The Wrong Trousers - A Movie Review

It’s the wrong trousers! We’ve got to stop them before it’s too late!

The Wrong Trousers was released in 1993. A new guest arrives in Wallace and Gromit’s home. Gromit is suspicious of this mysterious penguin. Wallace invents a pair of robotic trousers which is transformed from giving Gromit walks into something more drastic.

I have learned to appreciate Wallace and Gromit more and more as an adult. The Wrong Trousers is an exciting adventure. We cannot view movies just once. The Wrong Trousers is another example of what filmmakers can do in the world of clay animation.

Wallace and Gromit are a quirky duo. I like their dynamic. Wallace loves inventing while Gromit likes to look out for Wallace. As a dog, it’s his duty. They’ve had their share of wacky adventures. Upon my most recent watch of all the shorts, The Wrong Trousers made me think about their friendship.

For a voiceless character, Gromit has a lot of depth. He makes a pivotal decision in this short. Feeling left out due to the penguin overtaking the house and his chores, he decides to leave. Unless this is a situation that has triggered a memory from his backstory, it’s something to think about.

Feathers McGraw is a mysterious character. Being voiceless does not stop him from being ruthless. He has now become an iconic villain. Don’t ever mess with him based on his appearance.

You don’t have to tell viewers all details. In fact, it’s a better way for viewers to express their own opinions and theories. Nick Park ingeniously embarked on this element with each short. His imagination is to be admired. Running into some creative blocks, Park did not do this short alone. No matter how silly they are, Park tests out every idea.

I like Park’s technique with comedy. Putting in cleverly hidden references to books, newspaper headings, or films, it’s fun to pay attention to background moments. Pay attention to all the exhibits in the museum. Background moments are so important.

It took 15 months to make The Wrong Trousers. The animation is a vast contrast to A Grand Day Out. It just goes to show that with practice, you will get better. It’s surreal what you can do with clay.

My favorite sequence was the museum. Finding the right suspenseful tone, Park worked hard on this sequence. Did you know that the museum was the biggest set used for the film? As I kid, I used to sit upside down and watch this scene.

Now, onto my favorite scene of the entire short. The train sequence is incredible! So much happens in this scene that I once watched in slo-mo because there’s a lot you can miss. I cannot stop thinking about all the hard work that went into this sequence.

The train chase scene inspired many action scenes. In fact, this scene inspired the climax of Toy Story, another favorite film of mine. Gaining the right atmosphere, The Wrong Trousers had a tremendous appeal to audiences. It won an award for Best Animated Short.

Aside from the animation, a hand goes out to Julian Knotts for his riveting soundtrack. Some of his inspiration came from Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. Knotts wants the music to be thrilling as it could to catch viewers. It worked. I used to hum along to the theme music.

Watch Wallace and Gromit if you have not seen any of the shorts. Even as a kid I sat forward in my seat. Wallace and Gromit will always be a part of my childhood.