A Grand Day Out

A Grand Day Out
Directed by	Nick Park
Distributed by	BBC Aardman Animations
Release date	November 4, 1989
Running time	23 min.
Followed by	The Wrong Trousers (1993)

A Grand Day Out is a 1989 animated film directed and animated by Nick Park, featuring the characters Wallace and Gromit in their debut. Out of all of the episodes of Wallace and Gromit, this one has the most simple plot (a plot with no murder mystery, monster, or criminal on the loose at all; just an inventor and his dog going to the moon to get moon cheese that is being protected by a robotic gas cooking machine).

The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Animated Cartoon, but lost to Creature Comforts, another Nick Park production.

Summary

Wallace and Gromit are devastated when they realise that they have run out of cheese. With the local corner shop closed for the Bank Holiday, Wallace decides to take a trip to the moon, as "everybody knows the moon's made of cheese." The two build a rocket in Wallace's basement and set off to the moon thanks to a box of Duck Vestas Matches lighting a 60-second fuse.

Upon landing, Wallace tries the cheese (which he suggests tastes like Wensleydale) but starts to question his theory on the moon. Also, a strange coin-operated robot shaped like an oven (complete with arms, wheels and and a creepy weird eye) is encountered by the duo and tries unsuccessfully to stop Wallace from eating the cheese. The robot later seems to wish to go with them to Earth so he can try out some skiing. Wallace and Gromit believe it is after them for stealing the moon cheese and try to escape.

The enraged robot breaks into the rocket but is blown out by a gas explosion using Duck Vestas Matches, allowing Wallace and Gromit to escape back home. The robot re-styles wreckage from the rocket as skis, and happily skis across the moon's surface, waving goodbye to Wallace and Gromit as they return home to Earth.

Characters

• Wallace (voiced by Peter Sallis)
• Gromit
• Cooker

Trivia

• This is Wallace and Gromit's first television film appearance.
• It was one of the earliest British television productions presented in full stereo sound mix.
• Wallace and Gromit look different from their other appearances.
  • The film took over six years to make, almost all of it single-handly done by Nick Park himself.
  • This is one of two movies that does not feature a love interest for Wallace.
• On the way to the rocket, Wallace drops a packet of crackers.
• In reality, the moon is made of rock and not cheese.
• Gromit's mouth can be seen as he carries the basket.
• At the start of Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, footage of Wallace and Gromit on the moon can be seen on the projector.

Goofs / Errors

• Wallace paints the same part of the rocket three times.
• When rushing to get in the ship the first time, Wallace kicks away the paint-stained ladder, which falls to the ground as they take off. Yet when they land on the moon, they use the same paint-stained ladder to get in and out of the ship.
• There are several mice in the basement where Wallace and Gromit build the rocket. In the first scene, they have no whiskers. However, in all following scenes, whiskers are present.
• Before Wallace said "Stilton?", the bite from the cracker and 'cheese' was facing Wallace. but when Wallace answered, the cracker and 'cheese' turned, facing the viewers.
• When the Cooker first inspects the rocket, there is an oil leak from the craft. However, when Wallace and Gromit enter the ship to escape from the robot, the leak is gone.
• It is uncertain how the Cooker got all kinds of tools and weapons in its storage cabinet.
• The Cooker breaks into the rocket with a can opener and throws a cut out piece of the ship onto the ground. The piece is never seen again throughout the rest of the film.
• The robot ignites the rocket using a match to light the ship's fuel supply, causing it to blast off. In real life, this would have caused an explosion that would have destroyed the rocket.
• You can see fingerprints on Wallace and Gromit in many scenes. Also, Wallace’s arms occasionally gain small lumps and indentations when he moves them. This is because the animator/s keep touching them during the animation process.

Quotes

Wallace: No cheese, Gromit! Not a bit in the house!

Wallace: Gromit, that's it! Cheese! We'll go somewhere where there's cheese!

(Looks at "Cheese Holidays" magazine, then out the window)

Wallace: Everybody knows the moon is made of cheese...

(a machine malfunctions)

Wallace: Come on stupid... Oh!

(eating the moon)

Wallace: It's like no cheese I've ever tasted...

(Wallace and Gromit are on their spaceship, about to leave Earth)

Wallace: No crackers, Gromit! We've forgotten the crackers!

(Wallace and Gromit are on their spaceship, about to leave The Moon with the Cooker in the Engine Room)

Wallace: The fuse! You forgot to light the fuse!

(Looks at "Cheese Monthly" magazine on their spaceship heading back to Earth)

Wallace: Set co-ordinates for 62 West Wallaby Street.

Credits

• Animation and Design: Nick Park
• Music: Julian Nott
• Sound Effects and Sound Editing: Adrian Rhodes, Danny Hambrook, Chris Billing
• Photographed and Directed by: Nick Park
• Voice Of Wallace: Peter Sallis

Australian VHS

US VHS