Facing imminent death while laying eggs at Tweedy's English farm, a group of chickens led by the determined Ginger (Julia Sawahla, BBC-TV's ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS) plan to escape... more
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Chicken Run [2000]
As warming as a nice cup of tea on a cloudy day, Chicken Run is that charming singularity,
... more
a commercially successful British family movie that has near-universal appeal without compromising its inherent British pluckiness (that will be the first and la...
Chicken Run [2000]
As warming as a nice cup of tea on a cloudy day, Chicken Run is that charming singularity,
... more
a commercially successful British family movie that has near-universal appeal without compromising its inherent British pluckiness (that will be the first and la...
Chicken Run [2000]
As warming as a nice cup of tea on a cloudy day, Chicken Run is that charming singularity,
... more
a commercially successful British family movie that has near-universal appeal without compromising its inherent British pluckiness (that will be the first and last poultry-pun in this review). It invites us into the Plasticine-world of Tweedy's farm, a far-from-free-range egg factory ruled with an axe of iron by greedy Mrs.Tweedy. One intrepid chicken, Ginger (voiced by Julia Sawalha) sets her sights on breaking out the whole flock, a cast of beautifully individuated chicken characters including ditsy Babs (voiced by Jane Horrocks), matronly Bunty (Imelda Staunton) and practical-minded Mac (Lynn Ferguson). Each effort is thwarted, and Ginger repeatedly reaps a spell in the coal bunker for her troubles, prompting the first of many allusions to The Great Escape, one of several World War II films name-checked throughout. (Grown-ups will have a ball playing Spot-the-Allusion Game here.) When an American rooster named Rocky (Mel Gibson) literally drops in from the air, the hens are set all a-flutter with excitement thinking he'll help teach them to fly away at last. But Rocky is not all he seems. Although the action sags just a fraction around the 40-minute mark, it's the set pieces that really lift this into the realm of cartoon genius: the montage of inept flying attempts, Rocky and Ginger's narrow escape from Mrs Tweedy's new pie machine (an horrific contraption of chomping steel and industrial menace) and the magnificent, soaring climax. Despite the fact British animators (such as the directors, Nick Park and Peter Lord, themselves) regularly scoop Oscars for their short films, our record in full-feature length cartoons has been scrappy at best. There have been a few highlights--Animal Farm (1955), The Yellow Submarine (1968), Watership Down (1978)--and, er, that's about it really, unless you count The Magic Roundabout: Dougal and the Blue Cat. ChickenRun, made by the Aardman production house who produced the delightful Wallace and Gromit shorts among many other treats, has proved that Britain can compete with the most calculated, merchandised and screen-tested Disney production and win. --Leslie Felperin
Advantages: Brilliant animation, funny, great family entertainment and basically everything else about the film. Disadvantages: Absolutely None.
...of my neighbours a favor, Chicken Run.
The front cover boasts that the film is made by the same team that made the Wallace and Gromit features.
Can’t be that bad then, as I adore that broad Yorkshire man and his play dough canine friend. There is always one of the three 20 minute Wallace and Gromit films on TV over the Christmas holidays, in fact seeing them at Christmas has almost become as mandatory Yuletide viewing as the Indiana Jones ... ...my Chicken Run opinion.
PLOT:
Chicken Run is about the escapades from a group of (you guessed it, Chickens) on a sinister egg farm in the Yorkshire Dales. The flightless birds led by a rambunctious hen named Ginger, constantly try to escape the fenced off compound, to a place just over the horizon where they can live in total freedom.
The farm is owned by Mr and Mrs Tweedy and is run like a strict prisoner of war camp, mean snarling dogs and all.
...
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Advantages: Great story, great cast. Disadvantages: It had to end..didn't want it to
Chicken Run was released on video and DVD in 2000 and is a feature length animation from Aardman studios: The Nick Park led outfit that bought us Wallace and Gromit and Creature Comforts. It is described officially as a "claymation" film, rather than "Animation", because the characters are made of clay rather than drawn.
I was a bit dubious at first because, although Wallace and Gromit has become a classic, could Nick Park sustain this throughout ... ...My worries were unfounded - Chicken Run is Chicken fun! After about ten minutes I had forgotten that the characters were animated (sorry - CLAYMATED") and I could have sworn that they were real. The attention to detail on the sets is stunning and the characters have a depth of personality that makes them come alive.
The DVD is also excellent and has some great extra features. For those of you who like to know these details, here are the technical ...
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Advantages: funny and generally a pleasure to watch Disadvantages: None
...the fact that when a chicken slacks off on the old egg laying they end up on the kitchen table as supper for the Tweedy's.(The chicken farm owners) Ginger attempts escape many times but Mr Tweedy is on to her plan and keeps a vigilant eye on the chickens and every time she gets caught and put into “solitary confinement” which is the coal shed. Gingers prayers are answered when Rocky literally drops in along with a poster showing Rocky ... ...answered and begins hatching a new plan for escape, which is now more urgent as the Tweedy’s have now got a pie making machine. That’s all I am going to say, as I don’t want to give too much away if you haven’t watched it. The best thing about this film is that it appeals to all ages, my nieces are 7 and 11, my Mom is 50 (she will kill for me for telling you that!), I’m 22 and my son is 2 and we all really enjoyed this ...
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10.05.2001
RUN chicken RUN Review ofChicken Run (Animated) (Wide Screen)by
Martin.rowley
Advantages: Very original and funny Disadvantages: None
...wife, and woe betide any chicken that cant produce as they end up on the dinner plate!!
Try explaining that to a 4 year old!
The escape scenes in this film are very reminniscant of such films as The Great Escape and other world war II films, even the chickens end up in 'The cooler'!
Well as thier attempts to escape keep being thwarted by the farmer and his dogs all looks pretty bleak, until the unannounced arrival of ROCKY the rooster.
He appears ... ...from the top of the chicken coops.
The Farmer and his 'evil ' wife no longer make enough money from the eggs, so the next plan is to start making chicken pies.
Once the pie machine turns up the need for the chickens to escape becomes more frantic, but Rocky does a bunk and sets off around the countryside on a 3 wheel tricycle...until.....he passes a sign advertising chicken pies, gets a guilt complex and goes back to the farm, just in time to rescue ...
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Advantages: great film, characters and funny Disadvantages: none
Chicken Run is based on chickens living in a chicken farm, wanting to escape. They live in fear of their lives everyday, producing as many eggs as they can so that they will not end up on the owner’s table. It has all become to much for them as they know that every time they are called for a line up that there is a greater chance it will be them that is going to be dining with the Tweenies. Before you start to wonder, no it is not Fizz, Bella, Milo ... ...creating some plan with another chicken that is an engineerer. However the story is not all about escape for her as feelings for Rocky start to develop. She is left feeling very hurt and lonely when he explains that he can’t really fly. They didn’t like each other when they first met but the feelings grew between them.
Rocky – This American rooster flew in after escaping from a circus where he was catapulted from a cannon. He becomes an instant ...
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Actor(s): Mel Gibson, Miranda Richardson, Julia Sawalha, Phil Daniels, Jane Horrocks, Timothy Spall, Imelda Staunton, John Sharian, Lisa Kay, Laura Strachan
Director(s): Peter Lord, Nick Park
Genre: Comedy
Classification: Universal
Production Year: 2000
Running Time: 1 hour 21 minutes
Video Category: Feature Film
Plot: Set on a Yorkshire farm in the 1950's, this is the story of a group of repressed chickens who are owned by the evil Mr and Mrs Tweedy. Things start to happen when an American chicken, Rocky, arrives on the farm, he finds romance with a hen called Ginger and together they hatch a plan to escape to freedom...
Release details
DVD Region: Region 2 (Europe)
Studio(s): PATHE DISTRIBUTION; 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Release date: 04/12/2000
No of Discs: 1
Catalogue No: P 8990 DVD
Barcode: 5060002830574
Screenwriter: Karey Kirkpatrick, Jack Rosenthal, Nick Park
Animation: Nick Park, Peter Lord
Creator: Nick Park
Featured: Jane Horrocks, Julia Sawalha, Mel Gibson
Executive Producer: Mel Gibson
Producer: Aardman Animations, Mel Gibson, Peter Lord, Nick Park, Jack Rosenthal
Author: Peter Lord, Nick Park
Voice: Miranda Richardson, Phil Daniels, Imelda Staunton, Julia Sawalha, Jane Horrocks, Timothy Spall, Mel Gibson
Languages
Main Language: English
Subtitle Language: None
Hearing Impaired Language: English
DVD Description
Facing imminent death while laying eggs at Tweedy's English farm, a group of chickens led by the determined Ginger (Julia Sawahla, BBC-TV's ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS) plan to escape their prisonlike coop. The situation goes from bad to worse when the sinister Mrs. Tweedy (Miranda Richardson) decides to stop selling eggs and use the hens as the main ingredient in chicken pot pies. However, some hope literally falls from the sky in the form of Rocky (Mel Gibson), an American rooster who promises to teach the chickens how to fly. As the hens begin their struggle to get airborne, the monstrous pie-making machine arrives, giving the chickens precious little time to make their great escape. Aardman Studios' first full-length feature film is a stunning showcase of stop-motion animation. Utilizing the unique Plasticine designs of the acclaimed WALLACE & GROMIT and CREATURE COMFORT shorts, CHICKEN RUN features vibrant visuals and colorful characters that are immediately endearing. (The naive and constantly knitting Babs, voiced by Jane Horrocks, is particularly hilarious.) With its clever writing, witty film references, and pitch-perfect combination of comedy, drama, and romance, CHICKEN RUN is one of those rare movies that genuinely appeals to viewers of every age.
Technical information
Special Features: Teaser Trailer, Regular Trailer, Chicken Impossible Trailer, Chicken Run Game Trailer, Fowl Play The Making Of Chicken Run, Chickens Go In Pies Come Out, Aardman Archive Clips, Directors Commentary, Audio Described, DVD ROM Material, Interactive Moving Menus
Review: "...[CHICKEN RUN] will hypnotize the young...[And] is packed with the kind of detail that adults will like, too....It's immensely satisfying, a divinely relaxed and confident film." (New York Times, pp.E1-E6, 21/06/2000)
"...Pleasures abound, particularly the dizzying pie-machine sequence." -- 3 out of 5 stars -- A Satisfying Rental (Premiere, p.98, 01/12/2000)
"...CHICKEN RUN is a spectacular piece of stop-motion, clay-figure animation....A world of visual miracles..." (Rolling Stone, p.146, 06/07/2000)
"...Aardman's laid a golden egg which offers plenty of poultry powered thrills..." -- 4 out of 5 stars (Total Film, p.83, 01/07/2000)
"...Poultry has never been so stuffed with personality....A little slapstick, a little action, rich characters and a whopping serving of wit. All baked to near-perfection." -- 3.5 out of 4 stars (USA Today, p.2D, 21/06/2000)
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Listed on Ciao since : 30/06/2000
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