The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
From Wallace and Gromit Wiki
| The Curse of the Were-Rabbit | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Nick Park Steve Box |
| Written by | Nick Park Bob Baker Steve Box Mark Burton |
| Distributed by | DreamWorks Animation Aardman Animations |
| Release date | 2005 |
| Running time | 85 min. |
| Preceded by | Cracking Contraptions (2002) |
| Followed by | A Matter of Loaf and Death (2008) |
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (formerly Wallace and Gromit and the Great Vegetable Plot) is a 2005 Academy Award-winning animated film staring Wallace and Gromit. The film was the first feature-length Wallace and Gromit film. It was produced by DreamWorks Animation and Aardman Animations, and released by DreamWorks Pictures. The film was directed by Nick Park and Steve Box.
[edit] Plot
The annual Giant Vegetable Competition is approaching. The winner of the competition will win the Golden Carrot Award. All are eager to protect their giant crops from damage and thievery by rabbits until the contest, and Wallace and Gromit are cashing in by running a vegetable security and humane pest control business, "Anti-Pesto".
However, they are faced with two problems: the first is Wallace's weight problem and the second is the space for the captured rabbits. Wallace comes up with an idea — use his Mind Manipulation-O-Matic machine to brainwash the rabbits, allowing them to run freely without harming everyone's gardens. While performing the operation, he kicks the switch and something goes terribly wrong, leaving them with a semi-intelligent rabbit who starts to behave like Wallace (down to his fondness for cheese) and whom Wallace names "Hutch". Soon the town is threatened by the "Were-Rabbit", a giant rabbit-like monster which eats vegetables of any size. Anti-Pesto enters into a rivalry with Lord Victor Quartermaine to capture the Were-Rabbit.
After a fully hectic nighttime chase, Gromit discovers that the Were-Rabbit is, in fact, Wallace, suffering from the effects of the accident with the Mind Manipulation-O-Matic. Victor corners Wallace during the night, jealous of Lady Tottington's growing fondness for him because of his humane practice of pest control (whereas Victor thinks it's more effective to shoot and kill them). But then Wallace falls into the path of moonlight and transforms. Victor, having identified the rabbit, goes to Reverend Clement Hedges and gains access to "24-carrot" gold bullets - supposedly, the only things capable of killing a Were-Rabbit.
During the final showdown, Victor and his dog Phillip capture Gromit, who subsequently escapes and decides to make the ultimate sacrifice by using the marrow he had been growing for the competition as bait for Wallace who, in his rabbit form, has burst in upon the vegetable contest, causing panic. Victor tries to shoot what is apparently the monster - but Gromit is one step ahead of him. Yet the marrow cannot keep Wallace's attention as Victor tries to take the golden carrot award from a distressed Lady Tottington. Wallace ascends to the rooftops, holding a screaming Lady Tottington in his hand. Discovering his identity, she promises to protect him, only to be interrupted by Victor. Meanwhile, in a mid-air dogfight in toy airplanes, Phillip chases after Gromit. Gromit forces his foe out of the air in a fiery crash and explosion - but Phillip manages to hold on to Gromit's plane and the two grapple (in one segment, when the plane runs out of coins, Gromit hands the axe to Philip and counts his money. Philip grows tired and hands the axe back to Gromit and pulls out a purse with a flower design, finds a penny and inserts in into the slot. The fight rages on and in the end, Gromit releases Philip, ironically, throught the bomb doors and into a bouncy castle.
Atop Tottington Hall, Gromit's toy biplane circles Wallace, who clings onto the flagpole at the top of the building for dear life. Victor fires a shot, but Wallace is saved when Gromit's plane falls into the path of the trophy improvised as a bullet by Victor. The engine in Gromit's plane fails and begins to descend rapidly. Wallace jumps from the flagpole and catches the plane, thereby breaking Gromit's fall into the cheese tent below. Victor gloats, but is knocked unconscious by Lady Tottington, using a giant carrot. He falls into the tent too, where Wallace lies unconscious and seemingly dying of his injuries. To protect Wallace from the angry mob outside, Gromit dresses Victor up as the monster (a costume he used earlier as a lure for the Were-Rabbit), and throws him out of the tent. The angry mob chase Victor away.
Gromit and Tottington tend to Wallace, who seconds later, breathes his last, and morphs back into his human form. Gromit, the rabbits, and Lady Tottington are saddened by their loss, but Gromit is able to revive Wallace with a slice of Stinking Bishop cheese. Gromit, for his bravery, is awarded the (now somewhat battered) competition trophy, and Lady Tottington turns Tottington Hall into a wildlife refuge, where all the rabbits, including Hutch, can live in peace.
