The Miracle Maker dvd Icon Films, 1999 87 minutes £7.00
A book with the same title is also available :
Hodder & Stoughton, 2000 £2.00
ISBN 978 0 340 735 633
This animated cartoon is a graphic re-telling of the story of Jesus based on the gospel accounts as seen through the eyes of Tamar, the name given in this film to Jairus’ daughter.
Murray Watts, creator of the screenplay, is a master storyteller using all his creative and imaginative skill to bring to life a 2000 year-old story with clarity and freshness.
The film took 5 years in the making with collaboration between S4C (Wales) and Russian animators and a host of star-studded actors like Ralph Fiennes, Julie Christie and Ian Holm who did voices.
An apt comment from a professional review is also the most telling – ‘sharp and unpreachy’.
As an introduction to a simple, attractive and factual account of the life and impact of Jesus Christ,
this film can be warmly recommended to adults and children alike.
One of the ‘special features’ (Small Miracle) deals at length and in detail with how the film was
made which, in itself, is fascinating and well worth watching, not least because of the need for
translators to assist collaboration between Wales and Christmas Films, by repute the best animation
studio in Russia.
The credits at the end of the film last more than 3 minutes to scroll through which gives some idea
of the enormous amount of technical work collaboratively undertaken in the making of the film.