Chicken Run
USA/UK 2000
Reviewed by Kim Newman
Synopsis
Our synopses give away the plot in full, including surprise twists.
Tweedy's Chicken Farm, somewhere in England, the 50s. Ginger, a hen, plans a series of escape attempts. Despite foiling all of these planned breakouts, the farmer Mr Tweedy is unable to convince his wife that the chickens are organised. Rocky, a rooster who has escaped from a circus, seems to fly into the farm. Ginger enlists his reluctant aid in teaching the chickens how to fly. Mrs Tweedy, tired of low-profit egg farming, orders a new machine which kills chickens to produce ready-made pies. After installing it in the barn, Mr Tweedy singles out Ginger to test the machine. During his rescue attempt, Rocky unwittingly joins Ginger inside the contraption. Before sabotaging the device and breaking free of it, Ginger and Rocky realise that all the farm's chickens are slated for slaughter.
Despite winning the admiration of the chickens, Rocky slips away at night, leaving behind proof he was only able to fly when shot out of a cannon. Ginger calls on Fowler, an aged cockerel who is always reminiscing about his wartime experience, to supervise the construction of an ornithopter out of odds and ends scavenged by rats Fetcher and Nick. Having fixed the pie machine, the Tweedys chance upon the chickens as they prepare for their escape bid; the chickens take to the ornithopter. With the help of Rocky - who unexpectedly returns to the farm - the chickens fly over the farm's fence, dropping Mrs Tweedy, who has been hanging on since the machine took off, and settle in a bird sanctuary.
Review
The high concept behind Chicken Run is that it is a prisoner-of-war film featuring grimacing plasticine chickens in place of Richard Attenborough, John Mills or any other persistent screen escapee from Colditz or Stalag 17. To underline this, there are enormously pleasurable quotes from John Sturges' The Great Escape (1962), the only POW film liable to be familiar to an international audience. After each failed escape attempt, Ginger, the mastermind behind the chicken's plans, is confined to a coal bunker where she bounces a Brussels sprout just as "cooler king" Steve McQueen did a baseball in solitary confinement. The finale of the film also sees a tricycling Rocky, a rooster, pull off (albeit in reverse) the wire-jumping motorcycle stunt that was McQueen's finest moment in The Great Escape.
From the hoary but still-fresh experiences of World War II which the cockerel Fowler recounts to the snatches of early rock 'n' roll ('Flip, Flop and Fly') on the wireless, Chicken Run would seem to be set sometime in the 50s. Not only does this make for some lovely period touches (a Toblerone carton is used for a "chocs away" gag), but the setting allows directors Nick Park and Peter Lord - both leading figures in Aardman, the Bristol-based animation company behind Chicken Run - to play on the fact that an oppressive farm from that time, with its barbed chicken wire and neat rows of wooden huts, bears some resemblance to a movie stalag. Thankfully, they avoid any direct references to modern battery farms, which if transplanted to Aardman-land might seem more like extermination camps than rough-and-ready POW enclosures. This said, the film isn't without its darker moments, notably a post-Babe touch of cruelty when Mrs Tweedy uses a chopper to dispose of an unproductive hen.
The chickens' construction of a homemade flying machine has a precedent in an episode of the 70s television series Colditz where prisoners cobbled together a glider from found materials (which itself echoes a true historical incident). In Chicken Run, the aircraft knocked together by the inmates is a delightful combination of slave galley and airliner with lazily flapping wings. It's tempting here to detect the influence of such film fantasists as Karel Zeman or Terry Gilliam. But the flying machine has a more immediate stylistic predecessor in the elaborate contraptions which featured in co-director Park's award-winning Wallace and Gromit short films. Though the characters in Chicken Run are well defined and have their share of memorable moments, no cast members quite match up to Wallace and Gromit's inspired inventor-dog double-act. The added length of a feature doesn't help: some of the minor players - wartime bore Fowler, aggressive hen Bunty - are one-joke creations who repeat their shtick two or three times with little development and diminishing effect.
Pitched almost as a UK answer to Toy Story, Chicken Run offers a specific British setting (albeit with an American guest star) and employs animation techniques which are (ostensibly) as old-fashioned and hand-crafted as Toy Story's CGI
imagery is high-tech and virtual. Like Toy Story, the tale hinges on bickering between two characters, replacing the past/future opposition of Woody and Buzz with the Brit/Yank opposition of Ginger and Rocky. Ginger, voiced with spirit by Julia Sawalha, is a British escape-film officer incarnate, not satisfied unless the whole prison population can head for freedom, while Rocky, drawled to near-creepy perfection by Mel Gibson, is the hollow blowhard hero who pulls through in the end.
The voice casting - including instantly recognisable turns from Jane Horrocks as the chicken with an obsession with holidays and Timothy Spall and Phil Daniels as wide-boy rats who object to being paid "chicken-feed" - is spot-on. But it's the model work and animation that make these creatures so vivid. With wide eyes and broad grins (hen's teeth are not rare hereabouts) the poultry cast are capable of an extraordinary range of expression, especially during the sad or mildly scary scenes.
Taking a sequence almost at random and breaking it down to its components, you realise just how much physical and emotional texture Park and Lord have worked into crafting their film's seemingly effortless charm. (As with the best children's movies, which are likely to be viewed over again on video by their young audiences, Chicken Run rewards repeated viewings.) The scene in which Ginger discovers the truth about Rocky, for instance, features an inspired narrative device as she joins together two halves of a poster that reveal the rooster can only fly by being shot from a cannon. It's a small masterpiece of cinematic storytelling: as tear-like animated raindrops fall all around, a thunderclap erupts in the distance, acting as a literal burst of understanding and an imagined, mocking echo of Rocky's impression of flight.
Credits
- Directors
- Peter Lord
- Nick Park
- Producers
- Peter Lord
- David Sproxton
- Nick Park
- Screenplay
- Karey Kirkpatrick
- Based on an original story by
- Nick Park
- Peter Lord
- Supervising Director of Photography
- Dave Alex Riddett
- Editors
- Mark Solomon
- Robert Francis
- Tamsin Parry
- Production Designer
- Phil Lewis
- Music
- John Powell
- Harry Gregson-Williams
- ©DreamWorks LLC/Aardman Chicken Limited/Pathé Image
- Production Companies
- DreamWorks Pictures in association with Pathé presents an Aardman production
- Executive Producers
- Jake Eberts
- Jeffrey Katzenberg
- Michael Rose
- Line Producer
- Carla Shelley
- Associate Producer
- Lenny Young
- Production Manager
- Harry Linden
- Post-production
- Supervisor:
- Mike Solinger
- Executive:
- James Beshears
- Assistant Directors
- Fred De Bradeny
- Robert Hurley
- Rich Priestley
- Will Norie
- Additional:
- Tony Tyrer
- Lisa Butler
- 2nd Unit:
- Merriel Waggoner
- Story/Continuity
- Supervisor:
- Bridget Mazzey
- Co-ordinators:
- Tara Cunningham
- Timothy Hogg
- Casting
- Patsy Pollock
- Casting
- ADR Voice:
- Brendan Donnison
- Lyps Inc
- Storyboard Supervisor
- David Bowers
- Storyboard Artist
- Michael Salter
- Additional Storyboard Artists
- Martin Asbury
- Réjean Bourdages
- Dan Lane
- David Soren
- Script Collaborator
- Pete Atkin
- Additional Dialogue
- Mark Burton
- John O'Farrell
- Additional Story
- Kelly Asbury
- Cody Cameron
- Randy Cartwright
- Brenda Chapman
- Jurgen Gross
- Vicki Jenson
- Robert Koo
- Serguei Kouchnerov
- Damien Neary
- Simon Wells
- Catherine Yuh
- Directors of Photography
- Tristan Oliver
- Frank Passingham
- Lighting Cameramen
- Simon Jacobs
- Andy Mack
- Paul Smith
- Digital Visual Effects
- Computer Film Company
- CG Artist
- Steve Blake
- Model Production Designer
- Jan Sanger
- Model Making
- Model Department Production Manager:
- Lizzie Spivey
- Deputy Production Designer:
- Anne King
- Design Team Supervisors:
- Kate Anderson
- Virginia Mason
- Paint Design Supervisor:
- Polly Holland
- Mould Making Supervisor:
- Robert Horvath
- Multiples Supervisor:
- Graham G. Maiden
- Armature Design Supervisor:
- Simon Peeke
- Senior Costume Designer:
- Sally Taylor
- Design Team Leaders:
- Claire Drewett
- Harriet Thomas
- Sculptors:
- Linda Langley
- Lisa Newport
- Model Makers:
- Gill Bliss
- Allan Burne
- Gavin Jones
- Diane Holness
- Grant MacDonald
- Lee Wilton
- Kevin Wright
- Additional Model Makers:
- John Craney
- Mick Hockney
- Foam Technician:
- Elinor Weston
- Mouth/Beak Replacement Co-ordinator:
- James Moore
- Costumes:
- Shane Dalmedo
- Nicola O'Tooley
- Jane Whittaker
- Senior Armature Designer:
- Kevin 'Baby' Scillitoe
- Armature Designers:
- Andrew 'Bloxy' Bloxham
- Jon Frier
- David Pedley
- Mould Makers:
- 'Slick' Jim Connolly
- Matt Pilston
- Press Mould Co-ordinator:
- Helen Schell
- Press Moulders:
- Alison Evans
- Marguerite 'Mog' Fry
- Tina Klemmensen
- James Parkyn
- Multiples Modelmakers:
- Gideon Bohannon
- Michael Hares
- Claudia Hecht
- Nigel Leach
- Jemma Proctor
- Mark Waters
- Liz Watt
- Puppet Co-ordinator:
- Sheila Clarkson
- Puppet Maintenance Co-ordinator:
- Rebecca Levine
- Puppet Wrangler:
- Kate Wadsworth
- Graphic Artists
- John Davey
- Alastair Green
- Joanne Smith
- Supervising Animator
- Loyd Price
- Key Animators
- Dave Osmond
- Merlin Crossingham
- Sergio Delfino
- Suzy Fagan
- Guionne Leroy
- Darren Robbie
- Jason Spencer-Galsworthy
- Jay Grace
- Seamus Malone
- Ian Whitlock
- Additional:
- Teresa Drilling
- Jeff Newitt
- Christopher Sadler
- Steve Box
- Tom Gasek
- Animators
- Will Hodge
- John Pinfield
- Andy Symanowski
- Douglas Calder
- Stefano Cassini
- Additional:
- Terry Brain
- Gary Cureton
- Mike Cottee
- Michael Cash
- Martin Davis
- Additional Animation
- Mike Booth
- Tobias Fouracre
- Layout/Visualisation
- Darren Dubicki
- Motion Control Operators
- Linda Hamblyn
- Willy Jason Marshall
- Associate Editor
- Angharad Owen
- Additional Editing
- Vicki Hiatt
- Additional Production Designer
- Roger Hall
- Art Director
- Tim Farrington
- Additional Art Director
- Rosalind Shingleton
- Props Supervisor
- Jane Kite
- Sets/Props
- Farrington Lewis
- Set Production Supervisor:
- Jon Minchin
- Set Supervisor/Lead Engineer:
- Jak Goodyear
- Set Production Co-ordinator:
- Libby Watson
- Team Leader Sets/
Pie Machine: - Mike Applebee
- Team Leader Sets/Flying Machine:
- John Pealing
- Team Leader, Pie Machine:
- Roddy MacDonald
- Lead Engineer, Pie Machine:
- Mark Plenderleith
- Team Leaders, Model/Props:
- Cathy Price
- Jo Weeks
- Fabricators:
- Mike Bass
- Andy Brown
- Anthony Gould
- Mike Gould
- Mark Gunning
- Mathew Healey
- Patrick McGrath
- Jes Par
- Martin Rolfe
- John Smith
- Spray Shop:
- Terry Hathway
- Modelmakers:
- Craig Atkinson
- Claire Baker
- Georgie Everard
- Nancy Jones
- Duncan Miller
- Damien Neary
- Lesley Osbourne
- Bridget Phelan
- Gavin Richards
- Ed Sams
- Clay Saunders
- Lisa Scantlebury
- John Smith
- Richard Webber
- Kathryn Williams
- Ruth Wynne
- Pie Machine/
Flying Machine - Farrington Lewis
- Additional Specialist Props/
Vehicles/Multiple Armatures - Jeff Cliff Model Making Nikki Armstrong
- Lincoln Grove
- Nick Hudson
- Emma Jay
- Robert Jose
- John Wright Modelmaking
- Richard Andrew
- Steven Elford
- Georgie Everard
- Kenny Monger
- Adrian Sims
- Dave Weaver
- Roger Whiter
- Ann Wright
- Title Design
- Picture Mill
- Film Opticals
- Cine Image
- Additional Music
- Steve Jablonsky
- James McKee Smith
- Geoff Zanelli
- Orchestrations
- Bruce Fowler
- Harry Kim
- Music Supervisor
- Marylata E. Jacob
- Supervising Music Editor
- Richard Whitfield
- Score Recorder/Mixer
- Nick Wollage
- Soundtrack
- "Ave Maria" - Gracie Fields; "Flip Flop and Fly" - Ellis Hall;
- "The Wanderer" - Dion; "Over the Waves"; "Barwick Green".
- Dance Consultants
- Jesse Newton
- Ann Peskett
- Graham Puckett
- Katherine Wyatt
- Additional Recording
- Alan Meyerson
- Re-recording Mixers
- Adrian Rhodes
- Additional:
- Mike Prestwood Smith
- Supervising Sound Editors
- Graham Headicar
- James Mather
- Dialogue Editor
- Tim Hands
- Sound Effects Editors
- Danny Hambrook
- Graham Headicar
- Foley
- Artists:
- Diane Greaves
- Ben Jones
- Jack Stew
- Recording Mixer:
- Ted Swanscott
- Editor:
- James Mather
- Technical Director
- Tom Barnes
- Voice Cast
- Phil Daniels
- Fetcher
- Lynn Ferguson
- Mac
- Mel Gibson
- Rocky
- Tony Haygarth
- Mr Tweedy
- Jane Horrocks
- Babs
- Miranda Richardson
- Mrs Tweedy
- Julia Sawalha
- Ginger
- Timothy Spall
- Nick
- Imelda Staunton
- Bunty
- Benjamin Whitrow
- Fowler
- John Sharian
- circus man
- Jo Allen
- Lisa Kay
- Laura Strachan
- additional chickens
- Certificate
- U
- Distributor
- Pathé Distribution
- 7,980 feet
- 84 minutes 14 seconds
- Dolby Digital Surround EX/
DTS/SDDS - In Colour