Testament: The Bible in Animation
Appearance
Testament: The Bible in Animation was a 1996 animated series produced by Sianel 4 Cymru. It featured animated versions of stories from the Bible, each story using its own unique style of animation, including stop-motion animation. It ran for one series of nine episodes in the United Kingdom and won one Emmy, with three nominations, in the United States. It also includes the song "Adiemus" as its intro.
It shares several similarities with Shakespeare: The Animated Tales and the film The Miracle Maker, sharing many of the same voice talents and styles of animation.
Series overview
Season | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | |||
1 | 9 | October 16, 1996 | December 11, 1996 |
Episodes
No. | Title | Animation type | Book(s) | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Creation and the Flood" | Cel animation and Paint on glass | Genesis | October 16, 1996 | |
As his ark crosses the drowned Earth, Noah tells his family the story of Adam and Eve, the fall of Lucifer, and the banishment from Eden. | |||||
2 | "Abraham" | Stop motion | Genesis | October 23, 1996 | |
When God told Abraham that he and his wife Sarah would have a son, Abraham was astounded, for Sarah was long past child bearing age, but God assigned to Abraham the honour of being the "Father of Many Nations." Overjoyed at the birth of his son Isaac, Abraham was horrified by the next command from God, to offer his son as a sacrifice to Him. | |||||
3 | "Joseph" | Stop motion | Genesis | October 30, 1996 | |
Sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, Joseph uses his skills to interpret dreams and becomes seated at the right hand of the Pharaoh himself. | |||||
4 | "Moses" | Cel animation | Exodus | November 6, 1996 | |
Fleeing after murdering an Egyptian overseer, the Hebrew Moses settles in the land of Midian. But one day he is visited by God who instructs him to return to Egypt and, with the help of his brother Aaron and ten devastating plagues, free the Israelites from the iron grip of the Pharaoh Merneptah. | |||||
5 | "Ruth" | Stop motion | Ruth | November 13, 1996 | |
This is the story of a woman whose name has becomes synonymous with love and fidelity. In a moving tale, Ruth follows her mother-in-law Naomi back to Naomi's native Bethlehem after the sad death of both women's husbands. Working hard in the fields to feed herself and Naomi, Ruth finds her feeling for her kinsman Boaz run deeper than gratitude for his help with the work. Prepared to marry for Naomi's sake, Ruth's loyalty touches Boaz and he decides to challenge the claim of a closer relative for Ruth's hand. | |||||
6 | "David and Saul" | Cel animation | 1 Samuel | November 20, 1996 | |
Tormented by demons, King Saul sends for a musician, David to calm his mind, little knowing the young man will one day be his greatest general - and his greatest enemy. | |||||
7 | "Elijah" | Cel animation | 1 Kings | November 27, 1996 | |
Elijah, the one prophet of The Lord God, sets out to save Israel from the corrupt King Ahab and his evil Queen Jezabel. | |||||
8 | "Daniel" | Oil painting | Daniel | December 4, 1996 | |
Political intrigue and unwavering faith are the cornerstones of the story of Daniel, held captive for many years under the Babylonian Kings. Much loved and respected by the conqueror, King Darius, who appointed him governor, Daniel provoked great jealousy among the court advisers. Divine love and human resolver enter the lions' den together, emerging victorious. | |||||
9 | "Jonah" | Oil painting | Jonah | December 11, 1996 | |
The prophet Jonah rejects God's call to go to Nineveh, but divine intervention, and a great fish brings him to the evil city which he warns will be destroyed in forty days. |
Voice cast
- Patrick Brennan, Hannah Gordon & Carolyn Pickles − Narrator
- T. P. McKenna, Colin McFarlane & David Burke − God
- Robert Harper − Adam
- Kelly Hunter − Eve
- David Holt − Archangel Michael
- Ciarán Hinds − Satan the Devil (Lucifer the Fallen Angel)
- Joss Ackland − Noah
- Sue Roderick − Naamah
- Simon Harris − Shem
- Hakeem Kae-Kazim − Ham
- Patrick Brennan − Japhet
- Emma Gregory − Atarah
- Robert Hardy − Abraham
- Jane Lapotaire − Sarah
- Deborah Berlin − Isaac
- Oona Beeson − Ishmael
- Patrick Brennan − Lot
- Helen Gwyn − Hagar
- Mark Straker − Angel
- Anton Lesser − Joseph
- Gerald James − Jacob
- Rob Lane − Reuben
- Simon Ludders − Simeon
- John McAndrew − Benjamin
- Richard O'Callaghan − Judah
- Jonathan Tafler − Levi & Pharaoh
- Philip Voss − Lord Potiphar
- Rebecca Egan − Lady Potiphar
- Martin Jarvis − Moses
- Simon Callow − Pharaoh Merneptah
- Anna Carteret − Miriam
- Tony Leader − Aaron, Pharaoh Rameses II & Eliab
- Ivor Roberts − Jethro
- Adjoa Andoh − Ruth
- Siriol Jenkins − Orpah
- Doreen Mantle − Naomi
- Clive Russell − Boaz
- Paul McGann − David
- Alan Dobie − Saul
- Colin McFarlane − Goliath
- Joss Ackland − Samuel
- Christopher Guard − Jonathan
- Christine Pritchard − Witch of Endor
- Polly Kemp − Michal
- David Schofield − Elijah
- Iestyn Jones − Elisha
- Terry Dauncey − Shaphat
- Ian McNeice − King Ahab
- Victoria Wicks − Queen Jezebel
- Philip Franks − Daniel
- Clive Merrison − King Darius of Babylon
- Steve Hodson − King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon
- Bill Nighy − King Belshazzar of Babylon
- John Alderton − Jonah
- Stephen Thorne − King of Nineveh