An anarchic musical sprint through the life, works, achievements and
     failures of Isembard Kingdom Brunel - Britain's genius industrial engineer
     from the Victorian era...

     "Great" is a fast-paced, informative, irreverent classic brimming with inventive
     sequence after sequence. Much quick wit and music-hall song and dance are
     skilfully edited together to make a rollicking whole, including the classic song
     "Oh Wot a Big One!" written and performed by Jonathan Hodge. Personally,
     The Hound thinks the colour and razzamattaz of "Great" gives it quite an
     antipodean feel - which makes more sense when we remember that Bob
     Godfrey is actually of Australian descent (albeit fleetingly, as a nipper).

     "Great" received much international acclaim and deservedly won the Academy
     Award for Best Animated Short Film, 1975...

     » The film features voicework from Richard Briers, who was already providing
         the colourful voices and role of narrator for Bob Godfrey and Grange Calveley's
         wobbling tea-time tv treat Roobarb. Briers and Godfrey teamed up once
         more for Noah and Nelly...
        
     » Godfrey touched upon the "Great" concept again in 1984 during production
         of Henry's Cat. The episode titled "The New President" features Chris
         Rabbit's stupendously daft sprint through the history of America, which he
         supposedly read about on the back of a packet of cornflakes. Such luminaries
         as Newton, Washington, William Tell, The Lone Ranger, Charlie Chaplin and
         the 7 Dwarves all feature, and in the end we learn that "pie in the sky was
       the American Dream". There's also a rousing song "I Was Great!", in which
         every single state in America is name-checked. Surely that song title
         isn't just coincidental...?

     » And that song leads us to another Godfrey connection. Jonathan Hodge
         wrote the score for "Great", and the third series of "Henry's Cat". He also
         gives voice to Henry's bouncing bunny pal Chris Rabbit. In addition,
         this multi-talented fellow has also brought us his very own cartoon
         creation, in the shape of The Fiddley Foodle Bird...

 

      Awards

       1976 BAFTA Award - Best Animated Short
       1975 Academy Award - Best Animated Short

 

       director:     Bob Godfrey
       writers:      Bob Godfrey, Joe McGrath,
                         Robyn Smith, Richard Taylor,
                         Paul Weimer
       music:        Jonathan Hodge
       editing:      Tony Fish, Peter Hearn
       voices:       Richard Briers
                         Harry Fowler
                         Angus Lennie
                         Barbara Moore  

 

      On the web


      No links as yet, unfortunately...