A Matter of Loaf and Death

Plot synopsis:
Baker Bob is murdered by an unseen assailant that he recognises; he is the latest of twelve local bakers to be killed. Meanwhile, Wallace and Gromit are running a "Dough to Door" delivery service from their bakery "Top Bun". While out delivering, the duo encounter Piella Bakewell, a former pin-up girl mascot for the Bake-O-Lite bread company, and her miniature poodle, Fluffles. The brakes on her bicycle appear to have failed as she careers down a hill and into the local zoo. They narrowly save her from crashing into the crocodile enclosure. Gromit becomes suspicious after testing the bicycle brakes and noticing that they work perfectly fine, but Wallace is smitten with Piella.
A whirlwind romance ensues. Gromit quickly comes to resent Piella for her demanding and controlling relationship with Wallace and insistence on decorating the house (including Gromit's room). He does however befriend Fluffles, realising that she has been poorly treated by Piella. When Piella leaves her purse at the house, Wallace asks Gromit to return it. Upon arriving at Piella's affluent mansion, Gromit discovers photographs of Piella with the twelve murdered bakers. To his horror, Gromit deduces that Piella is the "Cereal Killer" as he discovers a picture with Wallace as her apparent intended thirteenth victim, thus completing a "baker's dozen". Gromit escapes the house after narrowly avoiding Piella.
As Wallace remains oblivious to the danger he's in, Gromit attempts to thwart Piella by installing an airport-style metal detector in their home, locking all their knives in the garden shed, and checking the soup she had brought with her for poison. Piella tricks Wallace into thinking that Gromit bit her and persuades him to chain Gromit up. She then almost succeeds at pushing Wallace to his death, but she is thwarted by a swinging bag of flour from Wallace's dough-mixing contraption. After being struck down and covered flour, Piella snaps into an angry outburst against bakers, then leaves. The following day, she returns to apologise with a large cake, and they agree to share it at a four o'clock tea. When Piella is leaving to attend to the absent Fluffles (who is "not well"), she says he will be getting a surprise. A worried Gromit follows her home only to be caught and imprisoned with Fluffles in a storeroom. Escaping in Piella's old Bake-O-Lite hot air balloon, they arrive at Wallace's house as he is lighting the candle.
After a struggle, the cake falls to the floor and a bomb inside is revealed. While attempting to dispose of the bomb (pastiching a well-known scene from the 1966 film Batman), Wallace and Gromit are attacked by Piella, who confirms her murderous identity to the duo and reveals the reason for her hatred of bakers – she blames them for ruining her figure, and resents losing her job as the Bake-O-Lite girl after her obesity made her too heavy to ride the hot air balloon. While attempting to finish off Wallace, a battle ensues between Piella and Fluffles in a yellow forklift truck covered by giant oven mitts (pastiching the climactic power-loader fight in Aliens).
In the chaos, the bomb ends up in the back of Wallace's trousers. Gromit and Fluffles neutralise the explosion using a large amount of dough while Piella uses the distraction to leap onto her balloon and escape. However, owing to her weight, the balloon crashes into the crocodile pit at the zoo where she is eaten alive (off-screen). Distraught by the death of her owner, Fluffles leaves, with both Wallace and Gromit depressed over their losses. Deciding to take their minds off things, they head out to deliver bread and find Fluffles standing in the driveway. She joins them in the van and the three drive off into the sunset.

Tags: comedy, murder, insanity, psychedelic, humor, romantic, entertaining

Review:
The romance begins while Gromit smells a rat.The Wallace & Gromit films are mostly famous for the couple of big Christmas episodes they did that made them famous across the world and I was fine with the BBC holding this special back till Christmas Day because it did seem like their natural home.
Nick Park's favourite creations Wallace and Grommit are back for another short feature, and 'A Matter of Loaf and Death' will appeal to all who loved the earlier stories.
Perhaps the duo's latest outing lacks some of the freshness of their original appearances; but the detail of Park's gentle parodies of a certain vision of Englishness is as loving and humorous as ever, and the claymation approach saves the film from the curse of excess speed that mars much computer-generated animation.
This was the first Wallace & Gromit short to be made after the big world wide theatrical release and success of the full length animated movie "Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit".
"Wallace and Gromit in 'A Matter of Loaf and Death'" however does what all other previous Wallace & Gromit shorts had also already done in the past and that is to bring some cracking and good looking simple entertainment.It's probably not as hilarious to watch as the previous Wallace & Gromit shorts but the movie is nevertheless entertaining and of course impressive as well to look at.
The animations and possibilities have all advanced, which provides "Wallace and Gromit in 'A Matter of Loaf and Death'" with some even more impressive looking sequences.The movie is probably less hilarious to watch because of its story.
Nick Park seems far removed from Dahl, but the truth is the dark has always been there, it's just people haven't bothered to look.Matter Of Loaf And Death was great BECAUSE it pushed the boundaries.
They warm to each other and romance starts to blossom-but Gromit, wary as ever (what with past experience!) suspects she's trouble, and what with the spate of serial killings involving local bakers that's been going on lately, maybe he's onto something.After the success of 2005's film version The Curse of the Were Rabbit, Nick Park's plasticine heroes have become popular again and got enough publicity for a timely new episode last Christmas, that for one reason or another I didn't get to see all the way through.
But now I have, and while the technical animation never ceases to impress me, it's now becoming quite clear that in my mind, Park'll never make as great an episode as The Wrong Trousers.The serial killing theme of this new story might have been a bit too dark and adult to feature in a family film, but one of the trademarks of the franchise, the cheesy puns, are in abundance, from vinyl records Gromit owns by artists like Doggy Osmond and McFlea (as well as The Hound of Music!), to other clever (but not very subtle!) touches like advertisements for flights by Cheesy Jet. The stories in most of the short films revolve around Wallace warming to someone (or something) he's just met and Gromit suspecting (and being proved right!) that they're up to no good, and this is no exception but most of it is carried off with such technical expertise it's a minor quibble.There's nothing really wrong here, it's just that nothing has (and I doubt ever will) live up to the standard of The Wrong Trousers for me.
Nonetheless, it was enjoyable enough and the animation, as always with Wallace and Gromit and with Aardman was top-notch which is great considering the fact that A Matter of Loaf and Death had the shortest production time for any Wallace and Gromit short so far.It'll please the kids, that's for sure.
The story lacked the usual quirky charm of Wallace and Gromit but it still pretty much worked.
As a fan of the original three 'Wallace and Gromit' short films I was pleased to hear that there would be a fourth outing for the duo.
Much of the film seems to jump from one scenario to the next, never giving the story time to build up, as so wonderfully demonstrated in 'The Wrong Trousers'.Secondly, there seemed to be far greater use of music this time round, but rather than setting the mood, it seemed too 'obvious' in places, and merely felt forced, and comic in nature.
This time the Rube Goldberg-style inventor and his silent but faithful dog have converted their house into a bread factory, and Wallace falls for a woman who used to be the spokeswoman for a bread company...all amid a series of murders of bakers.As always, there's a lot of pop culture references and clever camera angles.
I've liked everything that Nick Park has directed (along with the Wallace and Gromit series, he also did "Creature Comforts" and "Chicken Run"), and "Wallace and Gromit in 'A Matter of Loaf and Death'" is no exception.
This Oscar nominated short animated film is about Wallace falling in love with someone he should not have.
In "Wallace and Gromit in A Matter of Loaf and Death" , the clay figures are well made, cute, have characters of their own and magically conveys a plethora of emotions and feelings.
FGP has been seen more times in Norwegian cinemas than there are Norwegians in Norway through the years, and that should say something...OK, Wallace and Gromit; The creator Nick Park has hit the spot for me when it comes to animations, and that's final, today.
Great stop motion animation and a quite good script.It's not the best Wallace and Gromit movie, but considering the quality, I can't give it less than 9 of 10 stars.
Even my favorite animation movie Flåklypa Grand Prix (Pinchcliffe Grand Prix) is passed by Nick Parks work, I am SAD to say.I REALLY hope that this kind of quality and humor is preserved in the future, including the good looking production (vivid and dynamic colors).
That sounds a bit harsh..." These were my thoughts a few days ago when I heard that there was a new Wallace & Gromit film coming out.
Unlike the first two adventures this short film wasn't suited for small children at all.A Grand Day Out was a very nice and innocent piece of animation.
However nicely it may have been animated I can't bring myself to like A Matter of Loaf and Death.Don't get me wrong.
What I don't like is that Wallace and Gromit films are marketed at an audience of all ages while they clearly aren't suitable for the smallest children anymore.
A Matter of Loaf and Death is just not a cute little film, and if the target is to watch a psychopath killer story, I prefer The Silence of the Lambs any day.(PS.
A cereal killer is targeting bakers, and Wallace, now proprietor of 'Top Buns', a windmill-powered automatic bakery, may be the next victim, but he's too smitten with lovely but kneady Piella Bakewell, the ex-Bake-o-Lite bread girl, to heed Gromit's warnings.
adventures, the story is fun, the voice talent great (sadly Peter Sallis' final performance as Wallace), and the climax suitably climatic.
Having gone all Hollywood on us it was a surprise to see Wallace and Gromit back on the small screen with this 30 minute short (which sounds harsh considering the years that goes into making them) for Christmas 2008.It's great fun from start to finish.
Loads of lovely verbal jokes, as well as the classic Aardman style of visual jokes you only see on second viewing.Peter Sallis is as ever the perfect voice for Wallace, and is much missed.The bar is set pretty high where Wallace and Gromit are concerned, and while I don't think this short is up there with 'A Close Shave' or 'The Wrong Trousers' it's certain good fun..
"A Matter of Loaf and Death" Doesn't Quite Live Up to the Expectations of Wallace and Gromit, but is a Charming Short Nonetheless.
Wallace and Gromit's latest short film, Nick Park's "A Matter of Loaf and Death", is a charming new tale of the eccentric inventor and his brilliant and trusty canine companion, though it just doesn't quite measure up to the previous efforts, both short and feature length.Wallace and Gromit are now spending their time in the world of baking, owning the popular and busy "Top Bun" bakery which is built into their home.
But Gromit is concerned that Wallace's new love may be the infamous murderer whom is killing bakers all around the city.And so, their new adventure begins.The film is full of heart and humor, like the other outings (including their shots "A Grand Day Out", "A Close Shave" and "The Wrong Trousers", as well as their feature-length venture "Cure of the Were-Rabbit"), but there are some major issues holding it back in the end.For one, the humor is much more "American" and mainstream.
Even the climax, which is usually magnificent (think about the amazing chase from "Wrong Trousers" and over-the-top action of "A Close Shave"), is a bit "blah" this time around.Finally, the film is actually quite dark.
The main storyline is a murder-mystery, and there are a few moments that are borderline unfriendly for young audiences.But the continued marvelous performances (especially Peter Sallis as Wallace and the silent Gromit's incredible body language and personality) and the abundance of jokes that thankfully work make up for the shortcomings.
It was still a blast to watch, and it left me eager for new adventures from the duo.I give "A Matter of Loaf and Death" a good 7 out of 10.
while i enjoyed this latest animated Wallace and Gromit feature,a few things disappointed me.the biggest thing,(and i'm sure others have mentioned this)is the running time.both the the artwork on the DVD and the case list it as being 87 minutes.however,the actual running time is around the 30 minute mark.not sure why the discrepancy.the other thing that disappointed me was the lack of humour compared to Wallace and Gromit and the Curse of the Wererabbit.there were some humorous moments,but not as many as i expected,and what humour there was,was much more subtle.although there many amusing moments,there were no real laugh out loud moments here for me,i did however like the story,but because the film was so short,i don't feel they developed it enough.still,overall,it was a pleasant watch.for me,Wallace and Gromit in A Matter of Loaf and Death is a 6/10.
I could go on and on why the Wallace and Gromit shorts are some of the best short films ever made.
It's good, but not nearly as perfect as the other ones.Wallace and Gromit are apparently now bakers, and at the worst time too as there is an unknown baker killer on the loose.
Kids will love it, adults might be mixed, but no matter, it's meant for the younger group, and will entertain.Nick Park has made another entertaining Wallace and Gromit film, though perhaps he should review the formula, because if he wants to do another one, maybe he can shoot for excellent instead of just good.My rating: *** out of ****.
This is the fourth animated short with the characters Wallace and Gromit, from Aardman Studios, a British studio specialized in stop-motion animation.
As Wallace, who has just opened a bakery, engages with a mysterious woman who does not look trustworthy, Gromit begins to distrust and to have reason to fear for his owner's life.Once again, Aardman has shown that knows, like no one else, how to do great stop-motion.
It starts well, with a mystery that reminds us of the very British tradition of police stories, but ends up copying and chewing the previously made "A Close Shave": again, Wallace falls in love with the potential villain, leaving Gromit alone to solve everything.
Watching Wallace and Gromit has become a Christmas tradition so it is always good when a new story is added to their collection.This outing finds the two of then running the Top Bun bakery, unfortunately there is a serial killer on the loose who is murdering bakers.
with some help from Piella's put-upon poodle Fluffles.As with all of the Wallace and Gromit shorts the animation is top notch and Peter Sallis is perfect as the voice of Wallace.
The story however wasn't as good as The Wrong Trousers or A Close Shave.
Curse that prevailing southwesterly  Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death.
Even though it debuted on British television in 2008, Nick Park's newest installment in the (mis)adventures of his claymation pals Wallace and Gromit finally hit the States last year, just in time to be nominated for an Animated Short Oscar.
By compacting all the humor in less than thirty minutes, the warm-hearted antics of naïve and imbecilic Wallace with stoically intelligent dog Gromit really do excel.The premise is pretty stripped-down, concerning the duo in their new bakery, right in the midst of a serial killing spree of bakers.
To be honest, it doesn't take very long to discern who is the culprit, so the fun really becomes watching Wallace bumble through life and Gromit do his best to save him.
All this is to be expected, as the company has grown and learned a lot over the years--as well as picking up several Oscars along the way for their great work.Now this isn't saying that the new film is total perfection.
Another minor problem is that this film reminded me an awful lot of WALLACE AND GROMIT IN A CLOSE SHAVE.
Both films featured Wallace falling in love and in both cases, the ladies ended up being very wicked, indeed!
In fact, when I first started watching A MATTER OF LOAF AND DEATH, I automatically assumed that lady was the killer--just like the lady in this previous film was the sheep-napper.
And, like in the other film, it's up to Gromit to save the day because Wallace is too big a doofus to realize what is happening...which, by the way, reminds me a lot of WALLACE AND GROMIT AND THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT.So, as you can see, there isn't much new under the sun in this film.
The reason these productions are so good it that Nick Parks has retained creative control - if he ever sells out to a big studio house then this - and the terrific creativity - will vanish.Grommit has developed as a character and is very astute whilst Wallace is still a bit of a simpleton.
There will be spoilers ahead: Much will be familiar to you if you've seen many of the shorts and/or the feature starring Wallace and Gromit.
The ending of the short is great and perfect, although the sample of Gromit's musical tastes given to the audience leaves much to be desired.This is available on DVD and is well worth watching.
"A Matter of Loaf and Death" is another quality entry to the Wallace&Gromit franchise and we should be thankful to Nick Park that he added another chapter to their story, even if it was the first time that he lost at the Oscars (to Logorama).
When this one came out it had already been 13 years since the last Wallace&Gromit-short film.
Thankfully Peter Sallis, in his late 80s then, in his early 90s now, is reaching a Methusalem age and could once more lend his unique voice to Wallace.This film is mostly about a series of murders and the victims are all bakers.
Wrong Trousers is unreached, but it's about the same league quality-wise like Grand Day out and superior to Close Shave, which I'm not really a fan of."A Matter of Loaf and Death" was Nick Park's last directorial effort to this day, but he's still at an age where we can hopefully expect a couple more chapters to the story.
For me it is a combination of two factors - the Claymation is extremely well done, with appropriate expressions, and Gromit, even unable to speak, is the more adult of the two in the relationship.Here in this 28-minute short they have opened a bakery, "Top Bun", and their motto is "dough to door delivery." But one day while on an outing they encounter a woman and her pooch on a bicycle, Piella Bakewell, who in Wallace's world is sort of a Paula Deen.
With 3 of the best and funniest short films in years and a fantastic feature length movie they where at the top of their game!
This did not ruin Wallace and gromit, it just wasn't as good as the other shorts.
A romantic girl for gromit is new and I might not like her as much in here, there could be great possibility's and the very end with their coming together.
either being on television - other Wallace and Gromit shorts; Chicken
will still be the best Wallace and Gromit short for me.
Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death.
Wallace and Gromit were number 11 on The World's Greatest Comedy Characters, and they were number 15 on The 100 Greatest Kid's TV Shows, and as part of Aardman Animations, they was number 15 on The 100 Greatest Cartoons.
The new Wallace and Gromit film isn't as good as the other films.
The film is about the duo going into a bread industry while a serial killer is killing bakers, who Wallace falls in love with and Gromit falls for her dog.
A MATTER OF LOAF AND DEATH is a Wallace and Gromit adventure without the charm that made the Claymation shorts so endearing in the first place.
This is a fast-paced, Hollywood-style adventure packed with in-jokes and scenes copied from anything and everything; the bit that most stood out for me was Gromit's misadventures with the bomb which recall the old BATMAN movie with Adam West.The main plot is a copy of THE WRONG TROUSERS with a less endearing narrative structure and unlikeable characters.
However, I feel that the plot has started to change a little from the classic stories that are simple and easy, to something with a bit more movie humor.