Toonhound - The Big Knights (1999)

    "The height of two men!...
     The weight of four!...
     The strength of sixteen!..."

     The Big Knights are Sir Boris "the finest Swordsman in the world", and his
     spectacled brother Sir Morris "not the finest swordsman in the world, but the
     most enthusiastic". This armour-plated Abbott and Costello double-act hail from
     Castle Big in the little-known kingdom of Borovia where, to quote the official
     press blurb:

      "Dragons are fierce, witches are wicked, scientists are insane,
       the economy is bad and television is in black & white..."

     Big adventures abound at Castle Big, where the brothers do battle with evil
     scientists, imps, witches, vampires, dragons, trolls and their own crude short-
     comings in the name of King Otto. Even their tin-canned pets Sir Horace the
     dog and Sir Doris the hamster get in on the act.

     These big characters need some big voices behind them and they don't come
     any bigger than actor Brian Blessed who furnishes Sir Morris with his enthusiastic
     baritone. David Rintoul voices Sir Boris, and Timothy West that of King Otto.

     This fabulous series is big with laughs, big-hearted, big on action, and especially
     big on design. The animation partnership of Neville Astley and Mark Baker build
     on the unique stylings they brought to their previous work, like the sea-borne
     short "Jolly Roger", to bring us big medieval banquets halls, castles, contraptions
     and landscapes. The animation is hand drawn before being digitally animated
     using CelAction 2D software and the resulting series has since won some big
     animation trophies, including two British Animation Awards, and a Best Animated
     Series prize at Annecy...

     Fans would do well to track down the six all-new Big Knights stories
     subsequently published in "FBX" magazine. These strips wrre created by
     Neville and Mark using the very same software they used for the series.

     "The Big Knights" is that wonderfully rare thing. An animated series that has
     big crossover appeal for adults and children alike. Truly it's a treat. But bigger
     than this show's achievements is the incredulation that only one series of films
     have so far been produced. Bring back those knights at once, says The Hound.
     There is a loyal fan-base out there for this show and they are definitely,
     indisputably enthusiastic for more!...

     BIG awards

    2001 Annecy - Best Animated Series
     2000 British Animation Award - Best Adult Series
             British Animation Award - Most Creative Use Of New Technology

     BIG news

     Three Little Piggies
     Astley Baker Davies talk to The Hound...

     BIG episodes

    Knights in Distress
    Ethel and the Imp
    Knight School
    Time Protonosphere
    The Land of the Vampires
    Sir Morris and the Beanstalk
    The Village Games
    Alchemy
    Lost Doris
    Clockwork Knights
    The Troll Bridge
    Proton Power
    The Royal Escort

     BIG DVDs

    The Big Knights
                Region 2 / DVD & Blu-Ray / Entertainment One / Oct 2010

    created and directed by Neville Astley & Mark Baker

    producer:     Claire Jennings
    writers:        Neville Astley, Mark Baker,
                      Gary Parker, John Sparkes
    music:          Peter Baikie
    animators: Christian Chessell, Tanya Fenton, Joris Van Hunzen,
                     Cathy Lowdell, Sarah Roper, Peter Wassink
    voices:         Brian Blessed (Sir Morris)
                       David Rintoul (Sir Boris)
                       Timothy West (King Otto)
                       Summer Strallen (Princess Lucy)
                       Scarlet Strallen (Princess Loretta)
                       Xander Armstrong (narrator)
                       Morwenna Banks (The Old Witch)
                       Enn Reitel (Wizard Zabobon / Mayor Borodzo / Jack Tiny)
                      Kate Robbins (Sorceress Abigail / Aunt Iris)
                       Prunella Scales (Queen Melissa / Aunt Lily)
                       John Sparkes (Eeuuurgh The Troll / Prof. von Proton /
                                           Daring Sir Douglas / Dan Titchy)
                       Gordon Kennedy (Count Vampire / Ogre)
                       Brian Sewell (Sir Kiftsgate)


    On the web

     Astley Baker Davies
     Neville Astley and Mark Baker now work with producer Phil Davies,
     and their official site details the whole Astley Baker and Davies CV...

     Little Gems
     A series intro, character outlines and an episode guide...

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			The Big Knights (1999) producers: Astley Baker / The Big Knights for BBC Worldwide animation: Celaction episodes: 13 x 10mins
		"The height of two men!... The weight of four!... The strength of sixteen!..." The Big Knights are Sir Boris "the finest Swordsman in the world", and his spectacled brother Sir Morris "not the finest swordsman in the world, but the most enthusiastic". This armour-plated Abbott and Costello double-act hail from Castle Big in the little-known kingdom of Borovia where, to quote the official press blurb: "Dragons are fierce, witches are wicked, scientists are insane, the economy is bad and television is in black & white..." Big adventures abound at Castle Big, where the brothers do battle with evil scientists, imps, witches, vampires, dragons, trolls and their own crude short- comings in the name of King Otto. Even their tin-canned pets Sir Horace the dog and Sir Doris the hamster get in on the act. These big characters need some big voices behind them and they don't come any bigger than actor Brian Blessed who furnishes Sir Morris with his enthusiastic baritone. David Rintoul voices Sir Boris, and Timothy West that of King Otto. This fabulous series is big with laughs, big-hearted, big on action, and especially big on design. The animation partnership of Neville Astley and Mark Baker build on the unique stylings they brought to their previous work, like the sea-borne short "Jolly Roger", to bring us big medieval banquets halls, castles, contraptions and landscapes. The animation is hand drawn before being digitally animated using CelAction 2D software and the resulting series has since won some big animation trophies, including two British Animation Awards, and a Best Animated Series prize at Annecy... Fans would do well to track down the six all-new Big Knights stories subsequently published in "FBX" magazine. These strips wrre created by Neville and Mark using the very same software they used for the series. "The Big Knights" is that wonderfully rare thing. An animated series that has big crossover appeal for adults and children alike. Truly it's a treat. But bigger than this show's achievements is the incredulation that only one series of films have so far been produced. Bring back those knights at once, says The Hound. There is a loyal fan-base out there for this show and they are definitely, indisputably enthusiastic for more!... BIG awards 2001 Annecy - Best Animated Series 2000 British Animation Award - Best Adult Series British Animation Award - Most Creative Use Of New Technology BIG news Three Little Piggies Astley Baker Davies talk to The Hound... BIG episodes Knights in Distress Ethel and the Imp Knight School Time Protonosphere The Land of the Vampires Sir Morris and the Beanstalk The Village Games Alchemy Lost Doris Clockwork Knights The Troll Bridge Proton Power The Royal Escort BIG DVDs The Big Knights Region 2 / DVD & Blu-Ray / Entertainment One / Oct 2010 created and directed by Neville Astley & Mark Baker producer: Claire Jennings writers: Neville Astley, Mark Baker, Gary Parker, John Sparkes music: Peter Baikie animators: Christian Chessell, Tanya Fenton, Joris Van Hunzen, Cathy Lowdell, Sarah Roper, Peter Wassink voices: Brian Blessed (Sir Morris) David Rintoul (Sir Boris) Timothy West (King Otto) Summer Strallen (Princess Lucy) Scarlet Strallen (Princess Loretta) Xander Armstrong (narrator) Morwenna Banks (The Old Witch) Enn Reitel (Wizard Zabobon / Mayor Borodzo / Jack Tiny) Kate Robbins (Sorceress Abigail / Aunt Iris) Prunella Scales (Queen Melissa / Aunt Lily) John Sparkes (Eeuuurgh The Troll / Prof. von Proton / Daring Sir Douglas / Dan Titchy) Gordon Kennedy (Count Vampire / Ogre) Brian Sewell (Sir Kiftsgate) On the web Astley Baker Davies Neville Astley and Mark Baker now work with producer Phil Davies, and their official site details the whole Astley Baker and Davies CV... Little Gems A series intro, character outlines and an episode guide... index » previous » next »
© BBC Worldwide / The Big Knights Ltd / F2010