I think this movie stands out from the rest of the Nick Park stable because it is basically not funny and not meant to be - it is slightly disturbing and thought-provoking, whereas we are used to funny little Gromit and bumbling wallace chasing cheese. It shows an excellent command of historical context - the transition from vaudeville / music hall to movies. But man, is it strange. don't show it your little nephews unless you really want them up all night! Incidentally I think the little chap is called 'Tiny', not Tinny as in earlier review. The movie puts me in mind of that one about the murderous ventriloquist dummy, the title of which completely evades me.
7 Reviews
Excellent
planktonrules29 August 2009
Warning: Spoilers
In a way, I feel bad about this film because the staff at Aardman Productions really tried hard but it's natural for there to be comparisons to Aardman's biggest stars, Wallace & Gromit. However, Steve Box, who directed this short, is the same person who has also paired up with Nick Park for some of Aardman's best works--including CHICKEN RUN and several of the Wallace & Gromit films. So, such comparisons really aren't fair at all and not every Aardman film can be Wallace & Gromit.
However, if you were to think that perhaps the quality of STAGE FRIGHT is a bit below that of the Wallace & Gromit films, then this would be correct--it is very good, just not quite as good. Nor does it look quite as good as the Shaun the Sheep films, though these are newer and represent the studio at its best--having learned and perfected their craft with many films--including STAGE FRIGHT.
The film is about a man and woman who have a trained dog act. Tiny juggles his chihuahuas and has them do lovely tricks, but the audience is bored, as movies are now the rage. So, his lady friend, who loves Tiny, agrees to do some films with a boorish jerk who hates the dogs but knows he can make money by using them in his films. Eventually, though, his abusiveness and thoughtfulness is too much--leading to a rather grim and gruesome ending.
This is a lovely stop-motion animated film and I can see why it won the BAFTA--even if it isn't the best thing that ever came from Aardman. Heck, that's because EVERYTHING that comes from Aardman is fantastic!
However, if you were to think that perhaps the quality of STAGE FRIGHT is a bit below that of the Wallace & Gromit films, then this would be correct--it is very good, just not quite as good. Nor does it look quite as good as the Shaun the Sheep films, though these are newer and represent the studio at its best--having learned and perfected their craft with many films--including STAGE FRIGHT.
The film is about a man and woman who have a trained dog act. Tiny juggles his chihuahuas and has them do lovely tricks, but the audience is bored, as movies are now the rage. So, his lady friend, who loves Tiny, agrees to do some films with a boorish jerk who hates the dogs but knows he can make money by using them in his films. Eventually, though, his abusiveness and thoughtfulness is too much--leading to a rather grim and gruesome ending.
This is a lovely stop-motion animated film and I can see why it won the BAFTA--even if it isn't the best thing that ever came from Aardman. Heck, that's because EVERYTHING that comes from Aardman is fantastic!
A charming little stop-motion short-darkly comic with a bit of a bite.
llltdesq16 April 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This is a short produced by Aardman Animations, with a bit more pathos than the other shorts the studio is known for, though there is a dark humor interspersed throughout the short, particularly one bit towards the end, one that will induce a chuckle that's more like a gasp with a small bubble of blood at the end.
The short has the feel of the old melodramas to it, which is understandable, given that the setting is a theater and the plot revolves around an old-time vaudeville act, a dog juggling act which has seen better days (an aside-in vaudeville, the "dog act" was typically placed at the end of the show, in order to clear out the audience in preparation for the next performance). What follows next may be a mild spoiler: There's a charm to this short that I can't really explain. It's an old story-the shy, timid fellow, his girl and the bully who wants the girl and hates the timid fellow. But it also shows that you never know what you're capable of until your back is up against the wall and even the most beaten-down of us has some spark if pushed far enough, as happens here.
This short is included on the recent DVD release of Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, as a DVD extra and is well worth watching. Recommended.
The short has the feel of the old melodramas to it, which is understandable, given that the setting is a theater and the plot revolves around an old-time vaudeville act, a dog juggling act which has seen better days (an aside-in vaudeville, the "dog act" was typically placed at the end of the show, in order to clear out the audience in preparation for the next performance). What follows next may be a mild spoiler: There's a charm to this short that I can't really explain. It's an old story-the shy, timid fellow, his girl and the bully who wants the girl and hates the timid fellow. But it also shows that you never know what you're capable of until your back is up against the wall and even the most beaten-down of us has some spark if pushed far enough, as happens here.
This short is included on the recent DVD release of Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, as a DVD extra and is well worth watching. Recommended.
The darkest and most powerful ever from the mind of Nick Park!
adampotter10 October 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Well, whereas I was a little upset or distressed in places by some scenes in Wrong Trousers and Close Shave, with this I was completely and utterly speechless!
The film was directed by Wallace & Gromit co-director Steve Box, yet even though Park was an producer on this film, I feel this is the darkest, most harrowing project from the folks that brought us the Were-Rabbit and Chicken Run. I was very saddened and yet engrossed by the film from the very first couple of minutes, and then at the very end it really felt like such a sad film, deeply moving and haunting in a way that Walace & Gromit could never be! PS: I first saw this when I was 12 and I felt it was a little depressing and sad, it had some bad language (bloody, bugger) as well as some harsh dialogue from a particularly nasty character, so be careful about showing this to kids!
The film was directed by Wallace & Gromit co-director Steve Box, yet even though Park was an producer on this film, I feel this is the darkest, most harrowing project from the folks that brought us the Were-Rabbit and Chicken Run. I was very saddened and yet engrossed by the film from the very first couple of minutes, and then at the very end it really felt like such a sad film, deeply moving and haunting in a way that Walace & Gromit could never be! PS: I first saw this when I was 12 and I felt it was a little depressing and sad, it had some bad language (bloody, bugger) as well as some harsh dialogue from a particularly nasty character, so be careful about showing this to kids!
A tale about Tinny and his dog act
emasterslake20 November 2005
This is a stop motion animated film done by the same people who did Wallace and Gromit, which is the Aardman Company.
It's directed and written by Nick Park's friend, Steve Box.
The story focuses on a short man name Tinny who's talent is doing a Dog Act with his fellow Dogs. The trouble is people didn't want to see Dog Tricks, they want movies.
Tinny grew guilt and same that they don't like his act. His girlfriend tries to cheer him up, only she has other things in mind, such as becoming a successful actress. She loves Tinny, it's just she wants to do her career in show business.
She stars with Hugh a rude and revolting movie actor. He hates Tinny and demands that he quits his dog act.
The plot to this animated short is a little dry in a way. The dialog is a bit flawed with slightly bad English accents in which it's slightly hard to understand sometimes.
It's still a nice short to watch. Just not as worthy as Wallace and Gromit or Creature Comforts.
There's nothing too inappropriate in this short, just know that if a kid's watching this he or she wouldn't understand the story too well, due the the dialog.
My rate: 7/10
It's directed and written by Nick Park's friend, Steve Box.
The story focuses on a short man name Tinny who's talent is doing a Dog Act with his fellow Dogs. The trouble is people didn't want to see Dog Tricks, they want movies.
Tinny grew guilt and same that they don't like his act. His girlfriend tries to cheer him up, only she has other things in mind, such as becoming a successful actress. She loves Tinny, it's just she wants to do her career in show business.
She stars with Hugh a rude and revolting movie actor. He hates Tinny and demands that he quits his dog act.
The plot to this animated short is a little dry in a way. The dialog is a bit flawed with slightly bad English accents in which it's slightly hard to understand sometimes.
It's still a nice short to watch. Just not as worthy as Wallace and Gromit or Creature Comforts.
There's nothing too inappropriate in this short, just know that if a kid's watching this he or she wouldn't understand the story too well, due the the dialog.
My rate: 7/10
Delightfully Dark and Edgy Aardman Animated Short from the year 1997
rebeccaajclarke21 June 2023
I find this Aardman Animated Short called Stage Fright (1997) is very underrated, Because it is very Dark, Morbid, Edgy and Spooky has a very similar vibes as Courage The Cowardly Dog (1999), The Grim's Adventures Of Billy and Mandy (2001), Vincent (1982), Sonic The Hedgehog The Saturday Morning Animated Series (1993), TUGS (1989) and Grizzly Tales For Gruesome Kids (2000). The story is very interesting. The Stop-Motion animation is very good. The characters are very great too. The main protagonists are Tiny and Daphne, They are the heroes, who you feel very sorry for, because they are horribly abused by Mr. Arnold Hugh, Who is pleasant on film, But He is very horrible and cruel man in reality. Thankfully Mr. Arnold Hugh gets his karma at the end of this animated short, Because He has sent to Hell. While Tiny and Daphne have left the abandoned stage theatre for a better life. The question is Are Tiny and Daphne are going outside to have a better life or are they going to Heaven?, The answer is very ambiguous. I'm giving this a 8/10.
Impossible to judge subjectively
Horst_In_Translation4 May 2016
Warning: Spoilers
"Stage Fright" is a Bristish animated short film that runs for 11 minutes and won a BAFTA almost 20 years ago. It was written and directed by Steve Box quite a while before his Oscar win for Wallace & Gromit. My title for this review has to do with the fact that it all comes down to the animation style and whether you like it or not. It's a love hate thingey I guess. I personally did not like it and that is why I give this one a fairly negative rating. I did like, however, the scenes that were in black-and-white and smartly brought this film back to the days of silent film, which also existed in the parallel universe of this movie. Story-wise, I wasn't really impressed either. Overall the bad outweighs the good and I think the BAFTA got it wrong. Not recommended.
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