Film Review

Wallace and Gromit:
The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Distributor: United International Pictures (2005) Animator: Nick Park
 

Review by Jenni van Wageningen

Many of us will be familiar with the appealing characters of Wallace and Gromit and their zany adventures in a number of unforgettable short productions. They first appeared in A grand day out (1989) which received an Academy Award nomination. This was followed by Oscars in 1993 and 1995 for The wrong trousers and A close shave. The curse of the were-rabbit is creator Nick Park’s first full-length feature film with his two lovable heroes.

Wallace is enthusiastic and not overly bright, the inventor of many far-fetched contraptions. His long-suffering and resourceful dog Gromit is the brains behind the scenes and the one who mops up after every mess Wallace creates. Even though Gromit never utters a word, his facial expressions make everything clear.

The story centres on preparations for a giant vegetable competition. Our heroes have set up a security service called Anti-Pesto to protect the neighbourhood greenhouses and gardens from marauding nocturnal rabbits. When bunnies show their noses they are whisked away and confined in Wallace’s cellar.

The air-headed lady of the manor is concerned that her grounds are overrun by rabbits. However, she prefers the humane solution of the Anti-Pesto service rather than the shotgun approach of the arrogant Victor Quartermaine who is vying for her affections.

Wallace realises that he cannot afford to keep feeding all the rabbits he has captured, so he embarks on groundbreaking experiments with a brainwashing machine (Mind-O-Matic) to encourage his fluffy captives to dislike vegetables.

Everything is humming along nicely until a disaster of literally gigantic proportions strikes. Our heroes cannot cope with the resulting rampage and destruction, and the mood of the townsfolk turns ugly. Wallace and Gromit discover they are dealing with a ‘were-rabbit’ and are desperate to track it down before Victor takes aim.

The movie is packed with quick-witted British humour, too much to appreciate in just one viewing. Some of it, I might add, veers towards the bawdy, but without becoming crass. Puns fly thick and fast, and are also to be seen in many of the signs and labels.

It is also a clever send-up of monster movies, with shades of King Kong, Frankenstein, Jekyll and Hyde and The curse of the Werewolf. If you are not familiar with this genre and its motifs, an extra dimension of many scenes will be lost.

We marvel at the digital technology skills in movies today. Yet claymation or clay animation is equally remarkable. The plasticine of each character is adjusted ever so slightly twenty four times for each second of filming, a technique which demands patience, imagination and foresight. This hands-on and ‘crafty’ approach with its loving attention to detail has an appeal all of its own. It is also such a contrast to the usual sterile perfection of digitised characters.

There is something quite captivating about the northern English setting and accents. It reminds us of a time when community and commitment counted and even though bad things happened, everyone got along and played a role in restoring and maintaining harmony and good order. We see this kind of ‘old worlde’ nostalgia in British TV series such as Born and Bred, currently showing on ABC TV.

Although there are a few occasions when there are hints of the more serious themes found in monster movies, I believe it would be stretching matters to even mention them. This movie is such a good romp that it will delight and entertain anyone with a sense of the ridiculous.

Note: I had some difficulty in choosing an appropriate movie for this month’s review. The current offerings are rather mediocre, and I do usually aim to discuss movies that discerning viewers may wish to see, whether in the cinema or on VHS/DVD. I try to select one from the ‘mainstream’ rather than from among ‘art house’ productions.
 

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