Saturday Night Showcase> Animal Farm (audio and animated)

A two for one tonight, because the early reviews are in for Angel Studio’s adaptation of the classic George Orwell book Animal Farm and they’re…not very good.

That’s Disparu (this is a bonus, not part of tonight’s Showcase) going over the reviews and it seems Andy Serkis didn’t get the point of the book. “It’s a story with funny talking animals. It should be like Disney.” No, it should not. Odds they ruin Watership Down next because they’re all fuzzy bunnies? At this point I don’t know if I’m giving them ideas or not.

Fortunately, better adaptations are available and they’re coming to you tonight. Orwell’s classic examination of fascism and maybe communism? I haven’t read it since high school but it was one of the few books from high school I remember enjoying reading. It was inspired by the Russian Revolution and the rise of Joseph Stalin. Orwell was not a fan of Stalin. The book follows a group of animals taking over a farm from a mean farmer and starting a new farm with them in charge. At least until one of the pigs takes over himself, boosts his own kind, and at the end of the book the animals can’t tell the difference between the pigs and the humans. I’m assuming this isn’t a spoiler after all this time.

So what are the two videos? Well, one is actually an audio adaptation because I could only find it on YouTube. In 1947, Orwell himself drafted a script for the radio play, and is probably the closest adaptation to the book. If that’s not you’re thing, the 1954 animated adaptation is closer to the book but made some changes for a happier ending. If you watched Disparu’s video, he already mentioned that the CIA was involved as part of their part in fighting the Cold War, but it’s still more faithful than what Serkis and Angel Studios is dropping on us. Choose your preference and enjoy.

The 1947 BBC Radio Drama adaptation

From the description “George Orwell described his short novel as a fairy story and it is deceptively simple to read. Regularly on the school syllabus, this well-loved tale is, of course, a satire on the Soviet Communist system and it still reads as a powerful warning despite the changes in world politics since it was first published in 1945. This production uses Orwell’s own radio version which was first produced in 1947.” Check the description of the video for the credits. I don’t know for certain this is the actual broadcast.

The 1954 animated adaptation

I found an article by Animated Historian defending the changes with some bonus trivia, if you’re curious. It’s a bonus Saturday article link as well!