'Wallace and Gromit,' 90% Alone
This article explores the origins of the iconic stop-motion animation series 'Wallace and Gromit' and the early career of animator Nick Park. It details the production challenges Park faced while creating his debut film, 'A Grand Day Out,' which eventually launched his successful career.
Why it matters
It provides historical context for a significant cultural milestone in animation, highlighting the transition from independent, labor-intensive projects to global recognition.
151 29 21 Share A still from A Grand Day Out (1989) Welcome! This is another Sunday edition of the Animation Obsessive newsletter. Here’s the plan for today:
The shape of animation changed in November 1989.
It happened in Bristol. Nick Park, an animator, had just finished two films with a stop-motion outfit named Aardman. For the premieres, he took both to the local Bristol Animation Festival. Their titles: Creature Comforts and A Grand Day Out . 1
Park’s screenings went well, but there wasn’t an explosion of media coverage. The wide world didn’t yet know what he’d achieved. One magazine report did sum up A Grand Day Out , though, as a “marvelous Lancastrian model animation about a Cheese Monthly reader and his dog Gromit going to the moon by rocket.” 2
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