The Snowman | |
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Genre | Children's television |
Based on |
The Snowman by Raymond Briggs |
Directed by | Dianne Jackson |
Music by | Howard Blake |
Original language(s) | English |
Production | |
Producer(s) | John Coates |
Running time | 27 minutes |
Production company(s) | TVC London |
Release | |
Original network | Channel 4 |
Original release | 26 December 1982 |
Briggs' illustration of the snowman
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|
Author | Raymond Briggs |
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Illustrator | Raymond Briggs |
Country | United Kingdom |
Genre | Picture book |
Publisher | Hamish Hamilton |
Publication date
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1978 |
Media type | |
Pages | 32 pp |
ISBN | |
OCLC | 788883530 |
LC Class | PZ7.B7646 Sn 1978 |
The Snowman is a children's picture book without words by English author Raymond Briggs, first published in 1978 by Hamish Hamilton in the United Kingdom, and published by Random House in the United States in November of the same year. In the UK, it was the runner-up for the Kate Greenaway Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book illustration by a British writer.
In the US, it was named to the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award list in 1979. The book was adapted into a twenty-six-minute animated television special in 1982, which debuted on Channel 4 in the UK on 26 December. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. The animated special became prominent in British popular culture and its showings have since become an annual festive event.
The Snowman was adapted as a twenty-six-minute animated television special, by Dianne Jackson for the fledgling British public service Channel 4. It was first telecast on 26 December 1982, and was an immediate success. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film and won a BAFTA TV Award, out of two nominations.
The story is told through pictures, action and music, scored by Howard Blake. It is wordless like the book, except for the song "Walking in the Air". In addition to the orchestral score, performed in the film by the Sinfonia of London, Blake composed the music and lyrics of the song, performed by Peter Auty, a St Paul's Cathedral choirboy.