Wallace and Gromit: A Close Shave
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|---|---|
| Name: | Wallace and Gromit: A Close Shave |
| Abbreviation(s): | A Close Shave |
| Creator: | Aardman Animation and Nick Park |
| Date(s): | 1995 |
| Medium: | animated short film |
| Country of Origin: | UK |
| External Links: | Aardman.com |
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Wallace & Gromit: A Close Shave is a 1995 stop motion animated short film directed by Nick Park. It is the third film featuring the beloved characters Wallace and Gromit and continues their series of charming and humorous adventures.
Plot Summary
In A Close Shave (1995), Wallace and Gromit run a window cleaning business. Their peaceful life is disrupted when they become involved in a sheep rustling plot led by a sinister dog named Preston. Wallace falls in love with Wendolene Ramsbottom, the owner of a wool shop, while Gromit is framed for the sheep thefts. Together, they must uncover the truth and save the day.
Characters
- Wallace (voiced by Peter Sallis): is an inventor and cheese enthusiast whose dog Gromit is probably the brains of the pair. They live at 62 West Wallaby Street, Wigan, Lancashire, a house which is packed with strange machines. Their adventures are usually set in and around Wigan; the main exception is A Grand Day Out which visits the Moon. Wallace runs a succession of small businesses based on his inventions, most notably window cleaning (A Close Shave), pest control (The Curse of the Were-Rabbit), and a bakery (A Matter of Loaf and Death). He's absent-minded but has a kind heart, although he tends to take Gromit for granted most of the time; he falls in love several times in these films. At various times he has been framed for robbery, cursed, and targeted by a serial killer. He's an enthusiastic cheese eater, if not an addict, and his one attempt to stop eating it, for health reasons, goes disastrously wrong.
- Gromit: is a dog who happens to be an expert handyman, knits, reads advanced textbooks and newspapers, and understands English perfectly though he never speaks. He is occasionally blamed for the actions of others, and has a general air of long-suffering patience. He also likes cheese.
- Wendolene Ramsbottom: Owner of a knitting shop and the romantic interest of Wallace. Unfortunately, she is a cheese hater.
- Preston: Wendolene's cyborg dog and the main antagonist of the film.
- Shaun the Sheep: Stolen by Preston but escapes into Wallace's home.
Production
The film was created using Aardman Animations' signature stopmotion clay animation technique. It took over a year to complete, with Nick Park and his team meticulously crafting each frame. The film's success helped establish Aardman Animations as a leading studio in the world of animation.
Awards and Recognition
A Close Shave won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 1996. It received critical acclaim for its creativity, humour, and technical achievements. The film's success paved the way for future Wallace and Gromit adventures, including The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.
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