BFI Publishes '100 Animated Feature Films' and 'Beyond Bagpuss'

The British Film Institute (BFI) and Bloomsbury books are this week releasing not one but two books on animation. The first is 100 Animated Feature Films, written by respected animation journalist ( and AFA contributor) Andrew Osmond. The book is a revised version of the first edition which was published in 2010. The book- as the title suggests- features a selection of 100 films, with an entry on each. The book is part of BFI's Screen Guide selection.

The selection is varied, and features a good balance between the more mainstream features and the more obscure. Similarly, it features works from across the history of the art form- from Lotte Reiniger's 1926 The Adventures Of Prince Achmed to 2020's Wolfwalkers. And it explores work from all around the world- not just the obvious United States, UK and Japan, but also films from China, France, Russia and many more. Entries feature both historical context and criticism, covering a lot of ground in a relatively short space (most entries cover a single double-page spread).

 

 

The second book is Beyond Bagpuss: A History Of Smallfilms Animation Studios by Chris Pallant. In this case, the book is a history of a single studio and the work of its founders Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin. Smallfilms are beloved by generations in the UK, and are best known for the series Bagpuss and Clangers.

Pallant takes an academic approach, touching on each of the studio's productions in turn. Each series is used as a jumping-off point for a more detailed analysis, with chapter titles such as The Whimsical Authenticity Of Smallfilms, and Aesthetic Transition and the Persistence of the Handmade.

Both books are published on July 14 and are available digitally and in paperback.