Totally Un-Scary Halloween Film Festival: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
First off, let me say that there is something inherently hilarious about British claymation bunnies. There’s something even more hilarious about British claymation bunnies howling at the moon. Eighty-five minutes of howling-bunny footage probably would have been enough to keep me happy, but it turns out that The Curse of the Were-Rabbit has other things to be appreciated, as well: plot, characters, adventure, silly voices, and Ralph Fiennes. Also, Wallace and Gromit and plenty of Wensleydale cheese.
I’ve seen various Wallace & Gromit short films over the years, and honestly, it’s inconceivable to me that anyone might not like our dynamic heroes and their Rube Goldberg morning routine. What’s not lovable about that, even if we do see the same thing in Pee Wee’s Big Adventure? So maybe I’m biased. But a real, full-length W&G feature seemed like a good idea to me.
Thankfully, it was. The movie is silly and crammed with puns and people will funny hairdos (not to mention the bunnies again). Director and W&G creator Nick Park clearly did his horror-movie homework and filled his movie with tiny homages to the genre, which matures it a little without making it an adults’ movie masquerading as a kids’ movie, as so many animated films seem to be lately. The story is action-packed and even gives Wallace a little chance to grow as a character, even exploring his claymation love life a little. Essentially, it’s all the goodness we can expect from W&G on a grand scale.
October 29th, 2006 at 10:50 pm
What about the Addams Family movies? Would they qualify as un-Scary Halloween movies??
November 1st, 2006 at 6:20 pm
I love the W&G films, especially Curse of the were-rabbit. It’s so inventive and funny, and they take such painstaking care to get the comedy timing spot on. You’re right though, not scary one iota lol.