Comments on: Trouble at' Mill

Trouble at' Mill

chuckdarwin — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:44:39 -0800

A Matter of Loaf and Death is the new BBC Christmas short from Nick Park and Aardman. In the mock murder mystery, Wallace and Gromit start a new bakery business, Top Bun. The short, Park's first since 1995, will introduce a new love interest for Wallace, Piella Bakewell, a bread enthusiast.

By: LarryC

LarryC — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:59:47 -0800

If this film were actually out, and if it were available on the internet, and you had posted a link to it, I would flag this post as fantastic.

By: Countess Elena

Countess Elena — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:06:09 -0800

Commenting on the fact that the short will be made directly for a British audience, Nick Park said: "I don't feel like I'm making a film for a kid in some suburb of America — and being told they're not going to understand a joke, or a northern saying." I could assure him that American kids can get these things just fine from context, as much as is necessary, and aren't bothered much where they don't. It's adults -- marketing executives and parents -- who are shy of too much foreignness.

By: chuckdarwin

chuckdarwin — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:10:41 -0800

Sorry, LarryC... it's more of a heads-up and a link to Park's new site content.

By: The Card Cheat

The Card Cheat — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:16:17 -0800

"A Matter Of Loaf And Death" is an amazing title, but at first I thought this was a post about a new Meat Loaf album.

By: bookwo3107

bookwo3107 — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:21:09 -0800

Don't forget telltalegames' Wallace and Gromit's Grand Adventures . Point 'n' click 'em ups are the greatest.

By: KirkJobSluder

KirkJobSluder — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:39:26 -0800

Cheese! Bread!

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:46:32 -0800

Seconding LarryC's disappointment that this isn't a link to the film itself, but hey, whaddayougonnado? Nick Park and Aardman are huge favorites in this household (right up there on the family-viewing heavy rotation list with Pixar movies, early Fleischer Brothers stuff and Pee Wee Herman), so thanks for the heads-up, chuckd.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:54:09 -0800

...American kids can get these things just fine from context, as much as is necessary, and aren't bothered much where they don't. I'd second that as well. Plus, whether a film's references are foreign or not, there are always lots of details and shadings and meanings in most any kid's movie that will go over kid's heads. Unless it's a film that's so (pardon the expression) dumbed down as to contain nothing beyond what a 3-year-old can immediately understand. I think it's good and only natural that children's films should contain things that they don't necessarily "get" right away. Especially these days, when we're talking repeated viewings on DVD. They slowly start getting it, bit by bit, and new avenues of interest and understanding open up for them in the process.

By: Durn Bronzefist

Durn Bronzefist — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:09:52 -0800

I could assure him that American kids can get these things just fine from context, as much as is necessary, and aren't bothered much where they don't. It's adults -- marketing executives and parents -- who are shy of too much foreignness. If this means the eventual death of dubbing in lieu of subtitles, America has a bright future, indeed. (next up, an end to those hideous domestic re-makes) Also, I love me some Wallace and Gromit. Now I must tend to this sudden craving for cheese.

By: Mr. Bad Example

Mr. Bad Example — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:13:42 -0800

(Mr. Wentworth just told me to come in here and say that there was trouble at the mill, that's all - I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition!) I also love me some Wallace and Gromit, and the prospect of a new short fills me with childlike glee. I say this as a man in his 30s who still rents Curse of the Were-Rabbit as an antidote to particularly crappy days.

By: isogloss

isogloss — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:35:13 -0800

Damn, I wish my name was Piella Bakewell.

By: BinaryApe

BinaryApe — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:44:26 -0800

That's just grand! (On the subject of needlessly dumbing down foreign kid's films, the mess made of dubbing early Studio Ghibli films is a particularly good example. Replacing atmospheric silence with music, making shy kids brash and noisy, adding pointless wisecracks, etc.)

By: GrammarMoses

GrammarMoses — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:49:28 -0800

My husband and I bonded early over W&G. Good to know we'll soon be seeing them again. And hey, MeFi Ravelry types -- check this out. Cracking good.

By: Tehanu

Tehanu — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:58:32 -0800

MOAR FOREIGNNESS. More layers too. The best kids' movies have both.

By: GrammarMoses

GrammarMoses — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:26:13 -0800

Oh, man, there is some genius stuff in the "Your Creations Winners Archive."

By: cjorgensen

cjorgensen — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:31:41 -0800

Anyone have a torrent yet?

By: Space Kitty

Space Kitty — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:08:09 -0800

Between this and the bunny jumping thread, my day is complete!

By: sneebler

sneebler — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:35:47 -0800

By 'eck! I thought you said, "Boned"...

By: octothorpe

octothorpe — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:40:15 -0800

"I don't feel like I'm making a film for a kid in some suburb of America ... My suburban american son loved the Wallace and Grommit shorts when he was growing up, I don't think that's a problem.

By: bibliowench

bibliowench — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:44:11 -0800

When my then five-year old son first started watching Wallace and Grommit, he demanded I buy him some Stilton. He was crushed to find out he didn't like it, but considering this is a child who find pasta a bit too exotic for his tastes, I was thrilled that he at least wanted to try something new.

By: GeorgeBickham

GeorgeBickham — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:08:53 -0800

I could assure him that American kids can get these things just fine from context, as much as is necessary, and aren't bothered much where they don't. It's adults -- marketing executives and parents -- who are shy of too much foreignness. He doesn't need to be assured - it seems like he would agree with you. Read what he wrote again: Commenting on the fact that the short will be made directly for a British audience, Nick Park said: "I don't feel like I'm making a film for a kid in some suburb of America — and being told [my emphasis] they're not going to understand a joke, or a northern saying." Around the time that Dreamworks bought into Aardman, they apparently assured Parks that they just loved the local idiosyncrasies, and wouldn't have him change a thing. After the relationship ended, out came the stories of Katezenberg demanding more butt jokes.

By: electronslave

electronslave — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:18:13 -0800

I'm glad to see Aardman recovered after the fire. Hope (and cheese) springs eternal!

By: chuckdarwin

chuckdarwin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:14:12 -0800

cjorgensen, there will be PLENTY of torrents after Christmas.

By: chuckdarwin

chuckdarwin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:15:04 -0800

After the relationship ended, out came the stories of Katezenberg demanding more butt jokes. Which is why I disliked Flushed Away.

By: blogenstock

blogenstock — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:37:05 -0800

I was expecting Piella to be some sort of caricature of Nigella...
It must be hard being Wallace, finding a reasonably atractive, mentally stable woman who also happens to like cheese seems to be an impossible task in his world.

By: chuckdarwin

chuckdarwin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:47:52 -0800

some sort of caricature of Nigella She's blonde, apparently.

By: chuckdarwin

chuckdarwin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:48:57 -0800

When my then five-year old son first started watching Wallace and Grommit, he demanded I buy him some Stilton. At least he didn't ask for Stinking Bishop.

By: Countess Elena

Countess Elena — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:22:29 -0800

When my then five-year old son first started watching Wallace and Grommit, he demanded I buy him some Stilton. He was crushed to find out he didn't like it . . . Aww! After I was introduced to Monty Python at age eight or so, I pleaded with my mother to get me some Spam. She was kind enough to fry me a slice, but it went over about as well as you'd think.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:50:10 -0800

Ah, but you put a slice of Stilton on a slice of Spam and put that between two slices of bread from Top Bun, and, well, that's just grand.

By: cadge

cadge — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:33:12 -0800

Nick Park said: "I don't feel like I'm making a film for a kid in some suburb of America — and being told they're not going to understand a joke, or a northern saying." Good on you, Nick Park! I loved Bloom County when I was a kid, and I didn't know a damned thing about 80's American politics. But I still enjoyed the strip, and through it I ended up learning quite a lot about all those political and cultural figures. And now, years later, it's like uncovering a gem when I read something that finally gives me insight into what exactly a particular joke was about ("Oh, THAT'S who Caspar Weinberger was!"). I feel the same way about the subtle British references in Wallace and Gromit. I'd rather have a rich picture of a culture and not pick up on all of it than have a bland setting that could be anywhere.

By: tehloki

tehloki — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:20:22 -0800

CHEESE, GROMIT!

By: ObscureReferenceMan

ObscureReferenceMan — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:31:07 -0800

Cracking post, Gromit!

By: cereselle

cereselle — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:07:17 -0800

No Stilton? How about Wensleydale?