On Wallace and Gromit

Wallace and Gromit are a classic example of stop-motion clay animation.  Wallace, the oblivious inventor, is practically taken care of by his precocious dog and companion Gromit.  They have a window washing business, but, of course, Wallace’s true passion is inventing machines.  His contraptions are usually unnecessary, but add a level of personality and fun to the films.  Although Wallace and Gromit are rather simple looking characters they express a great range of emotions.  Gromit does not have a mouth and relies more on his eyes and eyebrows to convey his feelings.  It is amazing how a simple blink or furrowed brow can give a dog a desire or an emotion.  He often looks at Wallace condescendingly when Wallace does something silly, but you can still tell their is love between them.  Gromit’s ears are also a vehicle for his self expression.  When they are perked up, you can see that he is happy and/or interested in what is going on around him.  When something sad happens or he is angry, his ears immediately go down to the sides of his head.  Wallace, while perhaps a simpler character to show emotion on, is still fun to watch.  His forehead is used quite often to convey certain feelings as is his oversized under-bite.  In the short “A Close Shave,” you can tell that Wallace has fallen in love because his face takes on a droopy, almost puppy-dog (!) expression.  Nick Park, the creator, is a true genius and really paved the way for all future stop motion clay animation films.