The Adventures of Prince Ahmed

This CD/DVD combination is absolutely brilliant, not least for the restoration of this ground-breaking animated film by the German Film Museum Frankfurt. Die Abenteuer des Prinzen Achmed is the oldest surviving full-length animation, made by Lotte Reiniger in 1926. The effect of the silhouette animation technique is reminiscent of South and South-East Asian shadow puppet theatre, and feels apt for the storyline inspired by the One Thousand and One Nights.

This is not the only time the film has had music created for it. The first version was by German composer Wolfgang Zeller. Another noteworthy performance was given by the Silk Road Ensemble and, more recently, British Indian clarinettist Arun Ghosh has created a magical new version. The soundtrack accompanying this release comes from the Khoury Project, an ensemble set up and led by the Khoury brothers – Elia, Osama and Basil. Using a combination of oud (lute), qanun (zither), percussion, violin, trombone, saxophone, double bass and piano, the musicians conjure up a vibrant and wide-ranging soundtrack, partly improvised, that takes in Turkish and Middle Eastern music, jazz, Western classical and flamenco.

While the music is fun and retains your interest – there is also a soundtrack-only CD included in the package – it is the way it fits the film that really brings it to life, notably when the hero Ahmed visits China; or his escape across the sea. However, it is the animation itself that wins you over: at almost 90 years old, it still seems modern and just as exciting as it must have been when it was first released.