Any Wallace & Gromit fans here? [Archive]

Aberration

10-21-2002, 01:10 AM

I did a quick forum search, and am surprised that nobody's responded to the news of new Wallace & Gromit short films! (although the initial news thread here (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=52305&highlight=gromit) has been viewed nearly 1000 times.

The first one, "The Soccamatic" was pretty cool, although seeing W & G in different clothes was a bit shocking at first. I'd really like to see the other 9 films, but I'm kinda mad that Region 2 can pre-order the DVD already, while we have to shell out $10 to AtomFilms to get the films in Windows Media Player format (I prefer Quicktime myself). I say no thanks, they've got to offer DVDs to us eventually, so why buy something twice?

Anyways, this'll be a good holdover until the W&G feature film comes out :cool:

Joe Tully

10-21-2002, 01:38 AM

Yeah, I like W&G. I checked out Soccamatic and it was good fun. :D But yeah, I'm not going to shell out $10 to watch it on my 56k when I expect it to be put out on DVD eventually here in the US.

Zoddman

10-21-2002, 02:40 AM

I love Wallace & Gromit! Been a big fan ever since I saw 'The Wrong Trousers' At Spike & Mike's animation Festival back in '92 (NOT the twisted one.) I do hope they'll get the new shorts out soon on U.S. television. If any of the U.K. fans have seen them yet, tell us what you think of 'em.

HellCat

10-21-2002, 09:09 AM

Can someone explain these shorts to me? I remember reading about a year ago about how they were going to be done something like one a week and each would show a new invention made by Wallace.

Zoddman

10-21-2002, 10:55 AM

Originally posted by Blight Man
Can someone explain these shorts to me? I remember reading about a year ago about how they were going to be done something like one a week and each would show a new invention made by Wallace. That's basically what they are. They're shorter than the half hour shorts done, these are about 5-10 minutes long. The first one was, as said by Abberation, was Soccamatic.

Cere

10-21-2002, 02:20 PM

Yes!! I love Wallace and Gromit!! I haven't seen the new shorts yet, but I will very soon.

Joe Tully

10-21-2002, 02:51 PM

Check out http://www.aardman.com/wallaceandgromit/home.asp and choose your country if you're looking for more info. It's got the first episode, the press release, trailer, online newsletter subscription, etc. Most of them are about 2 minutes long according to this link (http://atomfilms.shockwave.com/af/spotlights/wallacegromit/moreinfo.htm) which gives the exact running time of each.

J.C.

10-21-2002, 03:55 PM

I'm not just a Wallace and Gromit fan, but also a fan of Nick Parks stuff in general. Creature Comforts was my first exposure to his work, although I forget how it was that I first saw the short. So, yeah, I'm really glad that they've made new shorts of W&G.

Lonestarr

10-21-2002, 07:43 PM

I love the three Wallace and Gromit shorts, but my favorite has to be "The Wrong Trousers". The writing, the music and the climax on the model train set - just perfect.

Danielle

10-21-2002, 08:34 PM

{jumps up and down} I do! I do! I---oh. :o Yes, I like Wallace and Gromit, but I'm not a major major MAJOR fan. I'd consider myself a mere fan. :D

Daniel P

10-21-2002, 08:56 PM

I am a major fan.

I must say that "The Soccomatic" didn't meet my standards. It was good generally, but it didn't have that feel to it. Am I by myself here? Maybe when you haven't done anything new in five years you're a little bit rusty.

I loved "Chicken Run". That was one of the best movies in 2000.

adultswimfan

10-21-2002, 08:58 PM

I love Wallace and Gromit and Chicken Run.

Gary L Thompson

10-21-2002, 10:23 PM

Count me as one, though I suspect I won't get to see the new shorts until they come to TV here (after seeing a special on "The Wrong Trousers" on PBS years back, I never saw it again until CN showed all three of the shows on its Saturday night movie).

My favorite W & G adventure was the one in which they traveled to the moon to get cheese for their crackers.

Sharklady

10-21-2002, 11:00 PM

> My favorite W & G adventure was the one in which they traveled to the moon to get cheese for their crackers. <

That was 'A Grand Day Out', W&G's debut feature.

I, too, am an appreciative viewer of Nick Park's work. Though I have to admit; much as I enjoy the Dog and Inventor, I like 'Chicken Run' even more. A feathered version of 'The Great Escape', so many pop-culture refs I find new ones with each viewing, and that singularly hilarious line:

"Me whole life just flashed before me eyes... it was really boring!"

TimTwoFace

10-22-2002, 01:34 AM

The only thing I've seen close to Wallace and Grommit was CHICKEN RUN, as I know it's done by the same guy. Where can I get these episodes and shorts on tape? I've heard they're great, and I've never seen them sold here before - only online. :(

-Tim

Aberration

10-22-2002, 01:54 AM

For those who prefer Quicktime over Windows Media Player, you can go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/entertainment/02/wallace_and_gromit/front_page/html/default.stm

In addition, they have some great making-of featurettes and an interview with creator Nick Park.

Lucky Bob

10-22-2002, 04:58 AM

Everybody loves Wallace and Gromit! Just wish they had given it as much hype as Chicken Run. (Although I loved that movie too.)

hello_lola

10-22-2002, 12:38 PM

A Grand Day Out was my favorite W&G feature. I loved the ending :p !

Lucky Bob

10-22-2002, 03:06 PM

Originally posted by hello_lola
A Grand Day Out was my favorite W&G feature. I loved the ending :p !

I'll sum up the whole ending in one quote, which happens to be my favorite one from that exceptional short:

What's wrong with Wendslydale? :D

Nadine

10-24-2002, 03:17 PM

I'm a W&G fan... I'll have to check out the new stuff, though I doubt they'll be up to par with the older films (I don't know if they could be, given the likely time and budget constraints). I will probably wait for the DVD instead of looking online, just because of the quality issues. I'm really looking forward to the feature, though.

My favorite cartoon would have to be 'The Wrong Trousers'; the style and suspense is great :)

Bob, wasn't that quote from 'A Close Shave', not 'A Grand Day Out'? I might be wrong, but that's what I remember.

Random question: Does anyone know whether these shorts were produced at least in part to prepare the large number of animators for the movie? I'm guessing that was a consideration, but you can never know.

Aberration

10-25-2002, 11:06 PM

Random question: Does anyone know whether these shorts were produced at least in part to prepare the large number of animators for the movie? I'm guessing that was a consideration, but you can never know.

Nadine, you're EXACTLY right on this one! Scroll up to my previous post in this topic and click on the link to the BBC's site. Poke around a bit, and you'll find an interview with Nick Park explaining this. He describes W&G as having a rougher, less refined style than "Chicken Run" had, and so had his closest friends/colleagues direct the animators in this style to prepare for the planned film, "The Great Vegetable Plot".

By a similar reasoning, you might say these shorts also serve to bring W&G back into the public eye to prepare THEM for the film as well, considering there hasn't been much new Wallace & Gromit for.... 5 years?

guinaevere

10-26-2002, 12:43 AM

I, like J.C., also love Creature Comforts ("we need more space!"). A few of Parks' other animations were just so bizarre, you had to respect them... I can't recall the title of the handbag one... but it was fantastic.

Lonestarr said:
I love the three Wallace and Gromit shorts, but my favorite has to be "The Wrong Trousers". The writing, the music and the climax on the model train set - just perfect.
I'm going to take that a bit further... I don't often say this of anything, but the entire episode was brilliant, nothing less than brilliant.

And oh yes, I'm a wallace and gromit fan. I've even got a wallace stopper in my bathtub, chuck. :D

Nadine

10-26-2002, 02:21 AM

I think the title was 'Not Without My Handbag', though I'm not 100% positive.

'Creature Comforts' is fun... you can't help but remember the Brazillian leopard, and the deadpan delivery of some of the other animals is great.

By a similar reasoning, you might say these shorts also serve to bring W&G back into the public eye to prepare THEM for the film as well, considering there hasn't been much new Wallace & Gromit for.... 5 years?

Hm... that makes some sense; since they haven't appeared in a new short for a while, it's probably smart to make sure the public doesn't get bored.

::Runs off to read the interview::

StrangerAtaru

10-26-2002, 12:49 PM

Do I like Wallace and Gromit? (looks at his DVD with all three original shorts) Guess so! I don't know when I first saw it, but I do remember when Fox Kids aired "A Grand Day Out", then about a year or two later I saw "The Wrong Trousers" and "A Close Shave" on PBS! I think I saw "Creature Comforts" before on Nick once, but don't remember it too well. And I have also seen the new short and "Chicken Run", of course. (Favorite line from that film: "Why, he's from the land of the free and the home of the brave." "SCOTLAND!")