Production Year: 2000 - Comedy - Director: Peter Lord, Nick Park - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Mel Gibson, Miranda Richardson, Julia Sawalha, Phil Daniels, Jane Horrocks, Timothy Spall, Imelda Staunton, John Sharian, Lisa Kay, Laura Strachan more
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
Chicken Run [DVD] [2000]
As warming as a nice cup of tea on a cloudy day,Chicken Runis that charming singularity, a ... more
commercially successful British family movie that has near-universal appeal without compromising its inherent British pluckiness (that will be the first and last...
Chicken Run [DVD] [2000]
As warming as a nice cup of tea on a cloudy day,Chicken Runis that charming singularity, a ... more
commercially successful British family movie that has near-universal appeal without compromising its inherent British pluckiness (that will be the first and last...
Chicken Run DVD
Trouble is brewing down on Mrs Tweedy's poultry farm: the chickens are revolting (yes ... more
that old chestnut) and clucky hen Ginger (voiced by Julia Sawalha) is planning her latest coop um coup. Getting one or two birds out of the farm is no problem what...
Chicken Run Movie Poster
Original One Sheet; Rolled Poster; Poster Condition: New; Size: 27 x 40 inches approx. All ... more
our items are despatched from the United Kingdom. Starring - Phil Daniels, Lynn Ferguson, Mel Gibson, Tony Haygarth, Jane Horrocks We offer *** WORLDWIDE *** Delivery!, Manufacturer: MoviePostersDirect
Chicken Run Movie Poster
Original One Sheet; Rolled Poster; Poster Condition: New; Size: 27 x 40 inches approx. All ... more
our items are despatched from the United Kingdom. Starring - Phil Daniels, Lynn Ferguson, Mel Gibson, Tony Haygarth, Jane Horrocks We offer *** WORLDWIDE *** Delivery!, Manufacturer: MoviePostersDirect
Chicken Run Movie Poster
Original One Sheet; Rolled Poster; Poster Condition: New; Size: 27 x 40 inches approx. All ... more
our items are despatched from the United Kingdom. Starring - Phil Daniels, Lynn Ferguson, Mel Gibson, Tony Haygarth, Jane Horrocks We offer *** WORLDWIDE *** Delivery!, Manufacturer: MoviePostersDirect
35mm film from Chicken Run. The collection has an ivory mount with beech effect frame, an individually numbered plaque and certificate of authenticity.
Production Year: 1947 - Comedy - Director: Henry Koster - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: James Gleason, Gladys Cooper, Elsa Lanchester, Sara Haden, Regis Toomey, Cary Grant, David Niven, Loretta Young
Production Year: 1956 - Comedy - Director: Joshua Logan - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Marilyn Monroe, Don Murray, Betty Field, Hope Lange, Eileen Heckart, Arthur O'Connell, Casey Adams, Hans Conried, Robert Bray
Comedy - Director: Richard Boden, Mandie Fletcher, Martin Shardlow - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Hugh Laurie, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Brian Blessed, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson, Rowan Atkinson
Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Tessa Peake-Jones, Buster Merryfield, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst
A review by deano_76 on Chicken Run (DVD) June 20th, 2002
Author's product rating:
Did you enjoy it?
Loved it
Story
Outstanding
Characters / Performances
Outstanding
Special Effects
Outstanding
How does it compare to similar films?
Outstanding
Advantages:
Brilliant animation, funny, great family entertainment and basically everything else about the film .
Disadvantages:
Absolutely None .
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
I was recently given a video as a gift for doing one 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 movies or The Snowman cartoon. Anyway I’m wandering, back to 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.
Each chicken has to be up and ready at the crack of dawn with a nice clutch of fresh eggs for the Tweedys to collect and sell. Mrs Tweedy keeps a chart for each chicken to see which ones are successfully laying eggs and which ones are not. For the poor few that can no longer lay, they are plucked from the ranks and used for the Tweedys evening meal. This egg’s the chickens on (excuse the pun) to try and escape their miserable lives on the farm.
After several humorous failed attempts to break out of their prison, Ginger begins to give up hope on the fact that they will ever be able to escape, when out of the night sky, a flying rooster lands in the chicken coup. It soon becomes apparent that the rooster (Rocky) has just escaped himself from a traveling circus and has no intentions of going back there.
With that in mind, Ginger makes a deal with Rocky to hide him from the clutches of his circus master and also Mr and Mrs Tweedy, in exchange for him teaching the chickens to fly. Rocky agrees and begins to school the chickens while soaking up the fact that he is the only young rooster on the farm and has all the female chickens falling over themselves to tend to his every need. It soon becomes apparent though, that Rocky might not be the miracle escape route that the chickens had hoped for.
Ginger also enlists the help of two thieving rats, Nick and Fetcher to steal certain items needed for their one last escape attempt. These two rats however, won’t work for chicken feed.
Then, in a flash, a huge truck roars onto the farm carrying a large sinister looking machine, which Mrs Tweedy has bought. Ginger knows that the machine is not good news for the chickens and that they now have only a little time left if they are to escape. What follows is a series of near misses and hilarious consequences involving Mr Tweedy and his scheming chickens.
CHARACTERS:
Ginger – Julia Sawalha
Ginger is the leader of the chickens escape attempts and is desperate to get away from the farm. She is one of the liveliest characters in the film and she develops a crush on Rocky as the film progresses. Ginger is always the one that gets caught in the middle of an escape and she is Mr Tweedys least favorite chicken and often spends time being thrown into the coal shed as punishment for trying to escape.
Colour – Ginger (but is often seen with a black behind due to the amount of time she spends sitting in the coal shed)– Dress code – wears a green hat and a yellow/white/blue scarf. – Favorite saying – My name, is GINGER.
Mac – Lynn Ferguson
Mac is Ginger’s right hand man, or chicken if you will, and constantly helps with the escape plans. She is the one to make and assemble whatever contraption Ginger dreams up in order to aide the escape. Mac is the Professor of the coup and has a strong Scottish accent, which causes Rocky all sorts of problems.
Colour – White – Dress code – Tartan scarf and headband and also wears thick glasses – Favorite saying – What’s the next plan?
Fowler – Benjamin Whitrow
Fowler is the chicken coup’s official rooster and his job is to keep the gang in check. He likes to think of himself as an ex RAF pilot and has the strong, finely tuned Sergeant Major accent. He is the oldest member of the chicken coup and dislikes Rocky from the very start, simply because he is an American and more popular than he is. This does wave as the film goes on though and Fowler soon warms to Rockys arrogance and likable nature.
Colour – Grey – Dress code – White scarf and blue tail feathers, also has thick gray eyebrows – Favorite saying – It’s absolutely outrageous, what what.
Rocky – Mel Gibson
Rocky is the American rooster who crashes into the chicken yard and brings with him a renewed hope of escape. He is disliked by Fowler but loved by the rest of the chickens and he struggles throughout the film to understand Mac’s strong Scottish accent. Rocky is arrogant and cocky but extremely likeable with it. His romantic links with Ginger are evident right from the start.
Colour – Dark red – Dress code – Light blue poncho with white spots and green tail feathers – Favorite saying – See ya around doll face.
Babs – Jane Horrocks
Babs is the fattest chicken in the coup because all she does all day long is sit around and knit wooly clothing for the other chickens. Once the strange machine arrives at the farm, it is only when Mrs Tweedy decides to double the hens rations because she wants them all to be as fat as Babs, that Ginger realizes that this new machine will spell certain doom unless they escape.
Babs is also extremely thick and doesn’t seem to understand anything that goes on around her. When one of the chickens is taken away to be killed for Mr Tweedys dinner, she simply thinks that the chicken has gone on holiday. In fact, when anyone goes missing from the coup, Babs thinks they have gone on holiday. She was definitely the last in the queue when the brains were being dished out, still, she is a great character and provides some great comic moments.
Colour – Light brown – Dress code – strange blue fringe and a pink pearl necklace – Favorite saying – Are we going on holiday?
Bunty – Imelda Staunton
Bunty is the skeptic of the group but plays along with the escape attempts anyway in case one actually comes off. She is the largest chicken in the ground and so sometimes comes unstuck during an escape due to her large size.
She carries a great deal of the other chickens worry on her shoulders and always looks for the more probable outcome of a certain situation. She doesn’t have much need for hope as she is the only one who thinks escape is impossible.
Colour – Dark red – wears a thick blue band around her neck – Favorite saying – What a load of tripe.
Nick and Fetcher – Timothy Spall and Phil Daniels
These two dodgy rats have only one mission in life, to steal from the Tweedys and sell to the chickens. They will happily steal Mr Tweedys tools, Mrs Tweedys clothes and anything else they can get their filthy little hands on to sell to Ginger and her crew in exchange for some eggs.
They are a funny little pair to say the least, Nick (the one in charge) is smart and full of little light fingered schemes, while Fetcher is near enough his shadow and happens to be as daft as a brush.
Favorite saying – Pleasure doing business with ya.
Mr Tweedy – Tony Haygarth
Mr Tweedy is your typical Yorkshire farmer, not too bright but extremely protective about his lot. He is in constant trouble with his wife (whom he is terrified of) because he spends most of his time guarding the chicken coup in utter paranoia. He is always catching the chickens doing strange things but is made to feel daft as they always manage to cover up their dodgy dealings before he has a chance to gain a second look.
He seems to catch Ginger almost every time she tries to escape with the help of his two vicious dogs and he is certain that his hens are more intelligent than his wife will give them credit for.
Favorite saying – Them chickens are up ta sommat.
Mrs Tweedy – Miranda Richardson
Mrs Tweedy is the most miserable woman you could ever wish to meet. She spends most of her time thinking of new ways to earn more money (what woman doesn’t?) and is a constant bully to poor Mr Tweedy. The entire cast of the film is terrified of her, even the vicious farm dogs yelp when she as much as opens a door. It is her little scheme of how to turn the chicken farm into a money-spinner that this film evolves around. She is the most villainous woman to grace the animated screen since Cruella De Ville.
Favorite saying – They’re just chickens you great lump.
SPECIAL EFFECTS AND PRODUCTION:
Chicken Run is a very unique film, made entirely out of plastic and plastercine, the characters and scenery look amazingly good. For those of you who have seen the Wallace and Gromit short films, ‘A Grand Day out (1989) The Wrong Trousers (1993) and A Close Shave (1996)’, or indeed the ‘Creature Comforts’ adverts back in 1989-91, you will know the kind of talent for model making directors, Nick Park and Peter Lord possess.
Chicken Run is the first feature length film of it’s kind to be made using the ‘Wallace and Gromit’ techniques and was the largest production, worldwide of its kind. It took nearly a whole year to plan and just over three years to make. 180 people working full days, on 30 different sets managed to create 1 minute of footage every week using an incredible 24 frames for every second of the film.
Between them, they built 387 model chickens, all hand painted and over 1000 pairs of eyes to make the film. The Previous longest film like this was ‘A Close Shave’ which lasted for 30 minutes, this one however, is 80 minutes, so you can imagine the amount of work that has been put into this. The amount of care and skill that has gone into making this film is breathtaking.
This was originally going to be a simple project made for TV but Nick Park managed to attract two of Hollywood’s biggest production studios, Pathe and Steven Spielberg’s’ DreamWorks studios to fund and distribute it. The result was a worldwide blockbuster that thrilled the cinema going audience from London to Miami.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS:
This film is, in my eyes an absolute masterpiece, as I have already said, the animation is nothing short of fantastic and the amount of effort put into this shines through like the brightest torch you can imagine. The script is basically a re working of ‘The Great Escape’ but with chickens instead of English P.O.W’s. I loved every single minute of this, right down to the brilliant sound effects, which really add to the films quality.
The voice cast are perfect in every sense, and bring the charaters to live with the maximum amount of believability.
The music was not too dissimilar from ‘The Great Escape’ either and the composers (John Powell and Harry Gregson Williams) have come up with the perfect music for the different scenes. This is one of those films I could honestly watch over and over again, as the humor is fitting for both adults and children alike.
I would recommend Chicken Run to everybody with an inner child, as it is quite simply great entertainment.
Chicken Run is available on VHS Video and DVD, certificate U, from most high street retailers. Or you can visit ‘www.amazon.co.uk’ who are currently offering the VHS at £12.99 (New), £5.99 (Used) and the DVD at £18.99 (New), £7.99 (Used)
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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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
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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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
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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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
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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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: One of the funniest films of the year Disadvantages: None really
...film about life on a chicken farm called, appropriately, “Chicken Run”.
Many critics, and indeed the public at large, were most surprised when Chicken Run turned out not only to be the most successful at the box office, but far more entertaining than the big-budget American drama, The Patriot.
~ ~ This film was Disney’s answer to opposition studio “Dreamworks” two huge successes in this film genre, “Antz” ... ...~ ~ ~ Chicken Run is not a cartoon in the traditional sense, but takes us into the magical imagery of clay animation.
~ ~ The setting for the action is a grim chicken farm set in rural 1950’s England, which is run with an iron hand by the bitter and twisted Mrs. Tweedy. (Miranda Richardson)
She runs the farm along the lines of an old Gestapo prison camp, complete with “Nissen hut” type chicken coops, so comparisons with the Steve ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
...This film is great it is one for the children and adults I really enjoyed it. It's a great animation with characters made of clay, it is a truly British film and is well worth the hour and 20 minutes to watch it. Created by the same creators as Wallace and Gromit its fantastic. It was released in 2000 and is still a film I watch again and again.
It is based on a farm in the 50's which has been made to look like a prison of war camp and it is run by Mr and Mrs Tweedy, two evil people who are expanding into making chicken pies, which is not good news for the chickens.
The chickens who include Ginger voiced by Julia Sawalha and Babs voice by Jane Horrocks when they realise what is going on try to think of a plan to escape their fate and move to a place where they can live in total freedom and decide that the have wings they need to...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Two classic films in one amazing box set Disadvantages: There is none
...Ice Age- This is the best movie ever it has all the great characters and one great storyline. It is set in a ice age long ago when all the animals began to move south to warmer climates when the ice came. One mammoth stays behind as usual as he is a lonely grumpy animal when he meets a sloth who has been left behind by his family. They team up as they find a baby floating down a river to take it back to its people. This leads to a epic journey with many jokes along the way. Great entertainment for all the family.
ChickenRun- This is also another great movie the storyline is fab and the chickens are cute and funny. Lots of chickens are desperate to get away from a chicken farm they are living at. The leader of the chickens comes up with all the plans and many mishaps and adventures are had along the way to freedom. A great family...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: 3 of the best movies in one Disadvantages: ???
...ROBOTS - is a about Rodney copper bottom a young inventor wanting to show the amazing bigwell his inventions and become rich and famous. But bigwell has vanished and a new person has taken over the company. Can rodney and his new found friends, track down bigwel and stop the mean tyrant before the all robots everywhere are scrapped for metal ..
this is a very good film that i have never stopped watching because it is funny and has the comedy stylings of robin williams
ICE AGE - All animals are moving for the big ice age, but not all are on the trail. Manny wanders of after hearing a baby crying, upon finding the baby, manny, sid and diago return the baby before they loose the humans..
i love this film only because of sid and he makes me laugh but if he was not in it i would not watch it
CHICKENRUN - Being cooped up in a pen...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average not helpful
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: DVD
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
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)
![Chicken Run [DVD] [2000]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78535437.jpg)
![Chicken Run [DVD]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/83201944.jpg)
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