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Once Upon a Time... Life(TV show/series, 1987-1988)

Original title: "Il était une fois… la Vie" (French/FR)
NR
| 26min per episode | Genres: Kids & Family, Animation, Documentary

Scripted Reality in 1 season with 26 episodes

Once Upon a Time... LifeRating: 4.0/5 (with 59 votes)
Il était une fois... La vie is an animated series created by Albert Barillé from Procidis studios (France) in 1987 for Canal+ France talking about the human body and its functions in a simplified and educational way. The series consists of 26 episodes originally aired on the French channel Canal+, and then on the state-owned channel FR3. It is the third part of the Once Upon a Time... series. Just like the previous series,Once Upon a Time... Space, the series was animated in Japan by the same studio, Eiken. However, unlike the previous series, it was only released on a VHS in Japan. Once Upon a Time... Life brought back the edutainment formula that had largely been left out on Once Upon a Time... Space. The series combined entertaining storylines with factual information, presented metaphorically. ()
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Poster of Once Upon a Time... Life

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About Once Upon a Time... Life

Attention please! Are you ready for an adventurous tour through the human body? With a lot of humour, our physical appearance is being introduced from head to toe along cells and organs in an educational way. The heart, blood, nerves and kidneys, each single one is a miracle which renders life possible.

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Trailer for Once Upon a Time... Life + Featurettes/Teaser/Clips

Il était une fois... La Vie - Le Générique(Opening Credits, 1:47)

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Once Upon a Time... Life Seasons and Episodes

09/13/1987Season 1 - 26 episodes
Buckle up for a head-to-toe adventure through the human body as this animated series explores the workings of our cells, hearts, brains and more.
#1 | 09/13/1987The Planet Cell
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
The world of cells is incredible! Activating enzymes, stopping viruses, and managing the body’s police force: it’s all in a day’s work for Teacher.
#2 | 09/20/1987Birth
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
After the first cell is fertilized, division and diversification take place to create the 60 trillion cells of the human body.
#3 | 09/27/1987The Body Sentinels
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
The body’s police force is taught to neutralize its enemies (microbes and viruses), which reproduce at an alarming rate! It’s a very complex task.
#4 | 10/04/1987The Bone Marrow
Red blood cells, the body’s police force, are created in the bone marrow but sometimes, the factory breaks down and wayward policemen come out. Uh oh!
#5 | 10/11/1987The Blood
3.9/5 (with 3 votes)
The steadfast red blood cells have come down with the flu! Pedrito and Psi get some help from the Teacher’s antibodies to beat the enemy.
#6 | 10/18/1987The Tiny Platelets
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
Pedrito cuts his finger with a dirty knife. While the platelets try to cure the wound, the white blood cells fight off the filthy invaders.
#7 | 10/25/1987The Heart
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
Globus takes Hemo and Globina on a tour through the human body’s cathedral: the heart and circulatory system. It’s an impressive adventure.
#8 | 11/01/1987Breathing
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
Air bubbles travel from the nose to the lungs. In the swampy, mucus-filled areas, they meet the red blood cells that transport them around the body.
#9 | 11/08/1987The Brain
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
Teacher introduces Hemo and Globina to the most mysterious organ: the brain. They learn about behavior, the senses, and much more.
#10 | 11/15/1987The Neurones
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
The body’s messengers run around sending and receiving information about feelings like hunger and cold. They work day and night and never take breaks.
#11 | 11/22/1987The Eye
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
Eyes are magical! They break down and transmit images to the brain. What happens if a speck of dust gets into one? It’s tear enzymes to the rescue.
#12 | 11/29/1987The Ear
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
The ear is composed of cells that sense vibrations and transmit them to the brain. Then, the brain transforms them into words and sounds.
#13 | 12/06/1987The Skin
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
Skin is the first barrier against external aggression and helps eliminate waste. From cuts and scrapes to bug bites, it stays pretty busy.
#14 | 12/13/1987The Mouth and the Teeth
4.5/5 (with 2 votes)
Yum! Candy! But sugar strengthens the bacteria around the gums and attacks the tooth enamel, which can cause cavities.
#15 | 12/20/1987The Digestion
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
After a tasty meal the food starts its journey to the stomach where it will be broken down depending on what properties it has. But don’t overdo it!
#16 | 12/27/1987The Liver Factory
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
The liver is fundamental. It doesn’t weigh a lot but it uses almost as much oxygen as the heart! It makes proteins, corpuscles, and helps heal cuts.
#17 | 01/03/1988The Kidneys
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
Toxic elements head to the kidneys where they are categorized. The good ones are salvaged but the bad ones are sent to the bladder. Have a good trip!
#18 | 01/10/1988The Lymphatic System
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
The huge lymph network transports everything to the body’s factories. Infectious intruders beware! This place is well protected.
#19 | 01/17/1988The Bones and the Skeleton
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
The architecture that protects the body’s organs is magnificent! However, even the slightest fracture can cause significant damage.
#20 | 01/24/1988The Muscles and the Fat
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
Muscles account for almost half the weight of the human body. They also need a ton of energy to do their jobs correctly.
#21 | 01/31/1988Toxin Wars
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
Combat teams act as preventative barriers and are prepared to defend the cell’s nucleus against toxic gases and contaminants.
#22 | 02/07/1988The Vaccination
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
Vaccines bring us so many benefits! People who don’t get vaccinated run the risk of contracting a disease that is stronger than our natural defenses.
#23 | 02/14/1988The Hormones
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
At the heart of the hypothalamus, Teacher shows us how this region sends out orders to satisfy all the body’s needs.
#24 | 02/21/1988The Chain Of Life
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
A walk in the forest is the perfect way to learn about the extraordinary food chain that exists between the sun, vegetation, animals, and man.
#25 | 02/28/1988Repairs and Changes
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
Pedrito is 8 years old and is tired after a long day. When he goes to bed, Teacher and his helpers observe the activity that continues during sleep.
#26 | 03/13/1988And life goes on...
5.0/5 (with 1 vote)
Pedrito wants to know why his grandpa can’t play ball anymore, so he tells Pedrito an old story about a sphinx.

Additional Information

Official websites:
Production countries: Belgium, France
Made by: Eiken
Original language: French (FR)
Spoken languages: French (FR)
Translated into 22 languages: Arabic (AR), Czech (CS), German (DE), Greek (EL), English (EN), Spanish (ES), Finnish (FI), French (FR), Hebrew (HE), Hungarian (HU), Italian (IT), Japanese (JA), Dutch (NL), Norwegian (NO), Polish (PL), Portuguese (PT), Romanian (RO), Russian (RU), Slovak (SK), Swedish (SV), Thai (TH), Chinese (Mandarin) (ZH)
Status: Ended
First episode released on: 09/13/1987
Last episode released on: 03/13/1988
Director: Albert Barillé
Composer: Michel Legrand
Alternative titles in other countries (from previews, ads etc.):
"كان يا ما كان الحياة"
"Érase una vez... el cuerpo humano"
"Era Uma Vez... O Corpo Humano"
"人體大奇航"
"Byl jednou jeden život"
"Es war einmal... das Leben"
"Érase una vez... La vida"
"Olipa kerran elämä"
"Egyszer volt… az élet"
"החיים"
"היה היה - החיים"
"היה היה החיים"
"Esplorando il corpo umano"
"Siamo fatti così"
"生命の科学ミクロパトロール"
"Det var en gang – livet"
"Było Sobie Życie"
"Era Uma Vez... a Vida"
"Povestea vieții"
"Жила-была жизнь"
"En cell-sam historia"
"Bir Varmış Bir Yokmuş... İnsan Vücudu"
Keywords: human body

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WatchPlayStream ID: SHOWS:3152, Added: 05/12/2018, Last updated: 04/09/2024