Aardman Week – Shorts
As part of Skwigly’s ongoing celebration of Aardman’s 40th I will be taking a closer at some of the stand out shorts that really set the studio apart as a totally original and forever inspiring trailblazer in the industry. As well as Aardman’s more well known characters, TV series and films such as Adventures of Morph, Shaun the Sheep and Wallace and Gromit, Aardman has played an active role in some of the most daring, charming and delightfully dark films of the last four decades. Something that constantly amazes me about the work that comes out of this top-notch British studio is their willingness to try new styles and ways of storytelling. Although well known for their chubby-fingered plasticine animation and slapstick comedy stylings, it is sometimes easy to forget those beautiful and original shorts that have accompanied them along the way, sometimes originating some of the studio’s most-loved characters.
This is why I want to take this opportunity to gush about and celebrate the shorts and the directors who were given the space and platform to create them at the Bristol based studio.
Ident (1990) by Richard Starzak
This remains one of my favourite Aardman shorts of all time; creepy and altogether confusing, this is Aardman’s punk, two-fingers-up-to-the-establishment kind of film. Rough, ready, angry and so far away from the soft family entertainment they’re known for now, yet there isn’t actually anything R rated about the short, it simply has a very aggressive energy that must have been quite wild at the time, as it still leaves me feeling unsettled today. Created by Shaun the Sheep director Richard Starzak, the film is more similar in terms of style to his long-running Aardman series Rex the Runt, in fact you can even see an early Vince-like pup in the short. Bizarre but beguiling as was a lot of the very early Aardman shorts.
Next (1990) by Barry Purves
This is Barry Purves all over – Shakespeare, theatre and a strong sense of drama, very different to a lot of the films in Aardman’s repertoire and not something they would explore again to such an extent. There is, however, a lot of Aardman’s raw energy and sensibilities running throughout this film. A desperate and charismatic Shakespeare takes it upon himself to pay homage to all his greatest works in one fell swoop. The ambitious short was part of the channel 4 commissioned Lip Synch series along with Creature Comforts (1989), Going Equipped (1990), Ident (1990), Next (1990) and War Story (1989). It’s undeniably an impressive feat, predominately exploring the nature of performance and, for me, representing something that Aardman is very passionate about – that animators are actors who perform through clay, puppets and inanimate objects; Next really drives that home.
Adam (1991) by Peter Lord
This BAFTA nominated film always make me think instantly of its director Peter Lord. A comedic take on the creationist tale of Adam and Eve, in this instance the aptly named Lord acts as the hand of God, a role and feeling felt presumably by most stop-motion animators at some point. Adam makes use of some of the key aspects of the Aardman identity, such as slapstick comedy and the originally, fully plasticine facial expressions and movements; it’s animation purity at its finest.
Loves Me, Loves Me Not (1993) by Jeff Newitt
Dark humour at play here, the classic ‘love me, love me not’ rhyme is followed by more and more extreme dangers for the smartly dressed hero of the film. For some reason the most creepy part of this film for me was the soundtrack – it has a distinctly disturbing tone and altogether brings a classic piece of character animation into a stripped-back but totally mesmerising short.
Not Without My Handbag (1993) by Boris Kossmehl
This is just plain odd! Simple puppets, bold colours and design that has remained startlingly out there against the other Aardman films. It is reminiscent of early American style work such as George Pal or the California Raisins, with the characters’ tubular legs and arms giving the film a distinct cartoon modern feel. Kossmehl’s oddball sense of humour served him well as he went onto worked on film such as Antz and Shrek. It uses a lot of the tricks, tropes and traits of B-movie horror in terms of lighting and in-camera effects and is more akin to films like Paul Berry’s Sandman – or even The Nightmare Before Christmas – than the rest of Aardman’s shorts up to this point. This film hammers home the point that Aardman is open to all approaches as long they show quality and humour.
Stage Fright (1997) by Steve Box
While this film has far more of the “Aardman look”, it keeps that dark vibe that is so prevalent in the studios early work; there’s a sinister tone to this film about how bullying and bravery is not simply a childhood issue. It has always struck me how similar the villain in this film is to the farmer in the Shaun the Sheep series, and clearly short’s influence helped push forward ideas and enabled the company to test out designs, styles and ways of making that come into play further down the line. For me Stage Fright is probably one of the darkest of the Aardman shorts, (except perhaps Babylon) although visually more akin to their more well-known and child-friendly characters.
Humdrum (1999) by Peter Peake
Completely different again, this time using shadow puppet. is the film Humdrum. Featuring the voices of Jack Docherty and Moray Hunter, we follow two bored characters as they try to entertain one another with shadow puppets. A film that makes a point of poking fun at the cultural disregard for animated shorts, as well as documenting realistic conversation whilst being totally self aware.
The Pearce Sisters (2007) by Luis Cook
Super twisted and beautifully bleak with an equally dark sense of humor, this is the story of two weather-beaten sisters who smoke fish for a living. They use their trade to sinister effect when a sailor washes up on the shore. Luis Cook is responsible for a fair amount of commercials at Aardman and has a very distinct style that can be recognized instantly if you look through their online archive of work. His unique eye for design and story is what led him and the film to such widespread success. This is one of my top 10 shorts of all time and I’m not alone in thinking it’s super top notch as it won a BAFTA in 2008.
Blind Date (2010) by Nigel Davies
This film’s traditional charcoal aesthetic and beautifully rendered drawings follow the events of a date that goes awry before it has even truly begun. Comedic and touching, this is a heartwarming film that brings together both brilliant timing and wonderful artist sensibilities. The atmosphere in the film is moody, with a Bridget Jones sense of tragedy – will our lovelorn heroine ever meet her prince charming? Well, when you set yourself up in a lonely lighthouse the outlook doesn’t look to bright now, does it?
Pythagasaurus (2011) by Peter Peake
Dinosaurs and Maths may seem like an odd combination, but Peter Peake brings the two together with the help of brilliant voice talent from the wonderful Bill Bailey, Martin Trenaman and Simon Greenall. The film follows two intrepid cavemen as they seek the help of the mighty Pythagasaurus to help save them and their hut from a nearby volcano due to erupt. Suggestive jokes and a focus on a well-written script are once again at play, not unlike Peake’s earlier film Humdrum. Once again another unique style is presented in this CGI short that shows just how far the studio has come.
Aardman has always pioneered the best of British and given opportunities and resources to those they see something in. They keep this spirit alive to this day, ensuring not just accolades from the industry but dedication from a top notch crew as well as strings of talented individuals. This approach has no doubt advanced the animation industry and cultural repertoire – and will continue to do so for years to come.