TVC returned to Briggs once more with this fine adaptation. Tilly's magical
Polar Bear rewards her friendship by taking  her on a tour of Wintery London
and introducing her to the guiding spirit of the Great Bear in the night sky, before
heading off back to its Arctic homeland. The tale is told through animation
and music alone, with no dialogue...

There's an inevitable comparison to 'The Snowman', whose story and presentation
it so closely resembles, but that's no bad thing and it's still a joy to watch and
listen to. Indeed, if fills its widescreen ratio beautifully, embracing the developments
in animation since that first film to enhance  the whole experience...

  

Trivia Hounds may note that Tilly and her parents sit down together to
watch 'The Snowman' on television. There are also three fabulous in-jokes
included in the night flight sequence:

1. A mewling baby in its crib has the initials 'JC' sewn on its romper  suit.
    A sly reference to producer John Coates, methinks.

2. Tilly and The Bear's magical flight takes them past the window of
    a frustrated pianist, who looks remarkably similar to real-life composer
    Howard Blake.

3. Finally, we pass by the smiling face of The Man In The Moon, who
    looks unquestionably like the one and only Mr Raymond Briggs!

   

By the way, the soloist on the soundtrack is none other than the
'voice of an angel' Charlotte Church...


See also: The Bear - book
                The Bear at Toonhound


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