Budapest Classic Film Marathon 2024: Halász & Macskássy

Director: János Halász (aka John Halas), Gyula Macskássy et al.

Hungarian Animation 110

Q&A with Vivien Halas, Director, The Halas & Batchelor Collection Limited and Jez Stewart Curator (Animation), BFI National

Film history ranks János Halász (John Halas, 1912–1995) as the founder of British animation, and Gyula Macskássy (1912–1971) as his counterpart in Hungarian animation. Both careers were launched in the ‘effects commercials’ studio of Coloriton in Budapest in the early 1930s, which they established when they were in their twenties. And although during the Second World War they worked in different countries, and their oeuvres developed on opposite sides of the Iron Curtain, still by placing their short films side by side it is apparent that the two directors (and good friends) were connected to each in a thousand ways throughout their lives.

The program consists of the following short films:

Treasure of the Merry King, r: Halász János, Kassowitz Félix, Macskássy Gyula, 1936, 3’ (12)
Music Man, r: John Halas, 1938, 6’
Zeus Incognito, r: Kassowitz Félix, Macskássy Gyula, Szénásy György, 1938, 1’ (12)
Dustbin Parade, r: John Halas, 1942, 5’
The History of Newspaper, r: Macskássy Gyula, 1948, 3’ (6)
Duel, r: Macskássy Gyula, Várnai György, 1960, 10’ (0)
Automania 2000, r: John Halas, 1963, 9’
Symphonic Orchestra, r: John Halas, 1964, 8’
Romantic Story, r: Macskássy Gyula, Várnai György, 1964, 7’ (0)
A Bit of Immortality, r: Macskássy Gyula, Várnai György, 1966, 9’ (12)
Dilemma, r: John Halas, 1981, 11’

More information about the Budapest Classic Film Marathon's program at Uránia >>