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Back Shelf Beauties
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Wallace and Gromit: After popular British short films like The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave, Wallace and Gromit finally have their own feature length movie to show the entire world how hilarious creator Nick Park can make them. If you're looking for a great movie for adults and kids, you got your wish. In this claymation spectacular, mild-mannered cheese lover Wallace (voice by Peter Sallis) and his trusty dog, Gromit (who is much smarter than him, but does not speak), have started a pest control business specializing in protecting their neighbors' gardens from rabbits, who threaten each villager's prized entry into the town's Giant Vegetable Festival and contest. Since this business is a humane pest control operation, Wallace and Gromit are facing a bit of a storage problem as they are running out of cages to keep the rabbits they have captured. Of course, Wallace, who fancies himself an inventor of sorts, comes up with an idea. Instead of trying to find more and more space to keep the rabbits away from vegetable gardens, maybe he should rehabilitate the rabbits into thinking they don't want vegetables. Under the light of a full moon (you know that's a bad idea), Wallace hooks up his rabbit brainwashing device, but it goes awry, and he accidentally creates a monster, The Were-Rabbit! Can Wallace and Gromit capture the Were-Rabbit before it destroys the festival? Will Wallace be able to win the heart of Lady Tottington (voice by Helena Bonham Carter)? Wallace and Gromit are two of the most lovably goofy characters in movie history with amazing chemistry, and appeal to all ages, which is quite shocking for two lumps of clay (Jessica "Bikini" Alba wishes I would say something like that about her. She just acts like a lump of clay). Of course, it speaks to the pure genius of creator, co-writer, co-director Nick Park, who has crafted a wild, silly adventure which is part goofball comedy, and part horror movie parody. He wonderfully alludes to great moments from classic horror movies like Frankenstein and King Kong, and recreates typical fright film scenes like dramatic action occurring in the rain (complete with lightening) or characters backing into the darkness as terror is about to strike, but does it all with stop motion, claymation, which is a huge challenge. Yes, we have seen these clichés before and even seen parodies of it all before, but it takes amazing skill and patience to film such scenes with these tools as the director and team must essentially take a photo of each frame of the film, then string it together so it moves fluidly and believably. This is best evident while watching Gromit - the character who is dependent on facial reactions and physical movements to express his dismay, fear, frustration, and anger. Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is one of the technically best films in this style you will ever see as each character comes to life with various human behavior, movement and traits. Much of this is due to the fantastic work of the animation team, but the actors have something to do with it, too. Sallis gives Wallace his heart and soul with a playful, Mr. Rogers-type voice that reveals the character's wholesomeness and good nature in the face of nuttiness, while Ralph Fiennes steps in to create an anti-Wallace villain, Victor Quartermaine, who competes for Lady Tottington's affections and attempts to capture the Were-Rabbit in the less humane manner. Fiennes practically chews the scenery in the over-the-top character, but it fits well with this outrageous tale. Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit has some adult humor and double-entendres that will fly over kids' heads, but it mostly has hilarious, clean humor the entire family can enjoy. 4 Waffles (Out Of 4) Copyright 2005 - WaffleMovies.com
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