The Selfish Giant

A well known story. seductive animation. and the perfect clothes for a noble message. short, ideal adaptation for "The Selfish Giant". in few scenes almost better than the original tale. for the sweetness of drawing, for the delicacy of details, for the atmosphere, for gentle manner to translate in lovely - convincing images a seductive universe. a film who you fell. scene by scene. more than a good animation. as a lovely memory. defining yourself.

Something made me recall this story about the man (was it a giant, I wondered) who built a wall around his castle, and winter came and didn't leave. I recalled Snow White, a woman with a flowing white cape who encircled his home and her cape became snow on the ground. There was Jack Frost as well, then the North Wind appeared, like a flying viking. And finally, there was Hail, a man in a tin suit of armor who danced on the roof and shingles. Spring, likewise, was in human form, as a young girl who tries to enter the garden but cannot because of the wall. It must be 30 years since I last saw this story, truly one of a kind, not in the Rankin-Bass or Hanna Barbera mold. I just took a crack all of a sudden that it was a Giant and typed in the Selfish Giant, and there it came. Wow. Definitely a winner. Still remember him tearing down that wall.

Oscar Wilde wrote several fairy tales and they all tended to be bittersweet, and filled with a longing for a genuine, and all-encompassing love. To know something about Wilde's history is to know a little about where that love longing came from. The Selfish Giant is one of the finest stories he ever wrote and the creators of this short film gave it loving treatment. It's like a beautiful storybook magically come to life, and enhanced with truly haunting, memorable music and thoughtful lyrics. The animation/art direction is simple, subdued and effective, and clearly a lot of care was put into making this project beautiful in a simple way that doesn't overshadow the story. Too bad more projects aren't created with this kind of sincerity.

The Selfish Giant owns a garden where the local children like to play in his absence. When he returns home and sees the children in his garden he builds a wall to keep them out. The garden, lacking the love of the children, goes to sleep. The elements of winter, personified in beautiful, mischievous (but never evil) characters, decide this garden would be a perfect place for them to live year round. The giant is forced to confront the reality that he has built a wall that keeps love not only out of his garden, but out of his heart. However, he proves that redemption of one's character, though it may take hard work, is not impossible and never too late. The ending is overtly Christian in tone, offering salvation as a reward for those who are willing or able to serve others for a greater good, but even without the religious overtones the simple message works, is deeply effective and emotional.

What never ceases to intrigue me is that few people ever acknowledge the fact that such a sensitive, beautiful and morally rich story for children and adults was created by an unrepentant homosexual. It makes me wonder if the people who believe the Selfish Giant went to heaven believe Oscar Wilde went to hell.

This is amazing.... This animation and story has stayed with me for almost 30 years!!!!!

Can't get hold of it in the UK, would love to. This is by the best animation of this great story. I love the images, of the frost, snow and the hail, dancing on the roof of the castle. I watched a new animation this week 26/12/03, and it was awful, changed completely, even the words to the story. Some things should never change, they are perfect and should remain that way...Like The Selfish Giant

If you're a Cornish ogre, then next time someone comes to visit you, make sure it's not a giant who wants to stay for seven years! Finally taking the hint that it might be time to go home, the giant returns to find his castle garden a playground for the local urchins. He's not impressed, and makes it clear that it's his own exclusive pasture. The kids can play elsewhere! To make sure, he dismantles some of his castle and builds a great wall around it (this bit is accompanied by a rather jolly Peter, Paul and Mary style of ditty warning of the dangers of walling himself in). Task complete, the children now had nowhere to play but neither did the giant. His enclosed garden was abandoned by nature and left barren save for visits from frost, snow, hail (in a suit of armour) and the north wind who's characterisations adored and adorned the place! Hemmed in and literally cold as ice, he began to see the error of his ways as incessant inclement weather remained. Cold, hungry and with the elements pretty much reducing his lodgings to rubble with no sign of spring he began to despair! Will he ever feel the warmth of the sun again? Is there still time for him to repent? I loved this animation as a child and it's still a potent and engaging warning to those who would be selfish and uncaring. I'm not so sure Oscar Wilde would have loved loads of weans messing about in his garden, but this is a fine story of redemption that like his "Little Prince" has a story within it's story.