John Halas Movies

Hamilton the elephant loves playing music with his trunk. When he is fired from the circus he does odd jobs till he gets his big break.

A particularly vicious Father Time with a hit-list in his Book of Doom seeks to wipe out characters brought to life from fabric patterns. This neat...

A BAFTA award nominated film made for the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company charting the history of aviation from Daedalus to jets.

A young girl rescues a wild bird. She takes it back to the forest, then finds crystals in the mountain...

Joy Batchelor directed, produced, wrote and designed this short film for Brook Bond Tea: two girls compete for the affections of a Teddy Bear.

This cartoon propaganda short by Halas & Batchelor sweetens the pill of post-war coal prices by promising jam tomorrow.

A trip into a surreal winter garden, a voyage on a stormy sea, a grisly homecoming – there is something for everyone in this “experiment...

An animated cartoon on smoking and health. The villain, Old Nick O'Teen, disguises himself as an 18-year-old motorcyclist, the better to lure...

Feature-length instructional cartoon made for the Home Office and the Fire Brigade.

This World War II propaganda short encourages British people to "dig for victory," by planting vegetable gardens.

Examines in detail Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s painting, 'Netherlandish Proverbs', which illustrates over 100 proverbs and allegorises a whole...

A documentary essay about the unsung animation visionary, John Halas. An Animated Utopia explores his desire "to save the world using animation" and...

An animated short based on the cartoons of Gerard Hoffnung.

An animated film about the history and use of hot water.

Out with the old and in with the new – one of Britain’s leading animation companies pitches its new image with great humour.

A political satire, the first film made by Halas and Batchelor.

An illustrated version of Twa Corbies made as the BFI’s contribution to the Festival of Britain. Enlivened by the distinctive voice of John...

A powerfully graphic piece of animation that best expresses John Halas' own feelings about mans universal quest for freedom.

Everyone knows that petroleum comes out of the earth, but the question is how did it get there, and what is it made of? The answer to these questions...

The cartoon is one of the Marshall Plan's most popular films. A clash between a shoemaker and a hat maker illustrates the contrasts between...