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From Amazon.co.uk
As warming as a nice cup of tea on a cloudy day, Chicken Run is that charming singularity, 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
Product Description
'Wallace and Gromit' progenitor Nick Park's first big screen outing is an animated pastiche of 'The Great Escape'. Life on Tweedy's Chicken Farm is far from pleasant for the inmates; they are badly treated by Mr Tweedy and his domineering wife, and kept alive only as long as they keep producing eggs. Ginger the hen's (voiced by Julia Sawalha) various attempts at escape have failed due to the lethargy and downright incompetence of her fellow prisoners, but when Rocky (Mel Gibson) - the famous Flying Rooster - crash lands in the farm, she sees the chance she has been waiting for: Rocky can teach everyone how to fly, and they can stage a mass break-out! However, the braggardly Rocky is not all that he seems; can he really help Ginger and the others find freedom before Mrs Tweedy (Miranda Richardson) hatches her fowl plan to turn them all into chicken pies?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
I loved this film when I saw it on holiday in Dublin that I had to take my best friend along to my local as soon as I got back. Tweedy Farm, the setting for this comedy that is anything but plastic, is a typical 50's Yorkshire farm - from the vehicles, to the clothes and dialog. Mr + Mrs Tweedy are branching out into the chicken pie market, and that means trouble for the chickens. Following numerous attempts to escape, including frequent trips to the cooler for Ginger, the head chicken, they start to feel they will never make it out alive. Enter Rocky, a Yankee rooster who uses his charm to get among "the beautiful English chicks". Of course, he's hiding a secret which they eventually discover (not saying what it is) and the scene is set for the funniest climax ever with a few nice twists along the way. The dialogue is more likely to appeal to the adult audience while the kids just enjoy the set pieces, but it's Jane Horrocks (Absolutely Fabulous) who gets the best lines throughout the film including what will hopefully become a catchphrase once the film hits the shops just in time for Christmas;
"BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE IN A PIE. I DON'T LIKE GRAVY"
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:VHS Tape
How can anyone not be entertained by this film, any purist who can find holes to pick at in the production are well, just sad !! Bah Humbug to them.
The action that goes on in the background, like where Mrs Tweedy pinches Mr Tweedy's bottom in the scene where food rations are doubled, doubles me up every time, and the spatial sound (if you have a TV up to it) when Rocky and Ginger are in the oven never fails to make my kids jump, and the bit with Edwina , the first time my kids saw it you could cut the tension with a knife.
You can watch this film a dozen times, and get something new out of it each time. A good sucess indicator is, whenever I drop a CD/DVD into the player, Chicken Run is already in there
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By John
Format:DVD
I got this DVD for Christmas even though i have seen this film umpteen number of times. With most films i would hate it if i got it after watching it loads but no, it is very difficult to get bored of this film. There are funny little bits that sometimes you miss and then next time you will spot them and think 'Genious!' This film is now widely regarded as a classic and so it should be! It is great fun for all ages! The animation is fantastic, when you see films using animation this well you think what is the point in films using special effects! The models are fantastic and the voicing is apsolutely second to none! If you haven't seen this film either you're just born or WHAT PLANET HAVE YOU BEEN ON?!! The ending maybe isn't for vegetarians! A must see for all ages 9/10.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:VHS Tape
Chicken Run is a wild ride into the world of animation. The references to The Great Escape and Braveheart are pure genius. I loved this film and so does everyone I speak to.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Neil
Format:VHS Tape
As Stephen Spielberg said: 'They know how to make you care an awful lot about rubber chickens'.
Truly a classic with some mind-boggling animation and characterisation when you consider the disciplines of stop-motion animation.
Good fun for young and old.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By "donna5634"
Format:VHS Tape
not just for the kids a good laugh for all, and you don't even have to be a farmer to understand the goings on. We all know someone like a character from this film
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By J. M. Davies
Format:DVD
I just cannot believe anyone or their kids found this film boring or lacking in Aardman polish, how sad do you have to be to apply production standards to a film involving plasticine chickens? This film is brilliant and the one liners will stay in your mind for a long time. Ginger's stirring 'We can die free chickens or we can die trying' countered by Babs 'Are they the only choices' still makes me laugh, and I know it's coming. This is a film to suspend reality for and to enjoy for the sake of enjoyment. Forget the art critics and the kids with no sense of humour and buy this movie it's fabulous.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:VHS Tape
It was the film I wanted to see so much when it appeared in the cinema, being such a fan of Wallace and Gromit. I went to see it with a friend's daughter (aged 9) and we both had such a good time. It's touchy without being Disney-esque sentimental and it's funny without being Hollywood-ish over the top. And being able to watch it again at home was just fabulous!
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4.3 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
chicken run
My granddaughter really enjoyed this DVD and watches it frequently. The annimations in this piece of work is exceptionally good..
Published 5 days ago by Geraldine Hansome
4.0 out of 5 stars
Quality animation and great story line
Nick Park Aardman productions at his best. The pace and story line is fantastic for adults and children and the UK delivery was prompt and exactly as described
Published 1 month ago by Mr. David Yau
5.0 out of 5 stars
buy now
I bought this for my mate because she hadnt seen it.
I'm not keen on the new pirate film, its ok but i wont rush to watch it again for a while. Read more
I'm not keen on the new pirate film, its ok but i wont rush to watch it again for a while. Read more
Published 1 month ago by scatty
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cracking good film
First owned on VHS, now bought on DVD to enjoy again with children, and they love it as much as we do! Read more
Published 1 month ago by JEB
5.0 out of 5 stars
Eggcelent
The Great Escape given the Wallace and Gromit treatment well that's a fine combination if ever there was one. Glad to add it to my collection
Published 1 month ago by P G DAVIDSON
5.0 out of 5 stars
Chicken Run DVD
Arrived quickly and on time and was of a good quality.
A good film also.
Made an ideal present for a friend.
A good film also.
Made an ideal present for a friend.
Published 2 months ago by Emma Chadwick
5.0 out of 5 stars
DVD
I received the item very quickly and am very pleased. Would use again.
Excellent service and a good reliable company.
Excellent service and a good reliable company.
Published 2 months ago by Stanley Gilbert
5.0 out of 5 stars
Chickens
Lovely little film, great fun for all ages and if you need some light relieve of a cold wet afternoon.
Published 2 months ago by Jane
5.0 out of 5 stars
No problems
Chicken Run is one of my favorite films from aardman. I thought the product was going to be be shocking seems that it was fairly cheap, but i was wrong.
Published 3 months ago by MB523
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not for UK
I am in the UK I have to play this on my laptop or a universal DVD player, this information was not provided by the seller. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Alexis Lewis
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