Wallace and Gromit

As you see this speech will be about Wallace and Gromit. At first I want to tell you something about Aardman Animations and Nick Park who created them and how Wallace&Gromit are made.. Then I want to introduce the characters of the three Wallace&Gromit films and I will give you a quick summary of the stories of the films. In the end I will show you a little excerpt from "The wrong trousers".

Aardman Animations was founded by David Sproxton and Peter Lord. They met at school and started to animate films in their spare time. Their first film was about a nerdish superman character called Aardman. This film was bought by the BBC. After this Aardman Animations was founded in 1972. Today Ardman Animations is recognised as the world's leading model animation studio. It houses the talents of many young directors producing animated television series, short films and TV commercials.

Nick Park is the creator of Wallace and Gromit. He was born in Preston, Lancashire in 1958. He became interested in animation while still at school and started making films in his parent's attic at the age of 13. Nick completed a BA degree in Communication Arts at Sheffield Art School in 1980 and in the same year went on to study animation at the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield. While at the film school Nick began work on A Grand Day Out . In February 1985 Nick joined Aardman Animations. While employed at Aardman Animations, Nick has worked  as Director and Animator on numerous projects, including pop promos, title sequences and inserts for children's television.

Wallace and Gromit are, as all the other characters form Aardman Animations, made out of plasticine. It takes a long time to make such films because you have to change the plasticine sculptor for every step. The newer films, for example the latest one "Chicken run"  also use computers but only very little.

Wallace lives in 62,West Wallaby Street. He is always dressed in the same way: Brown wool trousers, green knitted sweater and red tie. His favourite food is cheese, his favourite drink is a nice cup of tea or a drop of Bordeaux red for those special occasions. He likes to read the Cheese Monthly and Picnic Guide A-Z. His skill is inventing things but he isn't always successfully. He is a kindly nature, perhaps a little over-optimistic.

Gromit is the dog of Wallace he also lives in 62, West Wallaby Street (upstairs room and kennel - both decorated with bone wallpaper). His birthday is on 12^th of February. His favourite food are cornflakes and his favourite drink is a nice cup of tea with Wallace. His favourite music is Bach. His skills are knitting and reading the newspaper. Also handy with electronic equipment. He is very sensitive, intelligent and resourceful. He doesn't express himself in words but his body language speaks volumes.

The first of the three Wallace&Gromit films is called "A Grand day out". It was finished in 1989. The film won the BAFTA award for Best Short Animated Film in 1990 and was nominated for an Academy Award in the same year.

A cry of 'No cheese, Gromit!' is the clue for a series of surreal and hilarious adventures as our two plasticine heroes, Wallace and his dog Gromit blast off in their home-made rocket on the ultimate day-trip to the moon.

The second film is called "The wrong trousers". It was finished in 1993 and won a Oscar for the Best Short Animated Film from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in March 1994.

I want to tell you more about this film later because it's my favourite Wallace&Gromit film and I want to show you an excerpt from it in the end.

The third an until now the last film is "A close shape". It was finished in 1995 and won an Oscar in 1996.

Wallace and Gromit have started a new business to keep them in cheese and crackers: a Wash N' Go window cleaning service and love is in the air as Wallace falls for the owner of the local wool shop, the lovely Wendolene Ramsbottom.

"The wrong trousers" start with Gromit's birthday. He gets  Techno-Trousers, witch should go for a walk with him from Wallace. Later Wallace notices that they can't pay their bills. So he decides to let a room. A penguin rents it. He mobs Gromit and so Gromit leaves the house. The penguin manages to put Wallace into the Techno-Trousers and makes him walk around the city until Wallace is sleepy. Meanwhile Gromit recognises that the penguin is a thief called Feathers McGraw. The penguin steals with the help of the techno trouser a expensive diamond from a museum. But back at 62,West Wallaby Street Gromit is waiting for him and with some troubles he and Wallace are able to catch Feathers. Wallace receives an award in doing this and they have no problems with money anymore.

Now I want to show you the scene when Wallace and Gromit are trying to catch the thief Feathers.

Alexandra Fritz                                Nov. 21^st 2000

Aardman Animations: founded in 1972 by David Sproxton and Peter Lord

Nick Park: joined Aardman Animations in 1985; creator of Wallace&Gromit, Creature Comforts and Chicken Run

Wallace&Gromit: an Englishman with his dog; the figures are made out of plasticine

The Wallace and Gromit films are: "A Grand Day Out" (1989)

"The Wrong Trousers" (1993)

"A Close Shape" (1995)

Please answer the questions.

Where and when was Nick Park born?

How many Wallace&Gromit films are there?

What is the  name of the thief in "The Wrong Trousers"?

If you want to know more about Wallace&Gromit go to www.aardman.com; there you find lots of interesting stories and nice pictures of Wallace&Gromit and other Aardman characters.