're going to make it, make equality
Hap-happy are we
Now the pig said "This is our day
We're gonna chase the farmer away
Now everyone must do their work like before
Except for me and I must think for you behind this door"
So they chased the farmer away,
And the pig got on his soap box to say
"And don't you worry don't you make no fuss
All you have to do is follow us
And do as you're told
All you have to do is follow us"
And they all sang
[CHORUS]
Hap-happy are we, hap-happy are we, we're so holy
The cock it crowed "It's morning"
The donkey said "Ee-aw"
The chickens clucked expectant
For the pig to open the door
[CHORUS]
Hap-happy are we, hap-happy are we, we're so holy
Hap-happy are we, hap-happy are we, hap-happy are we, we're so holy