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Creature Comforts

Creature Comforts

List Price: $9.99
Your Price: $9.99
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Outstanding example of stop-motion animation
Review: The filmmakers at Aardman are brilliant, and this is a fantastic collection of their work. While I'm disappointed that some of the previous reviewers seem to think that "if it's animated, it must be for children", I have to agree that this collection is not for the under-8 set. It is instead a collection of animated shorts for older children and adults that showcases Aarmdan's mastery of the always-difficult stop-motion form of animation. The stories are engaging, the characters are well-developed, and the craft is second to none. While it's disheartening to see that some parents plop their children down in front of any animated offering without previewing it for appropriateness (and waste no time complaining after the fact), the low scores previously offered shouldn't deter you from checking out this collection. It represents stop-motion animation at its best.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great for fans of "Chicken Run".....
Review: If you thought "Chicken Run" was incredibly hilarious and you love dry British humor, then "Creature Comforts" is the DVD for you. "Creature Comforts" is a hilarious short about the quirks of living in the zoo. The way the different animals banter about their situations is sure to make you laugh. It's a great short. The rest of the shorts on the DVD - "Wat's Pig", "Not Without My Handbag" and "Adam" - are also very humorous but not as much as "Creature Comforts". The DVD has zip in the Special Features department. I would have loved to have seen a documentary on the making of the short, commentary, test footage or any other assorted feature. But the DVD is worth $10 for "Creature Comforts" alone. Buy this DVD and enjoy it....

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: poor quality DVD
Review: While I regret having to give this such a low rating, I do it not because of the quality of the shorts themselves, but because of the quality of the DVD. The short movies are superb, and I recommend that you buy them on video. I ordered the DVD, and was appalled to find that it was of exceptionally poor quality. It did not run smoothly, was not sharp, and there were chunks missing from the picture. It is not my DVD player (it works fine for other DVDs), it was this DVD. Please save yourself a lot of trouble, and order the VHS instead.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Funny stuff
Review: Creature comforts was great. I love the little things that go on in the backround. Sometimes the dialogue was hard to understand, but that might be because of the "common" accents.

The second feature was much different, but still very good. I thought the animation was done well, and I really like the fact that the message was conveyed without words. I think that is really impressive. Well done.

I thought the last two animations were not as good as the first two. I know "not without my handbag" was simply not my style. I didnt like the premace, the devil bringing souls into hell, and I was not big on the more modern style of the characters. It reminded me a lot of beatle juice.

The final animation, Adam, was slightly boaring. it was quite humerous at parts, and some of the animation was incredable, like when adam is spining around the world. But overall, it wasnt as good as the first too. Still well animated though.

Creature comforts: 5 Wat's Pig: 5 Not without my handbag: 3 (mostly because I don't like the style. Technically, the animation was done well.) Adam: 4

Overall, a very entertaining collection. Worth the money for sure.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Not a video for the younger set...
Review: Being a "Wallace and Gromit" fan I recently bought this video, since Nick Park's first Oscar winner, "Creature Comforts," is featured. That 5 min skit focuses on interviews with claymation animals in a zoo about their impressions of zoo life. A creative and entertaining offering. It's easy to see why it was a winner. Younger children may not appreciate the extremely dry British humor of "Creature Comforts" though. It's still 5 stars in my book. "Creature Comforts" is, by the way, the only Nick Park offering on the tape.

The next offering, "Wat's Pig," is a nearly silent story of royalty, a stolen twin heir to the throne, and what happens to each of the twins as they grow. This is probably the piece that is most entertaining to viewers of all ages, though it lacks some of the fundamental charm of characters like "Wallace and Gromit." A 4 star offering in my book. Good but not fabulous.

The third offering, "Not Without My Handbag," is a dark claymation offering, featuring the devil who recruits new inhabitants of hell by having them sign incredibly complicated lease agreements for appliances. This is a rather grizzly flick that is not at all suitable for younger children (maybe younger than 10 yrs or so), even though it is filmed in a medium typically earmarked for them. The story is interesting, but I don't plan to watch it many if any more times. It probably does deserve some critical acclaim, but this is NOT a film for children...I can alreay hear the wailing from bad dreams in the middle of the night if my children were to watch it.

The fourth flick, "Adam," is a somewhat comical silent film depicting the creation of a being on a small planet. It does have some good sight gags, and Adam -- the main character -- has a personality that you soon get to know. I have to admit that I wasn't too jazzed to see that the animator chose to make Adam anatomically correct (though not overtly so). If that had not been the case, I would say that this film is fair game for the younger set. But, as it stands, we chose not to show this one to our kids either. It is, nevertheless, still an entertaining offering, especially as Adam interacts with his small planet.

I'd say that the first show is definitely 5 stars, while the others are in the 3.5 to 4 star range, for an overall rating of 4 stars for the entire tape.

This tape is best reserved for the adult claymation fan, rather than for viewing by younger children.

4 stars.

Alan Holyoak

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Get this video now, and don't fall for any cheap imitations!
Review: I absolutely love this video! The first short, Creature Comforts, is a documentary of sorts about animals in a zoo ('I need ze space...'). This is one of my favorites, as the animals are quite hilarious. My absolute favorite short ever is also on this video - Not Without My Handbag. One of the funniest I have ever seen, this short tells the story of a woman who is forced to give her soul to the devil after falling behind on washing mashine payments. A CLASSIC!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Not a moment of disappointment!
Review: Aardman animation has produced some of the best stop-frame, claymation adventures I've seen--ever. I'm an animation addict, so I know what I'm saying.

"Creature Comforts" is a bit different than some of Nick Park's other work. I'm sure you've heard of his newest adventure, "Chicken Run," and maybe you know about "Wallace & Gromit." All three of the W&G adventures are fantastic and if you do know of them, then you'll probably enjoy "Creature Comforts." The witty British humor can't be beat.

This video is a collection of four shorts. Each short has a feeling of its own and brings a different level of humor to the whole collection.

The first short is the namesake of this collection. "Creature Comforts" is a documentary, of sorts. The viewer gets an inside look at life in a London Zoo. The animals are so cute! Even the feces is crafted in a "cute" way (if you can say that about excrement). As the characters discuss their lives in the zoo they comment on what could be improved: the temperature, the food, and as the large cat says (with a notable Brazillian accent), "More space. We need more space." It is a funny short, but there is a deeper meaning if you care to look for it. It's played occasionally on Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon between commercials--keep your eyes peeled for it if you decide not to purchase this collection. You may like it.

The second short on the tape is called "Wat's Pig." This is a cute-sy story of twins separated at birth; one boy becomes the King and the other becomes a farmer. Wat is the farmer, but the question is...is he unlucky? Through the course of the adventure a viewer is entertained, but also is shown the lesson that power and money do not necessarily bring happiness. This one is not the best on the tape, but it is enjoyable and fine viewing for the whole family.

If you're still reading this review, I'd like to talk about the next short--it is the best on the tape! "Not Without My Handbag" is a wacko story of a lady being sent to hell because she did not make her washer payment on time. Some French/English tension that exists in the world is displayed in a comical way here. Aardman chose to portray the devil as a gluttonous Frenchman--the underwriter to the washer payment contract. Oh, it's quite funny and some of my favorite lines have come from this short, such as a complacently phrased: "My Auntie is a zombie from hell." This comes from the little girl pictured on the cover of the video (in the polka dot dress).

Although I often stop the tape once I've enjoyed the third short (can you tell it's my favorite?), the last film on this video seems to be an experiment in clay and creation. "Adam" is fairly simple. A male figure is created by live-action hands and wanders a small clay globe looking for something to do. The hands of god (the animator) play a dominant role as well. There's not too much to this short, but it is worth watching at least a couple of times.

Overall this video is filled with fun and laughter and meaning. "Not without my handbag" isn't for the small kids, but it certainly would entertain older children and your over-active inner child. If you liked W&G or "Chicken Run," then buy this collection--you won't be disappointed.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Too funny
Review: Nick Park is brilliant. I was first introduced to him through Creature Comforts. It makes for a great chuckle. Pay special attention to what the animals say and what is going on in the background of each interview. Very clever!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Quite entertaining
Review: Overall, I loved this film. I thought the differences between the shorts was also interesting. Though, I have to agree with one of the other reviewers, you may want to watch the film yourself (if you can!) before you watch it with the younger sets.

Creature Comforts: This was fun, but not really my favorite. I give it a 3 Wat's Pig: I thought this was adorable, no voices, but a prince raised by a pig! And a cute pig, too. Also, I felt the selfish, bratty prince always sneaking away from battle, finally not being able to sneak away for gardening was cute. A 5 Not Without My Handbag: Though for small children, the warranty stuff would go straight over their head and the skeleton could be creepy, I loved it. I've been quoting, much to the annoyance of my family, "My Auntie is a zombie from Hell" all darn day. What a creepy child, too. Wonderful. 5+ if I may. Adam: I enjoyed that so much... The Hand of God, ooo, I was tickled. I won't spoil the ending, but, lots of giggling. Another 5!

All in all, I very much recommend seeing this movie. You be the judge on whether a child you know will take the skeleton, war and whatnot well or not. But, I do say go and see it.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Scary! Not for Little Children!
Review: My two children (ages 4 & 6) LOVE Wallace and Gromit. After reading some of the reviews, we thought they would enjoy this. Not a chance. "Creature Comforts" (the only Nick Parks animation on the video) went way over their heads. "Wad's Pig" was about the horrors of war, and "Not Without My Pocketbook" left them with bad dreams for a month. For adults, it's cute, 3-4 stars, for small kids, 0 stars and this warning! If you want something the whole family will enjoy over and over again, buy the Wallace & Gromit three pack.


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