The first two Wallace and Gromit films by Nick Park, A Grand Day Out (1989) and The Wrong Trousers (1993), are being re-released in UK and Irish cinemas from 10 July. Both films, scored by Julian Nott's iconic brass-band march theme, are celebrated as classic family entertainment.
Sci-Fi Adventure on the Moon
A Grand Day Out (five stars) follows inventor Wallace (voiced by Peter Sallis) and his loyal dog Gromit as they build a rocket in their cellar to travel to the moon, which Wallace believes is made of cheese. The film features comedic moments, such as forgetting to release the handbrake during takeoff, and introduces a mysterious robot inhabitant that blends elements of R2D2, a gas oven, and an electricity meter. The robot is noted as a likely influence on Pixar's Wall-E.
Heist Thriller with Techno Trousers
The Wrong Trousers (five stars) is a half-hour heist thriller that elevated Park to prominence. Wallace buys a pair of remote-controlled "techno trousers" that can walk up walls, intended as a gift for Gromit. The plot thickens when Wallace takes in a paying guest, Feathers McGraw, a penguin and criminal who uses the trousers to steal a diamond from a local museum. The film also explores the emotional bromance between Wallace and Gromit, later expanded in the 2024 sequel Vengeance Most Fowl.
According to the review, The Wrong Trousers "doesn't have the sublime high-concept simplicity of A Grand Day Out, but it's still great fun." Both films are described as "jewels of stop-motion animated comedy."
