Sweet Disaster

Sweet Disaster is a 1986 series of short films, made for Channel 4.^[1] It consists of "animated visions of the apocalypse",^[2] and includes films such as Babylon and Sweet Disaster. The series was conceived by producer David Hopkins.^[3] TheLostContinent explains "Hopkins scripted each of these films aside from the dialogue-free Dreamless Sleep".^[2] The films are fairly obscure; Nick Park noted that Babylon "hasn't really seen the light of day for a long time."^[4]

Films

Babylon (1986)

Babylon was one of several Aardman Animations films commissioned by Channel 4 Commissioning Editor Paul Madden.^[3] The film was directed by Peter Lord and David Sproxton.^[2] The editor is David McCormick.^[5] It is included on the Aardman Classics DVD, and so is the least obscure of the series.^[2] The short is 15 minutes long. Its release date in the UK was 4 May 1986, and it was later released in Canada on 7 June 2003 at the Worldwide Short Film Festival.^[6] Tony Robinson plays the role of Voice of Speaker.^[7] The film received two awards: Peter Lord and David Sproxton won the Audience Award, and Peter Lord won the Award of Merit for a Film Between 5 and 15 Minutes^[8] This was the first film project Nick Park worked on after joining Aardman Animations in the mid 80s.^[9][10] Aardman agreed to supply Park with extra resources for A Grand Day Out if he agreed to help them finish the film.^[11]

Dreamless Sleep (1986)

Dreamless Sleep was made by David Anderson.^[3] ScreenOnline notes that the film "spent ten wordless minutes subtly conveying a couple's fear in the face of an incoming nuclear blast."^[1] The film won the Hiroshima Peace Prize.^[12] The film had an estimated budget of £125,000 ^[13] The short was made in Bristol. The title of the short came from David Anderson "going to a carol concert in Bristol with the composer Martin Kiszko and listening to 'Oh Little Town of Bethlehem".^[14]

Paradise Regained (1986)

Paradise Regained was directed by Andrew Franks.^[2] The film had an estimated budget of £80,000.^[15]

Conversations by a Californian Swimming Pool (1986)

Conversations by a Californian Swimming Pool was directed by Andrew Franks.^[2] The film had an estimated budget of £80,000.^[16]

Death of a Speechwriter (1986)

Death of a Speechwriter was directed by David Hopkins.^[2] Tony Robinson played The Speechwriter. The film had an estimated budget of £75,000.^[17]

Critical reception

Animation World Network described Babylon as "hauntingly powerful", and described Dreamless Sleep as "equally haunting".^[3] ScreenOnline cited Dreamless Sleep as an example of how "later work strengthened Anderson's command of his complex technical resources".^[1]