Australian children’s author and illustrator Alison Lester’s book Magic Beach has been transformed into a feature-length film. Source: Australian Catholics.
Illustrations from Lester’s book are seen during the opening credits and are used to excite the audience’s imagination. These images are contrasted with real-life children and families reading the classic picture book.
Director Rober Connolly has experience making films that have family appeal, having directed Paper Planes and Blueback. Special acknowledgment must be given to the group of 10 animators: Emma Kelly, Pierce Davison, Simon Rippingale, Marieka Walsh, Lee Whitmore, Kathy Sarpi, Susan Danta, Eddie White, Jake Duczynski, and Anthony Lucas.
They were each invited to take a page of the book and bring it to life using their own animation style, interest and inspiration, creating an anthology with much to see.
The scenes with the children – some walking along the beach, some wading in water, some sitting in boats with binoculars – are interspersed with the animation.
The stories within the story are varied so if the viewer doesn’t like one particular story then there is another one soon to come.
For older audiences not familiar with the book and its illustrations, the experience might be less engaging. But, for children familiar with the book, there are stories to excite, delight and open up the imagination.
Magic Beach: Directed by Robert Connolly. 76 minutes. Rated G.
FULL REVIEW
Magic Beach (Australian Catholics)
