Wallace & Gromit

Wallace & Gromit

We will never look at clay animation the same. In the 1990s Nick Park was wowing the world with his animated short films, mostly starring the loveable duo of Wallace and Gromit (3 of the 4, the 4th focuses on animals in a zoo, called "Creature Comforts" and has since become a televsion show for the BBC).
After the success of these shorts, Park and Aardman Animations released two feature films with clay characters: Chicken Run and the Oscar winning "Wallace and Gromit in the Curse of the Were Rabbit." Below are my reviews for the 3 (soon to be 4) animated short films about Wallace and Gromit.

Wallace & Gromit: A Grand Day Out (1989)

"Everybody knows the moon is made of cheese..."

The first of many adventures of inventor Wallace (Sallis) and his intelligent, but silent dog Gromit. When they run out of cheese, Wallace suggests they go to the moon to get some more. So they build a rocket and go.
The simplist of the triology of Wallace and Gromit short films, it is still funny. This was director Nick Parks graduation project (I wish mine had been half this good)!! Wow! The only film in the Wallace and Gromit triology to not win the Oscar for short animated film, it lost to another Nick Parks short, "Creature Comforts".

A Grand Day Out with Wallace and Gromit (1989) 23 minutes
Director: Nick Parks
Starring: Peter Sallis as Wallace


Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers

"Cracking toast Gromit!"

Wallace (Sallis) creates a pair of trousers to walk Gromit, and decides to treat Gromit like a dog, exiling him to an outdoor doghouse, while he takes on a boarder: a penguin. The penguin is the notorious Feathers, recently released from jail. So it's up to Gromit to stop Feathers and save Wallace, an unwilling accomplice in Feather's schemes.
Gromit rules! Seriously, how often do we (the audience) identify with a character that is silent? It is amazing the range of emotions the animators are able to convey...worth the hype (and the Oscar win for short film).

Wallace and Gromit in the Wrong Trousers (1993) 30 minutes
Director: Nick Park
Starring: Peter Sallis as Wallace


Wallace & Gromit: A Close Shave (1995)

Wallace (Sallis) and Gromit have started a window washing business. While Gromit works, Wallace falls for the owner of the local yarn store, Wendolene (Reid) in the midst of a yarn shortage. Meanwhile, a mischevious sheep, that Wallace names Shaun, moves in. Gromit is framed for cattle rustling, so it's up to Wallace and the sheep invading his home, to save the day and figure out who the real rustlers are.
Shaun is my favorite character (and apparently he now has his own television show "Shaun the Sheep")...and this is probably my favorite short (even though I love all three). Gromit knits various sweaters...the sheep eat all the cheese, and Wallace is hopelessly in love. The second Oscar win Wallace and Gromit for animated short film.

Wallace and Gromit in A Close Shave (1995) 30 minutes
Director: Nick Park
Starring: Peter Sallis as Wallace
Anne Reid as Wendolene Ramsbottom