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The Tales of Beatrix Potter facts for kids

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The Tales of Beatrix Potter
TalesOfBeatrixPotter.jpg
DVD cover
Directed by Reginald Mills
Produced by Richard Goodwin
Screenplay by Richard Goodwin
Christine Edzard
Starring Royal Ballet dancers:
Frederick Ashton
Alexander Grant
Michael Coleman
Wayne Sleep
Lesley Collier
Music by John Lanchbery
Cinematography Austin Dempster
Editing by John Rushton
Studio GW Films,
EMI Elstree
Distributed by MGM-EMI Film Distributors Ltd.
Release date(s) 30 June 1971
Running time 90 minutes
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Budget less than $600,000 or £256,000

The Tales of Beatrix Potter is a special film from 1971. It brings the beloved children's stories by English author and artist Beatrix Potter to life. But it's not just any film; it's a ballet film! This means the stories are told through dance, without any talking.

The film was directed by Reginald Mills. The amazing dances were created by Sir Frederick Ashton, who was also a famous dancer. He even played the role of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle in the film! Dancers from The Royal Ballet performed all the roles. The beautiful music was put together by John Lanchbery. He used pieces from different operas and played them with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Richard Goodwin produced the film, and his wife, Christine Edzard, helped him adapt the stories for the screen.

About the Film's Creator

Reginald Mills, the director of The Tales of Beatrix Potter, is mostly known for his work as a film editor. This film is the only full-length movie he ever directed. He was famous for editing movies that included ballet, like the classic film The Red Shoes from 1948. His experience with dance films made him a great choice to direct this unique ballet movie.

Bringing Stories to Life

The film takes several of Beatrix Potter's most famous tales and turns them into a series of short ballets. Imagine seeing Peter Rabbit, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, and other characters dancing their stories! The dancers wear detailed animal costumes. These costumes help them look just like the characters from Beatrix Potter's original books. The film is a magical way to experience these classic tales. It shows how dance can tell a story without words.

Characters You'll See

In the film, you'll meet many of Beatrix Potter's charming animal characters. Each one has its own special dance and story. Some of the characters include:

Each character's personality is shown through their unique dance moves and the beautiful costumes they wear.

Music and Dance

The music for the film was specially arranged to fit the ballet. John Lanchbery chose music from different classical pieces. This created a score that perfectly matched the playful and sometimes dramatic moments in the stories. The choreography by Frederick Ashton is very clever. It makes the dancers move like animals while still performing elegant ballet steps. It's a wonderful example of how music and dance can work together to tell a story.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: The Tales of Beatrix Potter para niños

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