The Wrong Trousers
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The Wrong Trousers is a 1993 animated film directed by Nick Park at Aardman Animations in Bristol, featuring his characters Wallace and Gromit. It was his second half-hour short featuring the eccentric inventor Wallace and his quiet but smart dog Gromit, following 1989's A Grand Day Out and preceding 1995's A Close Shave. The film premiered in the UK on 26 December 1993. It won the 1993 Academy Award for Animated Short Film.
Summary
A lodger comes to stay with Wallace, pushing Gromit out of his room and winning Wallace's favour. The penguin turns out to be a ruthless criminal named Feathers McGraw (whom the authorities believe to be a rooster due to his cunning disguise of wearing a red rubber glove on his head), and plans to use Wallace's latest invention to steal a giant diamond. The Techno Trousers, a mechanical device designed to alleviate the burden of walking dogs, are hijacked for the purpose while Wallace is still wearing them.
As before, the 30 minutes are packed with sight gags and exaggerated physical comedy, as well as a few subtle film parodies. Voice acting is again the sole duty of Peter Sallis (the voice of Wallace), as both Gromit and Feathers remain silent.
Trivia
Wrong Trousers Day
The film has inspired an annual charity fundrasing event in which workers and a school children wear gaudy, mismatched trousers for the day. The event is popular in the Bristol area, the home of Aardman Animations. [link]
In-jokes, references and puns
Here are a few subtle jokes from the film.
- One of the characters from Aardman Animation's Creature Comforts can be seen in the museum.
- When trying to get Gromit out of the house, the penguin plays music very loudly, including "(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?" and "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree", the latter a hint of previous jail time. (However, see alternate versions of music note below).
- Wallace's spare money is kept in a piggy bank, stored in a safe, which is stereotypically hidden behind a painting on the wall. The trouble with this 'hidden' wealth, however, is that the painting is of a piggy bank.
- The Morning Post Gromit is reading at the start of the film has as its main headline, "Moon Cheese prices soar!", an obvious reference to A Grand Day Out.
- As Gromit watches television whilst eating breakfast, the Open University fanfare and a continuity announcement can be heard. However, the fanfare had not been used for two years by the time this film was released. Additionally, the fanfare was changed to a generic trumpet piece for the DVD release.
- On the penguin's blueprint of the museum, "The Long Room" denotes the long room through which the Techno-trousers and Wallace must walk on the ceiling on their way to the diamond. "The Long Room" at Lord's is also a shrine in cricket circles.
- When Gromit is spying on the penguin he hides in a box on the front it reads Meatabix, a pun on the breakfast cereal Weetabix.
- In the museum, a mask resembling Alfred Hitchcock can be seen. Many see The Wrong Trousers as a tribute to this master filmmaker, and the scene where Feathers McGraw is shown upstairs seems eerily reminisant of Hitchcock's own early masterpiece entitled The Lodger.
- Also in the museum, there can be seen a statue of Wallace and a lover in an embrace resembling Rodin's The Kiss.
- At the start of the movie, three orange rockets are painted on the wall. These resemble the rocket built in A Grand Day Out. Also, when Feathers McGraw (The penguin) locks Wallace in the wardrobe, if you look to the side of it you'll see a toy of the orange rocket.
Quotes from Wallace
"Any post, was there, perchance?""They're all bills. Oh dear, Oh dear me. We shall have to economise Gromit. I'll have to let that room out."
"Just look at that. I'm down to my last few coppers. And those presents weren't cheap either!"
"Well, Gromit, let's see what's on the nine-oh-five, shall we?"
"I think you'll find this present a valuable addition to our modern lifestyle. They're Techno-trousers, ex-NASA, fantastic for walkies."
"Ahh, It's no use prevaricating about the bush."
"I suppose you like kippers, do you? Partial to bit of black pudding myself — with bacon, of course."
"No more lodgers — more trouble than they're worth! I could just fancy some cheese, Gromit. What do you say? Cheddar?... All's well that ends well, that's what I say. Uhmm... I do like a bit of gorgonzola..."
Quotes from Gromit
Gromit has no mouth and doesn't speak. He can eat cornflakes, however.Alternate versions of music
In the original BBC version of the film, Gromit's birthday card plays "Happy Birthday to You", which is associated with birthdays in Britain. When the film was released on BBC DVD in 2000, this was replaced with "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" for copyright reasons. Also removed for the DVD (again for reasons of copyright) are certain specific tunes from the penguin's radio, replaced with generic organ music. Amongst those pieces removed are (How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window? - along with Wallace's singing of it the subsequent morning - and Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ole Oak Tree. In the latest DVD release, however, the original soundtrack can be heard in the background of the commentary track.
Credits
- Animation: Nick Park, Steve Box
- Additional Animation: Peter Lord, Tom Gasek, Peter Thornton, Arril Johnson
- Art Director: Yvonne Fox
- Assistant Art Directors: Ian Whitlock (props), Phil Lewis (sets)
- Scenic Artist: Tom Farrington
- Sets: Cod Steaks
- Characters & Props: Geoff Bevins, Trisha Budd, John Parsons, Janet Sanger, John Wright
- Graphic Design: Richard Higgs
- Optical Effects Supervisor: Peter Wignall
- Optical Effects: Craig Chandler
- Production Assistant: Jason Marshall
- Sound Effects Recording: Bill Morgan
- Dialogue Dubbing Editor: Harvey Lilley
- Trainee Assistant Editor: Tasmin Perry
- Dubbing Editor: Adrian Rhodes
- Dubbing Mix: Aad Wirtz
- With Special Thanks to: The Staff of Aardman Animations
- Production Manager: Peter Thornton
- Music: Julian Nott
- Editor: Helen Gerrard
- Photography: Tristan Oliver, Dave Alex Riddett
- Written by: Nick Park, Bob Baker, Brian Sibley
- Based upon characters created by: Nick Park
- Executive Producers for BBC: Colin Rose, Peter Salmon
- Executive Producers: Peter Lord, David Sproxton
- Producer: Christopher Moll
- Director: Nick Park
External links
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