The Wrong Trousers
Encyclopedia
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 intelligent dog Gromit, following 1989's A Grand Day Out
, and preceding 1995's A Close Shave
.
As in A Grand Day Out, the 30 minute film uses sight gags and exaggerated physical comedy, as well as a few subtle film parodies. Voice acting is the sole duty of Peter Sallis
as the voice of Wallace, as both Gromit and Feathers McGraw remain silent throughout. The film premiered in United Kingdom
on 26 December 1993 and won the 1993 Academy Award for Animated Short Film
.
) is greeted with a large pile of bills. Meanwhile, Gromit subtly attempts to remind Wallace that it is his birthday. After surveying their depleted funds, Wallace lets slip that he has not forgotten Gromit's birthday after all and presents Gromit with a somewhat unwelcome gift of a dog collar
, and a second present of a pair of ex-NASA
robotic "Techno Trousers", designed to alleviate the burden of taking him for walks. While Gromit is out on a "walk", Wallace decides that the only solution to their financial problems is to let the spare bedroom out. Thus, a lodger, an inscrutable-looking penguin
named Feathers McGraw, comes to stay in the house, pushing Gromit out of his comfortable bedroom (and uses a old tattered room, which he sticks wallpaper to the wall using the Techno Trousers) and winning Wallace's favour. Upset that the penguin has intruded on his relationship with his master, Gromit leaves home in the rain. Viewing his departure, the penguin goes to work on altering the Techno Trousers for his own means.
After sleeping rough, Gromit hunts for suitable lodgings, noticing a police poster depicting the penguin with a rubber glove on his head and the caption "Have you seen this chicken?". Meanwhile, Wallace's normal morning routine is interrupted by the replacement of his expected trousers with the modified Techno Trousers. Trapped inside the robotic garments, Wallace is sent on an extended test run, driven by remote control, although he is unaware of the penguin's involvement. Gromit, seeing this spectacle, and having observed the penguin suspiciously measuring-up the exterior of the town museum, decides to sneak back into his old bedroom, uncovering the penguin's plans to steal a giant diamond
from the museum using the trousers and Wallace as tools.
However, Gromit is too late to foil the plan and is forced to hide inside Wallace's bed, where he observes the penguin in his "chicken" disguise (a large red rubber glove on his head). Wallace, in a deep sleep after the day's misadventures, is unwittingly brought into the robbery by the penguin, and by nightfall breaks into the museum using the suction feet on the trousers to scale the wall and hang from the ceiling, avoiding the laser
alarm system. The diamond has barely been hooked when a loose ceiling tile puts the trousers off balance, causing the hook to set off the alarm. This wakes Wallace, who has no idea where he is. After escaping back to West Wallaby Street, the penguin reveals his identity to Wallace and locks him in a wardrobe.
Making for the door with the diamond, Gromit confronts the penguin with a rolling pin
. The penguin then pulls out a pistol
and puts Gromit into the wardrobe along with Wallace, locking them inside. Being an expert with electronics, Gromit is able to override the Trousers' circuits and break open the doors. There then follows a fast chase aboard a train set
,(Wallace is broken free from his pridicament by smashing into the kitchen window) as Gromit attempts to stop the penguin escaping with the diamond, aided unsuccessfully by Wallace. After the penguin's train is abruptly stopped by the trousers, he is caught and handed in to the police station. In the final scene, the penguin has returned home to the zoo
and is clinging furiously to the prison-like window bars. For catching Feathers, Wallace and Gromit are given a substantial reward, which pays off their debts. Meanwhile, the trousers, unceremoniously consigned to the dustbin, walk off by themselves into the sunset, presumably to the junkyard.
" as it is associated with birthdays in Britain
, Australia
and North America
. But when the film was released on DVD by Warner Home Video
in 2000, and by Dreamworks Home Entertainment SKG
in 2005, this was replaced with 'For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
' to avoid copyright infringements. Also removed for the DVD (again for reasons of copyright) are two specific songs from the penguin's radio replaced with random Hammond organ
music. The particular pieces removed are "Happy Talk
" from the musical South Pacific
and "(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?
", along with Wallace's humming of it the subsequent morning. "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree
" was left intact though. In addition, Gromit's TV at breakfast no longer plays the Open University
theme. However the original soundtrack can still be heard in the background of the commentary track of the DVD release.
1993 in film
The year 1993 in film involved many significant films, including the blockbuster hits Jurassic Park, The Fugitive and The Firm. -Events:...
animated film directed by Nick Park
Nick Park
Nicholas Wulstan "Nick" Park, CBE is an English filmmaker of stop motion animation best known as the creator of Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep....
at Aardman Animations
Aardman Animations
Aardman Animations, Ltd., also known as Aardman Studios, or simply as Aardman, is a British animation studio based in Bristol, United Kingdom. The studio is known for films made using stop-motion clay animation techniques, particularly those featuring Plasticine characters Wallace and Gromit...
in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, featuring his characters Wallace and Gromit
Wallace and Gromit
Wallace and Gromit are the main characters in a series consisting of four British animated short films and a feature-length film by Nick Park of Aardman Animations...
. It was his second half-hour short featuring the eccentric inventor Wallace and his quiet but intelligent dog Gromit, following 1989's A Grand Day Out
A Grand Day Out
A Grand Day Out is an award-nominated 1989 animated film directed and animated by Nick Park at Aardman Animations in Bristol. This was the first adventure featuring the eccentric inventor Wallace and his quiet but smart dog Gromit...
, and preceding 1995's A Close Shave
A Close Shave
A Close Shave is a 1995 British animated film directed by Nick Park at Aardman Animations in Bristol, featuring his characters Wallace and Gromit. It was his third half-hour short featuring the eccentric inventor Wallace and his quiet but intelligent dog Gromit, following 1989's A Grand Day Out,...
.
As in A Grand Day Out, the 30 minute film uses sight gags and exaggerated physical comedy, as well as a few subtle film parodies. Voice acting is the sole duty of Peter Sallis
Peter Sallis
Peter Sallis, OBE is an English actor and entertainer, well-known for his work on British television. Although he was born and brought up in London, his two most notable roles require him to adopt the accents and mannerisms of a Northerner.Sallis is best known for his role as the main character...
as the voice of Wallace, as both Gromit and Feathers McGraw remain silent throughout. The film premiered in United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 26 December 1993 and won the 1993 Academy Award for Animated Short Film
Academy Award for Animated Short Film
The Academy Award for Animated Short Film is an award which has been given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as part of the Academy Awards every year since the 5th Academy Awards, covering the year 1931-32, to the present....
.
Plot
The film begins at 62 West Wallaby Street on Gromit's birthday. After falling downstairs from his bed via a trapdoor in the ceiling, Wallace (voiced by Peter SallisPeter Sallis
Peter Sallis, OBE is an English actor and entertainer, well-known for his work on British television. Although he was born and brought up in London, his two most notable roles require him to adopt the accents and mannerisms of a Northerner.Sallis is best known for his role as the main character...
) is greeted with a large pile of bills. Meanwhile, Gromit subtly attempts to remind Wallace that it is his birthday. After surveying their depleted funds, Wallace lets slip that he has not forgotten Gromit's birthday after all and presents Gromit with a somewhat unwelcome gift of a dog collar
Dog collar
A dog collar is a is a piece of material put around the neck of a dog. A collar might be used for control, identification, fashion, or other purposes. Identification tags and medical information is often placed on dog collars. Collars are also useful for controlling a dog manually, as they provide...
, and a second present of a pair of ex-NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
robotic "Techno Trousers", designed to alleviate the burden of taking him for walks. While Gromit is out on a "walk", Wallace decides that the only solution to their financial problems is to let the spare bedroom out. Thus, a lodger, an inscrutable-looking penguin
Penguin
Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the southern hemisphere, especially in Antarctica. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have become flippers...
named Feathers McGraw, comes to stay in the house, pushing Gromit out of his comfortable bedroom (and uses a old tattered room, which he sticks wallpaper to the wall using the Techno Trousers) and winning Wallace's favour. Upset that the penguin has intruded on his relationship with his master, Gromit leaves home in the rain. Viewing his departure, the penguin goes to work on altering the Techno Trousers for his own means.
After sleeping rough, Gromit hunts for suitable lodgings, noticing a police poster depicting the penguin with a rubber glove on his head and the caption "Have you seen this chicken?". Meanwhile, Wallace's normal morning routine is interrupted by the replacement of his expected trousers with the modified Techno Trousers. Trapped inside the robotic garments, Wallace is sent on an extended test run, driven by remote control, although he is unaware of the penguin's involvement. Gromit, seeing this spectacle, and having observed the penguin suspiciously measuring-up the exterior of the town museum, decides to sneak back into his old bedroom, uncovering the penguin's plans to steal a giant diamond
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
from the museum using the trousers and Wallace as tools.
However, Gromit is too late to foil the plan and is forced to hide inside Wallace's bed, where he observes the penguin in his "chicken" disguise (a large red rubber glove on his head). Wallace, in a deep sleep after the day's misadventures, is unwittingly brought into the robbery by the penguin, and by nightfall breaks into the museum using the suction feet on the trousers to scale the wall and hang from the ceiling, avoiding the laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
alarm system. The diamond has barely been hooked when a loose ceiling tile puts the trousers off balance, causing the hook to set off the alarm. This wakes Wallace, who has no idea where he is. After escaping back to West Wallaby Street, the penguin reveals his identity to Wallace and locks him in a wardrobe.
Making for the door with the diamond, Gromit confronts the penguin with a rolling pin
Rolling pin
thumb|A wooden "roller" type rolling pinA rolling pin is a cylindrical food preparation utensil used to shape and flatten dough. Two styles of rolling pins are found; roller and rods. Roller types consists of a thick cylindrical roller with small handles at each end; rod type rolling pins are...
. The penguin then pulls out a pistol
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
and puts Gromit into the wardrobe along with Wallace, locking them inside. Being an expert with electronics, Gromit is able to override the Trousers' circuits and break open the doors. There then follows a fast chase aboard a train set
Train set
A train set is a set, normally consisting of a model train and a small circle or oval of track. A set of rail tracks of more appropriate size for a train set is a model railroad layout...
,(Wallace is broken free from his pridicament by smashing into the kitchen window) as Gromit attempts to stop the penguin escaping with the diamond, aided unsuccessfully by Wallace. After the penguin's train is abruptly stopped by the trousers, he is caught and handed in to the police station. In the final scene, the penguin has returned home to the zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
and is clinging furiously to the prison-like window bars. For catching Feathers, Wallace and Gromit are given a substantial reward, which pays off their debts. Meanwhile, the trousers, unceremoniously consigned to the dustbin, walk off by themselves into the sunset, presumably to the junkyard.
Soundtrack alterations
In the original aring of the film; Gromit's birthday card plays "Happy Birthday to YouHappy Birthday to You
"Happy Birthday to You", also known more simply as "Happy Birthday", is a song that is traditionally sung to celebrate the anniversary of a person's birth...
" as it is associated with birthdays in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. But when the film was released on DVD by Warner Home Video
Warner Home Video
Warner Home Video is the home video unit of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., itself part of Time Warner. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video . The company launched in the United States with twenty films on VHS and Betamax videocassettes in late 1979...
in 2000, and by Dreamworks Home Entertainment SKG
DreamWorks
DreamWorks Pictures, also known as DreamWorks, LLC, DreamWorks SKG, DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC, DreamWorks Studios or DW Studios, LLC, is an American film studio which develops, produces, and distributes films, video games and television programming...
in 2005, this was replaced with 'For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
"For He's A Jolly Good Fellow" is a song which is sung to congratulate a person on a significant event, such as, a promotion, a birthday, the birth of a child, or the winning of a championship sporting event. The melody originates from that of the French song "Marlbrough s'en va-t-en guerre...
' to avoid copyright infringements. Also removed for the DVD (again for reasons of copyright) are two specific songs from the penguin's radio replaced with random Hammond organ
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
music. The particular pieces removed are "Happy Talk
Happy Talk (song)
In June 1982, The Damned's guitarist Captain Sensible scored an unlikely #1 single on the UK singles chart for two weeks with his version of the song, featuring backing vocals by the band Dolly Mixture.-Cover Version:...
" from the musical South Pacific
South Pacific (musical)
South Pacific is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and book by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan. The story draws from James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 book Tales of the South Pacific, weaving together characters and elements from several of its...
and "(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?
(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?
" That Doggie in the Window?" is a popular novelty song written by Bob Merrill and Ingrid Reuterskiöld in 1952. The best-known version of the song was recorded by Patti Page on December 18, 1952 and released by Mercury Records as catalog number 70070, with the flip side being "My Jealous Eyes". It...
", along with Wallace's humming of it the subsequent morning. "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree
Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree
"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" is a song by Dawn featuring Tony Orlando, written by Irwin Levine and L. Russell Brown and produced by Hank Medress and Dave Appell. It was a worldwide hit for the group in 1973....
" was left intact though. In addition, Gromit's TV at breakfast no longer plays the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
theme. However the original soundtrack can still be heard in the background of the commentary track of the DVD release.