Land of Cockaigne

Feasting after hunger

The advertising film Luilekkerland for various Honig products, which uses puppet animation to show a train journey to Land of Cockaigne (Luilekkerland).

Train journey to Land of Cockaigne

In the post-war period, when food was scarce, Honig's advertising film ‘Luilekkerland’ offered a refreshing look at abundance and taste experiences. Using puppet film animation, the film took viewers on a train ride to the fairytale Luilekkerland, where all delicacies were made with Honig products. For Dutch audiences, collectively, the memory of hunger during the war was still fresh in their minds.

The Temptation of Plentifulness

The voice-over told viewers that Luilekkerland was not a fairy tale, but a reality thanks to the various Honig products such as soups, soup cubes, vermicelli, macaroni and cake flour. Then, lakes of soup turn into Honig packs. The film ended with the slogan: ‘Honig seen in every family’, an invitation to experience the abundance of flavours.

Trivia

Remarkably, the main character in this film was not a newcomer. It was a return of an existing character first introduced in the film ‘Honig Works’. This film was a sensation at the time thanks to the phase technology that enabled the male to speak lip-synchronously.

Technical Adaptations

Although the studio had advanced techniques at its disposal, the familiar character was deliberately chosen. This main character made an interim return in Honig's Ideaal (1948). Probably due to wear and age, some modelled phase masks became dilapidated. After all, in ‘Cockaigne Country’, the puppet appears for the third time. However, due to wear and age, some modelled phase masks were dilapidated. To get around this, the puppet had a megaphone placed in front of its face, so the missing mouth positions were not visible.

A Legacy of Innovation

The film ‘Cockaig’ was a remarkable addition to Honig's series of advertising films, which testified to technical innovation and creative ingenuity. The iconic character remained a constant factor, but was presented in a new way each time, leaving a lasting impression on viewers.

Credits

• Title:  Land of Cockaigne ( Luilekkerland )
• Year of production:  1952
• Duration: 3 minutes
• Produced by: Joop Geesink's Dollywood
• Client: Honig
• Composer: Unknown, possibly Hugo de Groot
• Performed by: Unknown
• Art Director: Unknown
• Animation: Unknown possibly József Misik or Jules Balázs
• Camera:  Unknown
• Puppets: Harry Tolsma
• Puppets clothing: Unknown
• Props:  Unknown
• Set paintings:  Unknown
• Format: 35 mm, Technicolor

• Dutch Vintage Animation