The Sandman is a 2000 animated short film made by the Brothers Quay.

The Sandman is a 1991 stop-motion animation film, animated and directed by Paul Berry and nominated for an “Oscar” for Best Animated Short Film in 1992. The storyline is inspired by E. T. A. Hoffmann's 1816 short story “Der Sandmann”.

On a dark night, as the clock strikes eight, a mother sends her child upstairs to bed with only a candle for light. The child is wary, then frightened. The child hears something climbing the stairs. We see a birdlike man, his head like a crescent moon, stealthily then noisily approach the child's room. Mother appears to kiss the child good night. Has the sandman been a figment of the child's imagination? Then, he appears in the child's room and, as the child sleeps, leans over and takes something, leaps to the window, throws open the sash, and flies to a nest where two hungry fledglings cry. What has the sandman brought them? Written by

A tragic tale in three parts

"The Sandman" is a stark visual exploration of an uncanny world. Based on the classic 19th century tale by German writer/composer E.T.A. Hoffmann, the film investigates the tale's themes of obsession and madness, emphasizing expressionist imagery and theatrical style. The story relates the life of the young student Nathanael, whose childhood memories are haunted by a sinister old man. As a child, Nathanael believed this dark figure to be the mythic Sandman, who puts children to sleep by stealing their eyes. When confronted by this same evil presence as an adult, he is pushed toward madness as he tries to confront his childhood fears. Meanwhile, Nathanael finds distraction in a beautiful and glassy-eyed woman named Olympia who he spies on from his window. After dancing with her at a wild party he begins courting her, but his happiness is ill-fated. Nathanael discovers that Olympia is an automaton - a machine made of wood and clockwork - with her glassy eyes created by the terrible Sandman. Written by Anonymous

When Fantasyworld veteran, Early Knapp, decides to retire because the kids of the World no longer believe in him or the need for sleep, Fantasyworld's middle-management fairy-official in charge of Non-Human Resources, Marigold Pixietwiddle, gets involved. Together they go out in to the "field" to investigate a child who can actually see Knapp. Once there, the child, Tina Golden, manages to steal their magic, freeing the World's children from nightly sleep, jeopardizing the existence of Fantasyworld and generally unleashing a slapsticky Mayhem on the duo. In the end, both Knapp and the children learn valuable lessons about doing the right thing and the necessity for kids to go to sleep. Written by Anonymous

Gary is a trailer park romance novelist who can't seem to sleep at night. He also thinks that he saw a monster assaulting his girlfriend while she was sleeping. People is his trailer park begin to die in their sleep. Soon, Gary's friends begin to think that he has gone crazy with all his ranting and raving and that all he needs is a good night's sleep. Gary is afraid to sleep... Written by Josh Pasnak