Wallace and Gromit in 'A Matter of Loaf and Death' (2008) (TV)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Nick Park

Writers:

Nick Park (written by) &
Bob Baker (written by)

Release Date:

22 September 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Short | Comedy | Family

Plot:

Wallace and his dog, Gromit, open a bakery and get tied up with a murder mystery. But, when Wallace falls in love Gromit is left to solve the case.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Baker | Dog | Wallace And Gromit | Bakery

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win

Cast

Peter Sallis	...	Wallace (voice)
Sally Lindsay	...	Piella (voice)
Melissa Collier	...	Fluffles (voice)
Sarah Laborde	...	Bake O Lite Singer (voice)

Also Known As:

Wallace and Gromit in Trouble At' Mill (UK) (working title)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Filming Locations:

Bristol, England, UK

Company:

Aardman Animations

Trivia:

The Single vinyl cover seen in the front of the cardboard box given to Gromit by Fluffles is based on the actual singer Donny Osmond and his hit single "Puppy Love", and written by Paul Anka in 1960. Donny Osmond made it a personal best, in the U.K., as it reached Number One for five weeks in the summer of '72 and has been his "trademark" hit ever since. The words "...and they called it Puppy Love..." can also be heard sung at the end of the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Bake O Lite Singer leaves Wallace & Gromits Home, and cycles away. The scene pans to the hallway of their house and Bake O Lite Singer's hat and coat are hanging up, yet she has just left.

Quotes:

[Wallace and Gromit are in the baker's van]
Wallace: How's that breakfast coming on?
[Gromit presses a button on the car radio and a slice of cremated toast pops out from the cassette slot]
Wallace: Well done, lad.
[looks at the burnt toast]
Wallace: *Very* well done.

Movie Connections:

References The Sound of Music (1965)

Fairly amusing and certainly nice to look at, but...

Not as funny as the other Wallace and Gromit shorts, and certainly not as charming. Many of the jokes were spoofing well known films and would probably only be found funny by people that have seen them. Nonetheless, it was enjoyable enough and the animation, as always with Wallace and Gromit and with Aardman was top-notch which is great considering the fact that A Matter of Loaf and Death had the shortest production time for any Wallace and Gromit short so far.

It'll please the kids, that's for sure. The adult-pleasing jokes felt sparse but hit the mark. The story lacked the usual quirky charm of Wallace and Gromit but it still pretty much worked. I enjoyed the film but overall felt it lacked elements that made the previous ones so brilliant, so for me it's a 7/10.