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Chicken Run

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This article is about the film. For the video game based on the film, seeChicken Run (video game).

Chicken Run
British theatrical release poster
Directed by
Screenplay byKarey Kirkpatrick
Story by
  • Peter Lord
  • Nick Park
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography
Edited byMark Solomon
Music by
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • 23 June 2000(2000-06-23)(United States)
  • 30 June 2000(2000-06-30)(United Kingdom)
Running time
84 minutes[6]
Countries
LanguageEnglish
Budget$42–45 million[7][6]
Box office$227.8 million[8]

Chicken Runis a 2000 animatedadventurecomedy film[9]produced byPathéandAardman Animationsin partnership withDreamWorks Animation.[10][11]Aardman's first feature-length film, it was directed byPeter LordandNick Park(in their feature-length directorial debuts) from a screenplay byKarey Kirkpatrickand based on an original story by Lord and Park.[12]The film stars the voices ofJulia Sawalha,Mel Gibson,Tony Haygarth,Miranda Richardson,Phil Daniels,Lynn Ferguson,Timothy Spall,Imelda Staunton,andBenjamin Whitrow.Set in the countryside ofYorkshire,the plot centres on a group of Britishanthropomorphicchickens who see an American rooster named Rocky Rhodes as their only hope to escape the farm when their owners want to turn them into chicken pies.

Chicken Runwas a critical and commercial success, grossing over $220 million and becoming thehighest-grossing stop-motion animated film in history.At the time, this film was DreamWorks Animation's most successful release, but this was overtaken byShrekthe following year.[13]

23 years later, a sequel, titledChicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget,was released onNetflixon 15 December 2023.[14]Its Netflix release followed its world premiere at the 67thBFI London Film Festivalon 14 October 2023, which would also see preview screenings taking place at UK cinemas at the same time.[15]

Plot

[edit]

In the countryside ofYorkshire,[16]a flock ofchickenslive on anegg farmstructured like aprisoner-of-war camp.The farm is run by the cruel Mrs Tweedy and her submissive husband, Mr Tweedy, who kill and eat any chicken that is no longer able to lay eggs. Led by the rebellious Ginger, the chickens constantly devise new ways to try to escape but are always caught. Mr Tweedy suspects the chickens are organised and plotting resistance, but his wife dismisses his theories while being frustrated with making minuscule profits.

One night, Ginger witnesses an American rooster named Rocky Rhodes glide over the coop's fences and crash-land; the chickens put his sprained wing in a cast and hide him from the Tweedys, who have been promised a handsome reward by Rocky's owner for his return. Inspired by Rocky's apparent flying abilities, Ginger begs him to help teach her and the other chickens to fly so they can escape, threatening to alert the humans if he refuses. Rocky reluctantly gives them training lessons. One evening, a load of equipment is delivered to the farm, containing the parts for achicken piemachine that Mrs Tweedy has ordered as part of a plan to convert the farm into a profitable pie-making factory. When the Tweedys increase the chickens' food rations and ignore the decline in egg production, Ginger deduces that the couple's new plan is to fatten the chickens for slaughter. After Ginger and Rocky get into an argument, Rocky holds a morale-boosting dance party during which it is revealed that his wing is healed. Ginger insists that he demonstrate flying the next day, but Mr Tweedy finishes assembling the machine and puts Ginger in it for a test run. Rocky saves her and sabotages the machine, buying them time to warn the chickens and plan an escape from the farm.

The next day, Ginger finds Rocky has left, leaving behind part of a poster that shows that he is in fact part of a "chicken cannonball" act with no ability to fly on his own, making them realize that their chance to learn how to fly has been crushed. In the midst of being devastated, Ginger is inspired by elderly rooster Fowler's stories of his time in theRoyal Air Forceto build an aircraft to flee the farm. The chickens assemble parts for the plane as Mr Tweedy fixes the pie-making machine. Meanwhile, Rocky comes across a billboard advertising Mrs Tweedy's chicken pies and returns to the farm out of guilt.

Mrs Tweedy orders Mr Tweedy to gather all the chickens for the machine, but the chickens subdue him and finish the plane, which Ginger persuades Fowler to pilot. As the plane approaches the take-off ramp, Mr Tweedy is able to knock over the ramp before being knocked out; Ginger races to reset the ramp, but a now-alerted Mrs Tweedy attacks her. Before Mrs Tweedy can hurt Ginger, Rocky returns and subdues her, before holding up the ramp with Ginger, allowing the plane to take flight. Rocky and Ginger grab onto the runway lights, which have been snagged by the departing plane. An axe-wielding Mrs Tweedy follows them by climbing up the lights, but Ginger tricks Mrs Tweedy into cutting the line, sending her falling into the pie machine, causing it to explode in amushroom cloudofgravy.

The chickens celebrate their victory after defeating the Tweedys while Ginger and Rocky kiss each other, and they fly to an islandbird sanctuarywhere they make their home. Sometime later, the chickens have settled into their new home, and Rocky and Ginger have started a romantic relationship. Nick and Fetcher, tworatsthat have been helping the chickens throughout the escape, decide to set up their own egg farm, but they fall into a circular debate over whether they must use achicken or eggto start it.

Voice cast

[edit]
Top row:Mel Gibson,Miranda Richardson,Timothy Spall,Jane Horrocksrespectively play the roles of Rocky, Mrs Tweedy, Nick, and Babs.
Bottom row:Imelda StauntonandLynn Fergusonrespectively play the roles of Bunty and Mac.

Production

[edit]

Development

[edit]

Chicken Runwas first conceived in 1995 by Aardman co-founder Peter Lord andWallace and Gromitcreator Nick Park. According to Park, the project started as a spoof on the 1963 filmThe Great Escape.[17]Chicken RunwasAardman Animations' first feature-length production, which would be executive produced byJake Eberts.Nick ParkandPeter Lord,who run Aardman, directed the film,[18]whileKarey Kirkpatrickscripted, with additional input fromMark Burton[citation needed]andJohn O'Farrell.[citation needed]

When a chicken speaks, each sound corresponds to a different beak that was placed on the character.[19]

Pathéagreed to finance the film in 1996, putting their finances into script development and model design.DreamWorksofficially came on board in 1997.[4][20]They beat out studios includingDisney,20th Century Fox(which had distributed theWallace & Gromitshorts in the U.S.), andWarner Bros.and largely won due to the perseverance of DreamWorks co-chairmanJeffrey Katzenberg;as a company they were eager to make their presence felt in the animation market in an attempt to compete with Disney's dominance of the field.[4]Katzenberg explained that he had "been chasing these guys for five or six years, ever since I first sawCreature Comforts."[4]DreamWorks secured their first animated feature with the film, and they handled distribution in all territories except Europe, which Pathé handled.[4]The two studios co-financed the film.[4]DreamWorks also retains rights to worldwide merchandising.[4]

Animation

[edit]

Principal photographybegan on 29 January 1998. During production, 30 sets were used with 80 animators working along with 180 people working overall. The result was one minute of film completed for each week of filming, and production wrapped on 18 June 1999.[20]

Music

[edit]

John PowellandHarry Gregson-Williamscomposed the music for the film, which was released on 20 June 2000 under theRCA Victorlabel.[21][22][23]It was recorded at the Abbey Road Studios in London.[24]Powell incorporated some kazoos and whistles to create an even funnier soundtrack.

Reception

[edit]

Critical response

[edit]

The review aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoesreported a 97% approval rating and an average rating of 8.1/10, based on 174 reviews. The website's critics consensus reads: "Chicken Runhas all the charm of Nick Park'sWallace & Gromit,and something for everybody. The voice acting is fabulous, the slapstick is brilliant, and the action sequences are spectacular. "[25]AtMetacriticthe film has a weighted average score of 88 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[26]Audiences polled byCinemaScoregave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.[27]

Roger Ebertof theChicago Sun-Timesgave three and a half stars out of four, writing: "So it truly is a matter of life and death for the chickens to escape from the Tweedy Chicken Farm inChicken Run,a magical new animated film that looks and sounds like no other. Like the otherwise completely differentBabe,this is a movie that uses animals as surrogates for our hopes and fears, and as the chickens run through one failed escape attempt after another, the charm of the movie wins us over. "[28]

Chicken Runand its sequel have been noted for their depiction offeminism,[29][30][31][32]revolution,[29][30]Marxism,[33][29][34]veganism[35]andfascism.[36]According to Florentine StrzeIczyk,Chicken Runpoints to the way thatmasculinityandfemininityare mediated in popular film genres.[36]It also received attention for itsfemale-led cast.Film School Rejectscalled the movie feminist, noting that "the stereotypical 'woman's work' of these female chickens (such as theirsewingandknitting) is crucial in constructing their mechanism for escape and vital towards therevolutionitself. "[30]TheIslamic Republic of Iran News Networkargued it was a way to disguiseZionism[37]andWesternpropaganda.[31][37]

Box office

[edit]

On opening weekend, the film grossed $17,506,162 for a $7,027 average from 2,491 theatres. Overall, the film placed second behindMe, Myself & Irene.[38][39]In its second weekend, the film held well as it slipped only 25% to $13,192,897 for a $4,627 average from expanding to 2,851 theatres and finishing in fourth place.[40]The film's widest release was 2,953 theatres, after grossing $106,834,564 in the United States and Canada. In the United Kingdom, it was the third highest-grossing film of the year with a gross of $43 million.[41]With an additional $75 million from other markets, it grossed $224,834,564 worldwide. Produced on an estimated budget of $42–45 million, the film was a huge box office hit. To date, it is still thehighest grossing stop motion animated movie.

Accolades

[edit]
Group Category (Recipient) Result
Annie Awards[42] Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Theatrical Feature Nominated
Outstanding Individual Achievement for Directing in an Animated Feature Production (Nick ParkandPeter Lord) Nominated
Outstanding Individual Achievement for Writing in an Animated Feature Production (Karey Kirkpatrick) Nominated
British Academy Film Awards[43] Best British Film Nominated
Best Visual Effects Nominated
British Academy Children's Awards[44] Feature Film Nominated
Broadcast Film Critics[45] Best Animated Feature Won
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics[46] Won
Empire Awards Best British Director (Nick Park and Peter Lord) Nominated
Best British Film Nominated
Best Debut (Nick Park and Peter Lord) Nominated
European Film Awards[47] Best Film Nominated
Florida Film Critics[48] Best Animated Feature Won
Genesis Awards[49] Best Feature Film Won
Golden Globe Awards[50] Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy Nominated
Kansas City Film Critics[51] Best Animated Feature Won
Las Vegas Film Critics[52] Best Family Film Won
Los Angeles Film Critics[53] Best Animated Feature Won
National Board of Review[54] Won
New York Film Critics[55] Won
Phoenix Film Critics[56] Won
Best Family Film Won
Best Original Score (John PowellandHarry Gregson-Williams) Nominated
Satellite Awards[57][58] Best Motion Picture—Animated or Mixed Media Won
Best Sound Nominated
Southeastern Film Critics[59] Best Film Nominated

Home media

[edit]

Chicken Runwas released onVHSandDVDin the United States on November 21, 2000 byDreamWorks Home Entertainment.[60]

Universal Pictures Home EntertainmentreleasedChicken RunonBlu-rayin North America on January 22, 2019.[61]

Sequel

[edit]
Main article:Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

In January 2022, the title for the sequel was revealed asChicken Run: Dawn of the Nuggetand was announced for a 2023 release onNetflix.[62][63][64]Zachary Levi,Thandiwe Newton,Romesh RanganathanandDaniel Mayswere revealed to be replacing Gibson, Sawalha, Spall and Daniels as the voices of Rocky, Ginger, Nick and Fetcher;David Bradleyvoiced Fowler due to Whitrow's death in 2017, while Horrocks, Staunton and Ferguson reprised their roles as Babs, Bunty and Mac.[65]Bella Ramseyhas been cast as Molly, whileNick Mohammedand Josie Sedgwick-Davies voiced two new characters, Dr Fry and Frizzle, respectively.Sam Felldirected with Steve Pegram and Leyla Hobart producing. Kirkpatrick and O'Farrell wrote the script with Rachel Tunnard.[65]In June 2023, Gregson-Williams was revealed to be composing the sequel.[66]Later that month, it was officially announced that the film would release on Netflix on 15 December 2023.[67]Its Netflix release followed its world premiere at the 67thBFI London Film Festivalon 14 October 2023, which would also see preview screenings taking place at UK cinemas at the same time.[15]

Video game

[edit]
Main article:Chicken Run (video game)

Chicken Runis a stealth-based 3-D platformer based on the movie. It was released in November 2000 on most consoles. The game is a loose parody of the filmThe Great Escape,which is set duringWorld War II.[68]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
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  2. ^ab"Chicken Run".The Numbers.Nash Information Services, LLC.Retrieved22 February2021.
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