Wallace & Gromit's Cracking Contraptions

Wallace has his many inventions. He also has his best friend-dog Gromit. His many contraptions often end up cracked.

It is ten short episodes in total, each about three minutes long. It doesn't seem to have been shown individually which is what I expected. Even together, they are only twenty four minutes in total. They do blend together which is a problem. One should really savor each short individually. For those who love Aardman Animations, there is nothing better. That's me. I love these guys and their imaginative work. Of course, it is time-intensive work which probably led them to make shorts.

I've always gotten a kick out of Wallace's inventions to this collection of 10 two-minute "shorts" was great fun for me. Each one is about a different invention. Most of them, if not all, had flaws but they also worked pretty darn well, too. Regardless, all of them were fun. I laughed at things I saw in all 10 of them.

Not only was the humor outstanding but the DVD picture was great, too, and I used the subtitles to further enjoy listening to the many British expressions our Mad Inventor uses. I just loved everything about this.

Apparently, many of these little stories were made before these two animated characters became famous, first in Britain and now worldwide.

I wouldn't know where the start in picking out my favorites but the first one, with Gromit showing his goaltender skills, was tough to beat. In all of these, Wallace's comments and Gromit's expressions are priceless.

If you own the "Wallace & Gromit Three Major Adventures" DVD, don't pass up these bonus feature.

This is a series of little sketches that feature Wallace testing out a series of new inventions. Naturally, they pretty much always go wrong in one way or another.

For what they are, they are amusing enough. Brief set up... silly nonsense... end. Not much more to it.

It is always nice to see Wallace and Gromit as they have actually got surprisingly few films given how long they have been around. But... due to the incredibly short length, these shorts just don't hold a candle to any of the longer projects.

Obviously, there is no time to build up any emotion... the jokes are swift... the background gags are minimal. Everything that you would expect from Wallace & Gromit is there... just significantly less than normal.

I recently rewatched "Wallace and Gromit: Cracking Contraptions," and I have to say, it's a fantastic little gem! From the moment it starts, you're drawn into the charming world of Wallace and his clever dog, Gromit. Each episode showcases Wallace's quirky inventions, which often go hilariously awry.

The animation is top-notch, as always, with that distinctive claymation style that makes everything feel warm and inviting. The humor is clever and family-friendly, making it enjoyable for viewers of all ages. I found myself chuckling at the clever gags and the priceless expressions on Gromit's face.

What I love most is how the episodes are short and sweet, perfect for a quick watch whenever you need a pick-me-up. The creativity in the contraptions themselves is impressive - you can't help but appreciate the imagination behind each one.

Overall, I'd give "Cracking Contraptions" a solid 10 out of 10. It's a delightful experience that never fails to put a smile on my face. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend giving it a go!

In a series of very short films, Wallace the inventor demonstrates his newest inventions to his faithful dog Gromit. Some are useful but more often than not they cause more trouble than they're worth. Trouble that usually has to be remedied by Gromit.

Who doesn't like W&G? For at least three Christmas times on the BBC we had a new 30 minute film from them that was always wonderful but now I understand they are working on a full length film they haven't been making them for the BBC anymore. Happily Christmas 2002 was different as they made a series of very short (3 minutes generally) films to be shown randomly throughout the BBC1 schedule. I wasn't able to see all of them but saw a few.

Generally they are clever, witty and to the point - a western-style stand-off between a cracker hoover and Gromit was a nice touch, and there are other examples in each short or their unique touches. It's always pleasing to hear Sallis as Gromit - I enjoy Last of the Summer Wine and Wallace just reminds me so much of Sallis' character in that.

I don't know where you are able to see these shorts. I suspect they will be made into a 30 minute video for sale or will turn up as extras on the DVD of the feature length movie at a later stage. By themselves they are just about worth trying to find - but at 3 minutes they'll be tricky. However spread over the Christmas schedule these were quite refreshing little treats.