The basic score is orchestral, but used very cleverly to highlight the action and serve as sound effects. He’s helped out in this by the music, which is terrific stuff. As someone who’s taken a few classes in such techniques, I can attest that it’s quite a quality performance, and carries the brunt of the narrative very well. There’s little actual dialogue, and that is delivered by the film’s narrator, Paul Hecht (Charles Aznavour in the French version), who does quite a good job of switching voices, tones, etc., as the film demands. The Selfish Giant is a beautifully made little film – and I say “little” intentionally, because it only runs about twenty-five minutes. But how can it end, when the only way to end it is for the children to return, and the only way they can return is through the abolition of the wall and the sign? Hmm…Īll right, let’s start with the good stuff, for good stuff there is. All he can do is hope that it will end soon. As the seasons shift outside his garden and his castle starts falling to bits through the Hail dancing on top of it, he grows steadily colder, more miserable, and more bewildered at how infernally long this winter is turning out to be. The giant, though, is not enjoying himself at all. Soon they’re all having a merry old time, and as far as they’re concerned, things can stay this way forever! Winter party! Wheee! The personifications of Snow and Frost, seeing that in this one place spring never comes, gleefully decide to take up permanent residence within the garden – and while they’re at it, they may as well invite their friends the Hail and the North Wind to stay for a while. This is bad enough in and of itself, but now things get still worse. The trees and flowers just can’t muster up the get-and-go to bloom as long as the children are being kept out. The garden itself has become accustomed to being played in, and as time passes and winter turns to spring, inside the walls it remains winter. The thing is, though, there are disadvantages to this solitude. ![]() ![]() In other words, “keep out, you little nits! This is my garden, so there!” And it works – no more children invade his privacy. He then hangs a sign on the gate reading “Trespassers will be Prosecuted”. So he cannibalizes part of the castle for stones (this is not, I think, in the original, but it’s a prominent part of this version), and builds a high wall around the garden. You see, he’s a selfish sort, and prefers to keep the place to himself. He’s away visiting a friend, but one day he comes back, and is not pleased at all to see his private garden being frolicked in by children. The thing is, though, they’re only able to do this because the giant in question (who’s never named, he’s just “the giant”) is not currently in residence. As it’s situated close to a small village, the local children have taken to playing in it after school, climbing the trees, listening to the birdsong, and generally having a good time. This castle has a beautiful garden surrounding it, with many flowers and trees that blossom in the spring. Somewhere in the (presumably) English countryside lives a giant, who, like most giants, resides in a castle. The story is based on a tale by Oscar Wilde, and is really pretty simple. In the meantime – ladies, gentlemen, farm animals, I present to you The Selfish Giant. It was a special part of my childhood, and will always have a place in my heart – and yet, there was a period of a number of years during which I actively avoided it. This time, I have something to share with you that I have decidedly mixed feelings about. ![]() Summary Capsule: It’s about a giant who is selfish, and learns that this is not necessarily a good thing.ĭeneb’s Rating: 3 ½ flowering trees out of five.ĭeneb’s Review: Yes, your eyes do not deceive you – here, at last, is another installment of Tales from the VHS! My apologies for taking so long between segments, but hey, there’s only so many of these that I can do, and I want to spin them out a bit – and when you start that sort of spinning, it’s sometimes difficult to stop.Īnyway. ![]() The Scoop: 1971 G, directed by Peter Sander and starring Paul Hecht and Charles Aznavour. And I will allow nobody to play in it but myself.'” “‘My own garden is my own garden,’ said the giant.
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