Wallace & Gromit

ichabod · Post by **ichabod** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:08 am

Blaze destroys Wallace and Gromit's history
Associated Press

BRISTOL, England — A day of celebration has turned to ashes for Aardman Animations, the English studio that created animated clay movie stars Wallace and Gromit.

Aardman said an early morning fire on Monday gutted its warehouse in this western English city, destroying a priceless archive of props, sets and models.

Aardman had just learned that "The Curse of the Were-Rabbit," the first full-length adventure for the eccentric inventor and his indomitable dog, had topped the U.S. box office on its opening weekend.

"Today was supposed to be a day of celebration, with the news that Wallace and Gromit had gone in at number one at the U.S. box office, but instead our whole history has been wiped out," said Aardman spokesman Arthur Sheriff. "It's turned out to be a terrible day."

The Avon Fire and Rescue service said the roof and three interior walls of the Victorian warehouse collapsed in the blaze, which broke out at about 5:30 a.m. (0430 GMT). The cause of the fire was being investigated.

Sheriff said the warehouse contained sets, props and models from all the company's past productions, from the children's cartoon character "Morph" through the Oscar-winning, anthropomorphic "Creature Comforts" series to the Wallace and Gromit films.

Aardman said the sets and props from "Curse of the Were-Rabbit" were not caught in the blaze.

Wallace and Gromit's creator, Nick Park, said the earthquake in South Asia helped put the loss into perspective.

"Even though it is a precious and nostalgic collection and valuable to the company, in light of other tragedies, today isn't a big deal," he said.

Founded in 1972, Aardman is closely associated with animator Park, who joined in 1986, fresh out of film school.

Park used stop-motion clay animation to create cheese-loving inventor Wallace and his mute but resourceful dog Gromit. They starred in three shorts — "A Grand Day Out" (1989), "The Wrong Trousers" (1993) and "A Close Shave" (1995). The latter two won Academy Awards.

Park and Aardman's Peter Lord also directed the 2000 feature "Chicken Run," which spoofed the World War II prison-camp classic "The Great Escape" with a cast of clay poultry.

"Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" opened in the United States on Friday and took US$16.1 million (€13.3 million) at the box office over the weekend. It opens in Britain Oct. 14.

JiminyCrick91 · Post by **JiminyCrick91** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 9:42 am

Oh my. That is really too bad. how did it (the fire) start? Also were where the W&G:COTWR sets and props if they wrent with the other stuff?

punkoala · Post by **punkoala** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 10:40 am

JiminyCrick91 wrote:Oh my. That is really too bad. how did it (the fire) start? Also were where the W&G:COTWR sets and props if they wrent with the other stuff?

They are on exhibition at a museum in Aardman's home town of Bristol
http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/exh_gfx_en/ART30858.html

Sadly the props from the original W&G short films were in the fire having recently returned from an exhibition in Japan.

Nick's 3 Oscars and the rocket from Grand Day Out are safe in his possession.

The negatives for the films weren't in the fire though the negative for the short Aardman cartoon that gave the studio their name was.

Though as Nick pointed out in the scheme of things it's sad but not a tragedy.

And let's face it most films have their props destroyed after production anyway.

Prince Eric · Post by **Prince Eric** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 11:05 am

Not to be funny or sarcastic, but this will work wonders for Nick's Oscar campaign in the form of lots of sympathy votes. Oh, well, he deserves it either way.

2099net · Post by **2099net** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 11:35 am

JiminyCrick91 wrote:Oh my. That is really too bad. how did it (the fire) start? Also were where the W&G:COTWR sets and props if they wrent with the other stuff?

The BBC evening news has just said that there have been smaller arson attempts and blazes in the surrounding area. It sounds like it was done on purpose. (I'm sure the arsonists didn't know or care what they were setting fire to)

Timon/Pumbaa fan · Post by **Timon/Pumbaa fan** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 3:17 pm

That's a bit sad, to know all the props from the original W&G shorts and Chicken Run are gone. But as long as the Oscars, the negatives for their films(aside from that Aardman cartoon) and the props from Curse of the Were Rabbit are all safe, it's not too terrible.

As for the movie, I saw it yesterday! LOVED IT! Easily the funniest film of the year!(even thought that's not saying much considering all the crappy comedies made this year). But still Aardman makes another classic(I still refuse to call this film a Dreamworks film since it clearly blows everything else they've done). Was it as good as Chicken Run. Not sure. Both were really great so I can't decide.

I loved all the adult jokes that the kids wouldn't get, but it's still an awesome time for kids! I don't think I've laughed this hard at an animated film since Monster's Inc. I also loved that Wallace-like rabbit!

Overall "Curse of the Were-Rabbit" is a great start to Wallace and Gromit's movie carrier that easily gets in my top 10 favorite animated movies of all time. Not only will everyone love it, but it definately deserves that Oscar for Best Animated Movie of 2005!

9/10

P.S. The penguin short at the beginning is hilarious. I never saw Madagascar, so I wasn't sure how this was going to be, but I ended up laughing! In fact I'm interesting in seeing Madagascar now because of this short. So if you do see Wallace and Gromit, don't show up late, or otherwise, you'll miss half the fun!

Roger Rabbit · Post by **Roger Rabbit** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:11 pm

I'm making plans to go see it sometime this week.

P.S. hearing that there's a Watership Down reference in there too.

I'll probably be the only one in the theater to catch that one. LOL

yankees · Post by **yankees** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 5:32 pm

I plan to be seeing Wallace and Gromit tonite since im off tomower so i mite give a review on it around 11ish

Anders M Olsson · Post by **Anders M Olsson** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 1:00 am

Which DVD to get?

Region 1:
"Wallace & Gromit in Three Amazing Adventures"
or
Region 2:
"Wallace And Gromit - 3 Cracking Adventures"

The region 1 DVD has all the Cracking Contraptions shorts. Are they on the region 2 DVD as well?

The following bad news is quoted from an amazon.com customer review by J. Lee, and it applies to the region 1 DVD:

The Wrong Trousers has been altered, and that's what really bugs me. I think it has something to do with copyright laws, but several music tracks have been replaced with terrible-sounding substitutes. Gromit's birthday card plays a very non-birthday-card-sounding version of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" instead of "Happy Birthday To You". When the Penguin is listening to the radio, the songs "Happy Talk" and "How Much Is That Doggy In The Window" have been replaced with terrible, generic organ music that completely takes away the mood of the scenes. Consequently, the sound of Wallace humming "How Much Is That Doggy In The Window" the next morning has also been removed.

Do those alterations apply to the region 2-edition as well?

2099net · Post by **2099net** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 3:04 am

Anders M Olsson wrote:Which DVD to get?

Region 1:
"Wallace & Gromit in Three Amazing Adventures"
or
Region 2:
"Wallace And Gromit - 3 Cracking Adventures"

The region 1 DVD has all the Cracking Contraptions shorts. Are they on the region 2 DVD as well?

No, the R2 doesn't. These were released by Aardman as a seperate DVD at the time, only available through the Aardman web-store. Aardman's DVD seems to be OOP now, but it had the shorts in anamorphic widescreen.

However, the new UK disc has the commentaries from the previous Warner/BBC R1 released. The commentaries are missing from the new Dreamworks release.

The following bad news is quoted from an amazon.com customer review by J. Lee, and it applies to the region 1 DVD:
The Wrong Trousers has been altered, and that's what really bugs me. I think it has something to do with copyright laws, but several music tracks have been replaced with terrible-sounding substitutes. Gromit's birthday card plays a very non-birthday-card-sounding version of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" instead of "Happy Birthday To You". When the Penguin is listening to the radio, the songs "Happy Talk" and "How Much Is That Doggy In The Window" have been replaced with terrible, generic organ music that completely takes away the mood of the scenes. Consequently, the sound of Wallace humming "How Much Is That Doggy In The Window" the next morning has also been removed.
Do those alterations apply to the region 2-edition as well?

I don't know if they are missing from the new R2 release (I've not seen it) but I understand the old R2 release was unaltered. The previous R1 Warner/BBC disc is altered too.

However, I disagree with that remark. The "He's A Jolly Good Fellow" sounds like a card to me, and it doesn't really spoil anything. You know he's opened a birthday card, so why does it matter.

As for the organ music, again the point is that the music is annoying. This aspect of the narrative is retained.

If you are after the UK release, make sure you get the new release.

- Introduction by Nick Park.
- The Amazing World of Wallace & Gromit.
- DVD commentaries on all 3 films by Nick Park & his creative team.
- Over 30 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage.
- Wallace & Gromit Scrapbook with blueprints of their inventions and photo gallery.

ichabod · Post by **ichabod** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 3:13 am

Anders M Olsson wrote:The following bad news is quoted from an amazon.com customer review by J. Lee, and it applies to the region 1 DVD:
The Wrong Trousers has been altered, and that's what really bugs me. I think it has something to do with copyright laws, but several music tracks have been replaced with terrible-sounding substitutes. Gromit's birthday card plays a very non-birthday-card-sounding version of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" instead of "Happy Birthday To You". When the Penguin is listening to the radio, the songs "Happy Talk" and "How Much Is That Doggy In The Window" have been replaced with terrible, generic organ music that completely takes away the mood of the scenes. Consequently, the sound of Wallace humming "How Much Is That Doggy In The Window" the next morning has also been removed.
Do those alterations apply to the region 2-edition as well?

Well I don't know about the new disc, but the older UK disc also had those edits too. The Wrong Trousers was not reclassified by the BBFC for the new release (which it woulf need to be if changes to the content had been made) so I would assume the new edition also has those songs missing.

JiminyCrick91 · Post by **JiminyCrick91** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 7:28 pm

Were-Rabbit DVD news!
http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releases/ ... abbit.html

JiminyCrick91 · Post by **JiminyCrick91** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 10:39 pm

Well this is WAS what the cover art was like
http://www.dvdtoons.com/news/881
and now this is what we get in a revised version
http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releases/ ... abbit.html
I do think the frist verson was MUCH better but oh well.

JiminyCrick91 · Post by **JiminyCrick91** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 9:24 am

It looks like they have changed the cover another time.

Enchantress · Post by **Enchantress** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 11:38 am

I prefer the original design, it just looks fuller, but not crowded. Where as the new design looks kinda' empty

.

castleinthesky · Post by **castleinthesky** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 11:50 am

I like the new version.

The old version looked to bland to me.

JiminyCrick91 · Post by **JiminyCrick91** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 11:56 am

What I find odd is that they had the "revised art" with rabbits and garden before the "original art" with just W&G and now are switiching back and not saying that the "original art" was the revised art and the "revised art" is what was.
WOW I'm I confusing anybody else?

2099net · Post by **2099net** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 3:26 pm

Well, DVD Review has the details on the UK disc due on Feb 20th. And it seems to be substantially different (and better) than the US release:

* Commentary from Steve Box and Nick Park
* Deleted Scenes
* 'Brilliant Blunders'
* Full-Length documentary - Before they Were Clay about the history of Wallace and Gromit as well as the day to day runnings of Aardman studios.
* New Victor Quartermaine Short - Guide to Cool

ichabod · Post by **ichabod** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 3:05 am

2099net wrote:And it seems to be substantially different (and better) than the US release:

I'm experiencing unchartered levels of glee!

2099net · Post by **2099net** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 10:49 am

Sendit.Com confirms the UK is getting a 2 disc set

http://www.sendit.com/video/item/7100000021695

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