Top bun!
   Wallace & Gromit top the tv ratings...

   A cracking Christmas
   Wallace & Gromit on BBC1...

   Last post
   Oliver Postgate has passed away...

   A DFC Xmas
   The DFC Xmas Giveaway...

   And the winners were
   Children's BAFTA winners...

    Small thoughts
   We don't make 'em like we used to... more »

 
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    Top bun!     (27.12.08)

    Well, it's official. Wallace and Gromit's latest outing proved to be
    the most-watched tv show of the festive season. 14.4m viewers tuned
    in to the Christmas Day premiere of their new film "A Matter of Loaf
    and Death", on BBC1. That topped viewing figures for the likes of
    "Eastenders", "Coronation St" and - yes - even "Doctor Who".

     

    It's another gem of a film from Nick Park and the Aardman team.
    There was some beautiful suspense to savour - Gromit on the chandelier
    above Piella's bed, the toppling dummies, etc. The detail... the precision
    of the characters... the little nods and winks for movie fans... oh... what
    bliss... And like the duo's home baked bread, the film has risen in this
    viewer's esteem with repeated viewings on the BBC's iPlayer - what a
    handy widget that is. But if you prefer, the film actually gets another
    full-blown terrestrial airing at 7.00pm, on New Year's Day before it's
    eventual release on DVD at the end of March.

    Hmm. I wonder how many awards it will garner inbetween?

                                                          More: Wallace & Gromit

  

    A cracking Christmas    (20.12.08)

    Yahoo. Christmas is almost upon us. And this year it's bringing us
    the most cracking one imaginable, as Nick Park, Aardman Animation
    and Wallace & Gromit take over the BBC schedules.

   

    Oh yes, our favourite pair are unmissable this year. They're starring
    in all the main channel idents, wrapped up in knitwear and frollicking in
    the festive snow. Not the first time they've done that, of course:

    

    Anyways, the reason behind all this stop-motion fun is two-fold.
    Firstly, Curse of the Were-Rabbit gets its terrestrial premiere on BBC1
    at 4.30pm on Christmas Day. But better still. Oh, much, much, much
    better still, we can all setttle down round the tv at  8.30pm on the
    Big Day to watch the premiere of Wallace & Gromit's latest half-hour
    extravaganza, "A Matter of Loaf and Death". And if that's not a
    ratings-winner for the Beeb, well, The Hound will eat his own shorts.

    

    Nick Park has talked quite candidly about his toon stars inside the
    festive edition of "The Radio Times", and in particular, he's revealed this
    wonderous nugget about his and Aardman's relationship with the
    Hollywood Honchos at DreamWorks, during the making of
    Were-Rabbit:

    "We'd get notes from the studio saying, 'Wouldn't it be
     better if Wallace and Gromit had a more modern car,
     like a pick-up truck?' "

    Hoo-boy. Thank goodness they escaped. And gawd bless Mr Park
    and the entire Aardman team for bringing us the biggest and bestest
    Christmas pressie we could ever have wished for!...     

  
 
   Last post  (09.12.08)

    Ssh. Close your eyes. Listen closely. Can you hear?

    Today the inhabitants of a dozen tiny worlds have turned their eyes
    and ears to the heavens.. keening.. listening for...

    A lonely Music Boat. And in its wake, The Music of the Spheres
    playing in lament for Oliver Postgate, who has died this week.

    
   

  

    A DFC Xmas    (04.12.08)

    Well, The Hound's just received his first industry Christmas card of
    the season. And it's a doozy. It's from the offices of that top comic
    The DFC, and it features the stars of James Turner's Super
    Animal Adventure Squad all dressed up for some Chistmas
    action. Looks good, don't it?

    

    But wait. This isn't just a card. Oh no. You see, those sneaky DFC'ers
    have transformed their mailshot into a Christmas freebie, with the
    recipient (er, that's me) able to claim a free copy of "The DFC".
    Now that's a Christmas card and a half, and it's got this here
    Hound beaming ear to ear...

    Oh. But wait. Again.

    It turns out, there's even more to The DFC this Christmas. And this
    time, they've got something that's available to everyone. You see,
    they've taken a leaf out of the Random House Christmas book, and
    they've launched a special online DFC advent calendar with a
    daily prize up for grabs. That's one a day in the run up to Christmas.
    And they've already handed out some fabulous freebies including
    DFC Goodie Bags, posters, and - yes! - original comic art. All
    you do is search their festive page until you find the correct
    daily present. Then you go into the big prize draw...

    So what are you waiting for? - Get searching at once!

                                                                         More: The DFC

 
 
    And the winners were  (01.12.08)

     Those Children's BAFTA awards were handed out last night.
     So who won what?

     Well, there was in fact only one winner. Or should that be, one
     double winner, because Lauren Child's child stars snapped up
     both coveted animation trophies:      

     Best Animation:   

     CHARLIE AND LOLA AUTUMN SPECIAL
       Claudia Lloyd, Kitty Taylor (Tiger Aspect/CBBC)


     Pre-school Animation:     

     CHARLIE AND LOLA
       Claudia Lloyd, Kitty Taylor (Tiger Aspect Prods/CBeebies)


     "Charlie and Lola" is a vivacious and addictive little show, gorgeous
     to look at and bubbling over with effervescent fun and frolics. The series
     has now collected four gongs (it won two last year). And it deserves
     them all...

     As for the rest of the nominees of note, all fell at the final furlong.
     But - hey - a nomination is still no bad thing, is it not?

     Well, maybe it's okay for Tony Collingwood. He's already got
     six smiling BAFTAs on his mantlepiece. But Aardman must
     be smarting because Shaun the Sheep has lost out on that
     Best Animation award for two years in succession - Baa!...

                                                                     More:  BAFTA

 
 
   Small thoughts  (16.12.08)

    Alongside the various obituaries, news of Oliver Postgate's recent
    passing  has brought a whole of  Childrens TV Commentators
    out of the closet. And it's been fascinating to hear and to read. What's
    been most interesting is hearing the oft-repeated notion that we somehow
    don't make animated series like we used to, we don't do whimsy
    or wonder, we don't create little worlds and charactes who jump into
    existence for no other reason that to simply live and breathe and
    to open our eyes to a different kind of universe. Oh, no. We don't do
    that anymore. But The Hound thinks the folks who say these things
    just haven't been looking hard enough...


    
       
    
    Till next time!

              thehound@toonhound.com

 
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