Dreams of Toyland

Decades before Toy Story, a young boy’s toys come to life through animation

Do you know what your toys are up to when you’re asleep? Take a glimpse at the nocturnal life of teddy bears, dolls and vehicles in Toyland, where the inhabitants are far from model pedestrians - or drivers. Arthur Melbourne-Cooper was one of the first to really grasp that stop-motion animation was not just for trickery but also storytelling. He made further films with toys and puppets, including more motor madness in Road Hogs in Toyland (1911).