History WesternAnimation / PyramidDocumentary

* MoodWhiplash: Averted in the 1994 rebroadcast. As this is the darkest adaptation of any of David Macaulay's books, the original closing PBS logo isn't updated even though those on ''WesternAnimation/{{Castle}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Cathedral}}'' were.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Even ''WesternAnimation/{{Cathedral}}'' had its moments of levity. This special has ''none''. It deals directly with the subject of death, and whereas the antagonists of the first two adaptations of David Macaulay's books were respectively freedom fighters and a corrupt clergyman, here the antagonist is a schemer who plots to usurp the throne by offing the other heirs and doesn't get any comeuppance for it. Underscored by the cinematography and music, and the fact that this time around Macaulay isn't assisted by a local actress. Even the 1994 rebroadcast emphasizes this, with its original, darker, more austere logo being retained where the previous two specials had their logos updated and replaced with the then-current, brighter, more upbeat logo.

** A royal son who feels himself unfit for rule and takes up scholarly pursuits instead, voiced by Jacobi. Unlike Claudius, Hordedef manages to avoid being forced onto the throne.

[[NamesTheSame Not to be confused with]] [[Series/{{Pyramid}} the game show]] [[NamesTheSame of the same name.]]

* CastingGag: A queen advising her son on patience and long-term scheming so he can inherit the throne instead of his rivals? In a series with ''Series/IClaudius'' stars Brian Blessed, Derek Jacobi, ''and'' John Hurt? Of course the role goes to Sian Phillips.

* TemptingFate: Kawab really wasn't doing himself any favors when proclaiming his family unkillable by mere mortals just before marching straight into a Nubian ambush.

The film is essentially an animated dramatization of the construction of the real-life Great Pyramids of Giza for Pharaoh Khufu (voice of Creator/JohnHurt). His son, Prince Hordedef (voice of Creator/DerekJacobi), is honoured with the assignment of chronicling the construction of the pyramids as the royal scribe, and the pyramids are planned and constructed under the auspices of his half-brother, Grand Vizier Ankhaf (voice of Creator/BrianBlessed). During the construction process, crisis strikes as the grand order of Egyptian religion, mat, is threatened by grave robbers and a treacherous offspring (voice of Tim Pigott-Smith) of the Pharaoh. In the live-action wrap-around sequences, Macaulay explores the Great Pyramids of Giza and their surroundings and discusses the ancient Egyptians' obsession with death.

* HistoryMarchesOn: Several years after the original broadcast of this program, certain information regarding Djedefre was rendered inaccurate by archaeological studies at Abu Rawash around the turn of the millennium.

The film is essentially an animated dramatization of the construction of the real-life Great Pyramids of Giza for Pharaoh Khufu (voice of Creator/JohnHurt). His son, Prince Hordedef (voice of Creator/DerekJacobi), is honoured with the assignment of chronicling the construction of the pyramids as the royal scribe, and the pyramids are planned and constructed under the auspices of his brother, Grand Vizier Ankhaf (voice of Creator/BrianBlessed). During the construction process, crisis strikes as the grand order of Egyptian religion, mat, is threatened by grave robbers and a treacherous offspring (voice of Tim Pigott-Smith) of the Pharaoh. In the live-action wrap-around sequences, Macaulay explores the Great Pyramids of Giza and their surroundings and discusses the ancient Egyptians' obsession with death.

* ExplainExplainOhCrap: Ankhaf realizes that the robbers who had looted Sneferu's tomb must have very likely destroyed his body, since they had been caught and most of the treasures recovered. [[SecretKeeper He and his assistant Nebka agree to take this to their own graves.]]

* SpareToTheThrone: Khufu managed to spawn several, only two of which make it to the throne. Two of them are killed, one in a Nubian ambush and the other by men working with his ambitious younger brother, and the other surviving heir, Hordedef, feels so unsure about his own leadership capabilities and content with his current scholarly role that he removes himself from the line of succession and has Ankhaf inform his father of his decision.

* ExplainExplainOhCrap: Ankhaf realizes that the robbers who had looted Sneferu's tomb must have very likely destroyed his body, since they had been caught and most of the treasures recovered. [[SecretKeeper He and his assistant agree to take this to their own graves.]]

* DarkerAndEdgier: Even ''WesternAnimation/{{Cathedral}}'' had its moments of levity. This special has ''none''. It deals directly with the subject of death, and whereas the antagonists of the first two adaptations of David Macaulay's books were respectively freedom fighters and a corrupt clergyman, here the antagonist is a schemer who plots to usurp the throne by offing the other heirs and doesn't get any comeuppance for it. Underscored by the cinematography and the fact that this time around Macaulay isn't assisted by a local actress. Even the 1994 rebroadcast emphasizes this, with its original, darker, more austere logo being retained where the previous two specials had their logos updated and replaced with the then-current, brighter, more upbeat logo.

Major funding was provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Additional funding was provided by the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Public Television Stations, the American Architectural Foundation/American Institute of Architects, and the National Concrete Masonry Association.

* BigNo: Pharaoh Khufu, when he learns that Snefuru's tomb had been vandalized by grave robbers.
* ChekhovsGunman: Khafre first appears as a youth being told the story of Osiris. At the end of the special, it's revealed that he was the more successful of Khufu's two successors, as prophesied by Dedi, and even got his own monument in the form of the Great Sphinx of Giza.

* ExplainExplainOhCrap: Ankhaf realizes that the robbers who had looted Snefuru's tomb must have very likely destroyed his body, since they had been caught and most of the treasures recovered. [[SecretKeeper He and his assistant agree to take this to their own graves.]]

* LadyMacbeth: Djedefre's mother, who eggs him on to remove obstacles to succession.

''Pyramid'' is a 1989 Creator/{{PBS}} documentary with fully-animated docudrama sequences, adapted from the book of the same name by Creator/DavidMacaulay. It was produced by Unicorn Productions and presented by WHYY Philadelphia.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Even ''WesternAnimation/{{Cathedral}}'' had its moments of levity. This special has ''none''. It deals directly with the subject of death, and whereas the antagonists of the first two adaptations of David Macaulay's books were respectively freedom fighters and a corrupt clergyman, here the antagonist is a schemer who plots to usurp the throne by offing the other heirs. Underscored by the cinematography and the fact that this time around Macaulay isn't assisted by a local actress. Even the 1994 rebroadcast emphasizes this, with its original, darker, more austere logo being retained where the previous two specials had their logos updated and replaced with the then-current, brighter, more upbeat logo.

* ExplainExplainOhCrap: Ankhaf realizes that the robbers who had looted Snefuru's tomb must have very likely destroyed his body, since they had been caught and most of the treasures recovered. He and his assistant agree to take this to their own graves.

The film is essentially an animated dramatization of the construction of the real-life Great Pyramids of Giza for Pharaoh Khufu (voice of Creator/JohnHurt). His son, Prince Hordedef (voice of Creator/DerekJacobi), is honoured with the assignment of chronicling the construction of the pyramids as the royal scribe, and the pyramids are planned and constructed under the auspices of his brother, Grand Vizier Ankhaf (voice of Creator/BrianBlessed). During the construction process, crisis strikes as the grand order of Egyptian religion, mat, is threatened by grave robbers and a treacherous offspring (voice of Creator/TimPigottSmith) of the Pharaoh. In the live-action wrap-around sequences, Macaulay explores the Great Pyramids of Giza and their surroundings and discusses the ancient Egyptians' obsession with death.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Even ''WesternAnimation/{{Cathedral}}'' had its moments of levity. This special has ''none''. It deals directly with the subject of death, and whereas the antagonists of the first two adaptations of David Macaulay's books were respectively freedom fighters and a corrupt clergyman, here the antagonist is a schemer who plots to usurp the throne by offing the other heirs. Underscored by the cinematography and the fact that this time around Macaulay isn't assisted by a local actress. Even the 1994 rebroadcast emphasizes this, with its original, darker logo being retained where the previous two specials had their logos updated and replaced with the then-current, brighter, more upbeat logo.

* BigNo: Pharaoh Khufu, when he learns SNefuru's tomb had been vandalized by grave robbers.