Animation is basically the two or three dimensional rapid display of artwork and model positions with the purpose of creation of false impression of movement. Animation can also be said to be an optical delusion of motion due to a phenomenon that causes persistence of an image which can be showed in different ways commonly video program or motion picture.
If we take a look at the films ‘The nightmare Before Christmas’, (1993) and ‘Chicken Run’, (2000) which are both animation films, they both embrace Clay animation where figures made of clay or a similar malleable material are used to create stop-motion animation. Though the two films are similar in various ways, they are also different (Weiner 2002).
If we first start by looking at the film Chicken run which was produced in England by a stop motion animation film created by the Aardaman animation studios. The film is based on a band of chicken whose hope is a smooth-talking Rhode Island Red known as Rocky. Trouble ensues as the owner of the firm tries to shift to selling chicken pies instead of what he what he initially did which was selling eggs (Ebeling 2006).
Ginger a chicken in the farm continually tries to escape from the farm only to be caught by Mr. Tweedy together with his dogs. As a result of the escape, Ginger is kept in a secluded place and the only option left for the poor bird is to fly over the fence (Graser 1998).
Tweedy decides to have a conversion of the farm to produce chicken pie rather than eggs in her quest to keep the farm financially stable.
Due to these, Tweedy makes an order for a huge chicken pie making machine to be delivered into the farm. Rocky Rhodes becomes the first bird to try to escape as the chicken pie machine is about to be delivered and this earns her a broken wing as the plan goes terribly wrong (Blinder 2007).
Ginger manages to convince Rocky to teach her to fly. An enthusiastic training exercise ensues as Rocky involves Ginger and the rest of the chicken in the plan. The long awaited chicken pie making machine finally arrives to the home of Tweedys’ and sees Mr. Tweedy fast into making pies with his new machine.
This sees Ginger being captured and is the first bird to be converted into pie but escapes narrowly as Rocky saves her and goes on to disable the machine. Later, the birds realize that it is not physically possible for the chickens to fly. As the chicken realizes they are not physically able to fly, their hopes are dashed. Fowler, a former member of the royal air force becomes instrumental in their next escape plan as the chickens plan their escape using a plane.
They hastily start building a flying machine which is pedal pushed with the help of Fowler. The film becomes interesting as completion of the long construction of the plane coincides with completion of construction of the pie making machine. There results a commotion in the coop as Mr. Tweedy tries to restrain the chicken from flying attracting the attention of Mrs. Tweedy. The film comes to an end as the chicken find a protected bird refuge where they can live and raise their children (Milanovic 2007).
The nightmare Before Christmas starts in a magical place known as Halloween Town. This town has seen most of the people come around in holiday celebrations and celebration of success. The king Jack Skellington considered the most successful man in the town takes a long walk through the forest with his ghost dog Zero after he gets fed up with the holiday he considers to be of scary people.
Jack’s eyes are caught by a well decorated green tree leading him to open the door of Christmas town. He is amazed by the snow and gifts in the town to an extent that he becomes obsessed with the idea and takes it back home to his people. A ragdoll Sally hinted to be in love with jack has been brought to life by the Halloween scientist Finklestein. She is amazed by the Christmas idea but has cold feet on the Idea of a burning Christmas tree (Burton 2004).
Jack alienates himself in the lab in an effort to organize and fully imitate Christmas. As Christmas day approaches, both of the towns are busy preparing for it. Skellington puts some tricks together namely lock, barrel and shock with the main aim of kidnapping Santa. Jack gets a day off on Christmas Eve when the three tricks are introduced to him but instead of taking him back to their warren they offer him to Oogie Boogie.
Sally tries in vain to stop Jack but jack forge ahead and impersonates Santa Claus. Jack is nearly killed by arterially fire that destroys his sleigh (Jefferson 2000). This makes him realize that he ought to revert back to be the pumpkin king and save Santa. In the process, Sally is confronted by Jack leading to her revelation of having feelings for him. Jack apologizes to Santa and they are seen flying around the land giving real presents on Christmas day. (Salisbury and Burton 2006).
References
Burton. D. 2004 The Nightmare before Christmas. Web.
Blinder, A. 2007. Chicken Run review. Web.
Ebeling, R. 2006. Chicken run review. Web.
Graser, M. 1998. DWorks hands Reel Chicken. Web.
Jefferson. D. 2000. The Nightmare before Christmas. Web.
Milanovic. A. 2007. Chicken run. Web.
Salisbury Mark & Tim Burton. 2006. Burton on Burton. Faber and Faber publishers, London. Web.
Weiner. R. 2002. Aardman On Run. Web.