SmugKitZine Tied for the best movie I have ever seen

Supelice Dreadfully Boring

ChicRawIdol A brilliant film that helped define a genre

Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

a_heathen_conceivably Why is everyone convinced this isn't available on DVD when IT IS?Look at this website http://www.britishanimationawards.com click on 'Buy Animation Classics' link on left hand side, and you'll find "Skywhales" is listed amongst the contents for British Animation Classics Vol. 1 ! It's a British issue, but it is in fact a Region '0' NTSC release!I know. I've got one. I didn't know about it either, until I emailed co-director Derek Hayes, who told me all about it.I saw this in the cinema in 1983 as a support to... I cannot remember. I only remember this masterpiece!

shane612 Until recently I thought I had actually dreamt this story! I'd tried to look this up so many times but I guess I was a letter or space away from "Skywhales". I was so close to drawing it up as a comic and using it as my own work - glad I decided to have one last look before I did.I must have been about 5 when I saw this on TV (I was born in 1982) and have vividly remembered it since. I remember it being very moving (and creepy), I think it made me cry too.I've looked around and it seems pretty hard to find a copy, thankfully I've found it on YouTube. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to post this but here goes; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVmKhNG6S3o I haven't watched it yet because this is one memory I don't want to ruin.

hemenwayc Like other people commenting, this is a short who's imagery has stayed with me for more than 20 years. I saw it in an art theater in Georgetown, Washington DC. I particularly remember the haunting language used by the creatures. You understood everything they were feeling and saying without knowing a thing about the language. The vivid scenery was also haunting and gorgeous. I had to wait until the computer game Myst before seeing something as well done. I have been searching and searching for a copy without knowing the title, using terms like "whale, white, animation, short, hunt, fly, world, air." Nothing ever came up until today and now I know what I'm looking for! But I can't seem to find anywhere that offers a copy. Echoing the commenter before me, where, oh where can we buy one?

teamwak This review is from memory. I have never forgotten seeing this.It is set on an a strange floating alien world. The people hunt these amazing flying whales in their own home made gas-filled airships . The hunt scenes with harpoons was very vivid as two or three airships hunt and harpoon this magnificent beast before it finally dies and its bloodstained carcass is hauled back to the ground by the hunters."SPOILER ALERT" The story follows a hunter on his return. As he returns to his simple village with his family they come across another creature/person who is a different, ill colour. The family and others shield their eyes and move out of the way as the zombie stumbles past them. It stumbles to a giant hole/well in the village, then falls into the hole!! Later the hunter is at home. He feels ill, cant sleep. Suddenly he turns into one of the zombie things. He lurches out of his hut. His child tries to run to him but its mother holds it back. She reluctantly covers her eyes and lets him stumble off.He stumbles to the well and throws himself in, and falls.into this bottomless shaft .....and falls, and falls, and falls A fine web starts forming over the falling body. It eventually covers him like a cocoon.After a time something is trying to burst out of the cocoon. Finally a baby sky whale emerges from the cocoon just as the shaft ends under the floating world. The new sky whale fly gracefully back up the world. We see the mother and child looking sad in the village when this beautiful whale flies past. The child looks up and points. They don't seem so sad anymore! I thoroughly recommended this if it is ever released on DVD.