Released in 1993, The Wrong Trousers is Nick Park’s and Aardman Studio’s second instalment after A Grand Day Out (1989). Like its predecessor it is made using clay and stop motion techniques, these filmmaking methods are notoriously arduous due to amount of ‘stops’ required to make even a short film with these techniques.
The film consists of only three characters. The titular Wallace & Gromit, Wallace is a middle aged, cheese loving inventor, Gromit is his anthropomorphic pet dog that can’t speak, but does use facial expressions to great effect, and finally Feathers McGraw, a criminal penguin who serves as the antagonist for the film.
Beginning on the morning of Gromit’s birthday we see one of Wallace’s ludicrous inventions at work as his bed rises vertically off the ground at the same time a trapdoor opens up on his bedroom floor, and he falls through into his kitchen and sat upon a chair at the table. Then, after being dressed by mechanical arms his toast (after shooting up out of the toaster) is splattered with jam that has been propelled across the room by another nifty looking gadget. I have to agree with Wallace when he says “well, that went as well as could be expected didn’t it”.
Shortly after, the villain of the story makes his entrance. Apparently to Wallace it is completely normal for a penguin to sublet your upstairs bedroom, as he shows no shock at this revelation. Similarly to Gromit he does not speak. Rather he menacingly observes all that goes in the house.
Feathers McGraw has been described by some to be one of the greatest kids’ TV villains of all time.
It’s Wallace’s gift for Gromit’s birthday that function as one of the main plot devices for the film…a pair of ex ‘NASA’ mechanically controlled techno trousers. Once Feathers McGraw has acclimatised himself to the house and commandeered Gromit’s bedroom, he puts his plans in motion to steal a humongous diamond from the local museum. After forcing Wallace into the trousers, he is then under the control of McGraw and is forced to carry out the heist, which includes a set piece involving red lasers similar to Oceans 12 (2004) and Entrapment (1999).
The cinematography produced by Tristian Oliver and Dave Alex Riddett is one of my favourite aspects of the film. In particular a shot referencing the poster for The Exorcist (1973), and when Gromit is spying on McGraw in an alleyway as he takes measurements of the exterior of the museum for the heist. Concluding with the train chase sequence at the end of the film. Shot like a scene from an old western style but also took inspiration from an old Tom and Jerry cartoon. It beggars’ belief how they achieved motion blur in a stop motion film, was the background made to look blurry? However they achieved the look, it is simply genius.
Their genius would be rewarded in 1994 when they won the Academy Award for best animated short film.
An award they had won before in 1989 with Creature Comforts and would go on to win again just two after with A Close Shave (1996). The film was of course appreciated at the time of its release, but it will remain popular for as long as we consume visual media, the film has established itself as a classic that will stand the test of time forever.
There is also something to be said about the voice acting performance of the late, great Peter Sallis. His voice is the only voice we hear throughout the entirety of the film, and it’s a difficult task to act alongside no-one except yourself. Wallace has become somewhat of a British icon, and his sayings and phrases have become a part of many people’s lexicon, such as: “Cheese, Gromit!” and “Cracking toast Gromit!”.
If by some miracle you have not yet seen this film or any other film in The Wallace and Gromit Universe, you must do yourself a favour and watch them, no matter your age or taste in films, there is something to enjoy here for everyone. So sit back, relax, put on some comfy clothes (preferably not ex NASA techno trousers!) and step into the world of Wallace and Gromit
