Sweet Disaster

Sweet Disaster is a 1986 series of short films, made for Channel 4.^[1] It consists of "animated visions of the apocalypse",^[2] and includes films such as Babylon and Sweet Disaster. The series was conceived by producer David Hopkins.^[3] TheLostContinent explains "Hopkins scripted each of these films aside from the dialogue-free Dreamless Sleep".^[2] The films are fairly obscure; Nick Park noted that Babylon "hasn't really seen the light of day for a long time."^[4]

Babylon was one of several Aardman Animations films commissioned by Channel 4 Commissioning Editor Paul Madden.^[3] The film was directed by Peter Lord and David Sproxton.^[2] The editor is David McCormick.^[5] It is included on the Aardman Classics DVD, and so is the least obscure of the series.^[2] The short is 15 minutes long. Its release date in the UK was 4 May 1986, and it was later released in Canada on 7 June 2003 at the Worldwide Short Film Festival.^{[citation needed]} Tony Robinson plays the role of Voice of Speaker.^{[citation needed]} The film received two awards: Peter Lord and David Sproxton won the Audience Award, and Peter Lord won the Award of Merit for a Film Between 5 and 15 Minutes.^{[citation needed]} This was the first film project Nick Park worked on after joining Aardman Animations in the mid 80s.^[6][7] Aardman agreed to supply Park with extra resources for A Grand Day Out if he agreed to help them finish the film.^[8]

Dreamless Sleep was made by David Anderson.^[3] ScreenOnline notes that the film "spent ten wordless minutes subtly conveying a couple's fear in the face of an incoming nuclear blast."^[1] The film won the Hiroshima Peace Prize.^[9] The film had an estimated budget of £125,000.^{[citation needed]} The short was made in Bristol. The title of the short came from David Anderson "going to a carol concert in Bristol with the composer Martin Kiszko and listening to "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem".^[10]

Paradise Regained was directed by Andrew Franks.^[2] The film had an estimated budget of £80,000.^{[citation needed]}

Conversations by a Californian Swimming Pool was directed by Andrew Franks.^[2] The film had an estimated budget of £80,000.^{[citation needed]}

Death of a Speechwriter was directed by David Hopkins.^[2] Tony Robinson played The Speechwriter. The film had an estimated budget of £75,000.^{[citation needed]}

Animation World Network described Babylon as "hauntingly powerful", and described Dreamless Sleep as "equally haunting".^[3] ScreenOnline cited Dreamless Sleep as an example of how "later work strengthened Anderson's command of his complex technical resources".^[1]