Chicken Run

**Chicken Run** is a 2000 stop motion animated adventure comedy film produced by the British studio Aardman Animations.

## Summary

A group of chickens live on an egg farm run by the Tweedys. They repeatedly try to escape, but are always caught. Frustrated at the minuscule and declining profits that their farm generates, Mrs. Tweedy hatches an idea of converting the farm to automated production and having a pie machine to turn the birds into chicken pies. One day, the chickens' leader, Ginger, observes a rooster named Rocky Rhodes crash-land in the farm and hides him from the Tweedys. Interested in Rocky's apparent flying abilities, Ginger begs him to teach her and the chickens to fly. Rocky gives them training lessons as Mr. Tweedy builds the pie machine. Later, Rocky holds a party, and Ginger insists he show them how to fly the next day, but Mr. Tweedy finishes making the pie machine and puts Ginger in it for a test run. Rocky saves her, giving them time to warn the others of the Tweedys' plans and only a short time to escape.

The next day, Ginger finds Rocky has fled, leaving behind part of a poster that reveals he was a stunt rooster, fired from a cannon and unable to fly himself, depressing her and the others. Elderly rooster Fowler tries to cheer them up by telling stories of his time in the Royal Air Force, giving Ginger the idea to create a plane to flee the farm. The chickens assemble parts for the plane as Mrs. Tweedy insists Mr. Tweedy gather all the chickens for the machine, but when he comes in, the chickens attack him, leaving him bound and gagged as they finish the plane. Rocky returns and joins them, but while taking off, Mrs. Tweedy chases them and climbs up a strand of lights while Ginger races to sever it. She succeeds, sending Mrs. Tweedy into the pie machine, causing it to explode. The chickens continue their flight until they find an island, where they enjoy their freedom and Ginger and Rocky start a relationship.

## Cast

* Julia Sawalha as Ginger
* Mel Gibson as Rocky Rhodes
* Miranda Richardson as Mrs. Tweedy
* Tony Haygarth as Mr. Tweedy
* Benjamin Whitrow as Fowler
* Timothy Spall as Nick
* Phil Daniels as Fetcher
* Jane Horrocks as Babs
* Imelda Staunton as Bunty
* Lynn Ferguson as Mac

## Soundtrack

John Powell and Harry Gregson-Williams composed and produced the music for the film, which was released 20 June 2000 under the RCA Victor label.

## Video Game

A 3D platform video game based on the film was released in 2000 for Dreamcast, Game Boy Color, PlayStation, and Windows.

Players must help Ginger and her flock make a break for freedom, while avoiding the Tweedys. The player takes control of either Ginger, Rocky, or Nick and Fetcher, and searches the farm for objects to be used in the escape attempt. Should the player be caught, they will be sent back to the entry point of the current area, and will lose either their most recently obtained item or their currently equipped item, which goes back to where it was originally found. Each act ends with a boss level in which the chickens have to control a mannequin of Mrs Tweedy, guide Rocky to Ginger in the pie machine, or fly the 'Old Crate' stopping Mrs Tweedy from reaching the top of the rope hanging from it. Success is generally measured by how many chickens the player can save, or how fast the player can finish the task.