Film Review: WALLACE & GROMIT: A GRAND DAY OUT (1989)

A.K.A.: A GRAND DAY OUT WITH WALLACE AND GROMIT

Writer/Director: Nick Park
Running Time: 23 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): U

Genre: Animation/Short/Adventure
UK Release Date(s): 1989 (British Short Film Festival) & 24^th December 1990 (TV Premiere).

Watched on Sky+ Monday 9^th April 2012.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

I have seen this short film many times before and so I thought it was about time I gave my thoughts on it. It comes up regularly on TV here in the UK and so everyone here has plenty of opportunity to see it. I have loved it since I first saw it back in 1990. Here’s a very brief summary before I give you my thoughts.

Wallace and Gromit have run out of cheese and it’s a bank holiday. They have been planning their holidays and so decide to combine their need for cheese with a little day trip… to the moon! Of course, everybody knows the moon is made of cheese. Designing and building a spaceship is no problem to this duo and soon they’re on their way… I won’t say any more or the Spoiler Police (Moon Division) will be impounding my spaceship (again).

Although the Aardman animation (or ‘claymation’ if you prefer) has improved over the years, I still really love the look and feel of this short. The voice of Peter Sallis as Wallace is perfect… I couldn’t imagine anyone else voicing the part. I find the comic timing works to a tea and the storyline is both wacky and brilliant. There are very few things that make me laugh out loud, but there are several jokes in this film that still crack me up even 22 years later! Long may the BBC keep showing it! For me… VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

My Score: 9.5/10

IMDb Score: 7.8/10 (based on 12,962 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0104361/

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 100/100 (based on 19 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 36/100 ‘Want to See’ (based on 12,098 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/wallace_and_gromit_a_grand_day_out/

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http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
Wallace: No cheese, Gromit! Not a bit in the house!

Wallace: Gromit, that's it! Cheese! We'll go somewhere where there's cheese!
[Looks at "Cheese Holidays" magazine, then out window]
Wallace: Everybody knows the moon is made of cheese...

[Wallace and Gromit are on their spaceship, about to leave Earth]
Wallace: No crackers Gromit! We've forgotten the crackers!

[eating the moon]
Wallace: It's like no cheese I've ever tasted...

[a machine malfunctions]
Wallace: Well, what's wrong with this stupid...?
[it breaks down]
Wallace: [stunned slightly] Oh

LINKS:
(Note: All were working at the time of going to press)
Official Aardman Site: http://www.aardman.com/
Clip: