DVD Review: Shaun the Sheep: One Giant Leap for Lambkind

Author: FitzPublished: Jun 26, 2010 at 7:47 pm 0 comments

That's right! Shaun, Bitzer, the Farmer, and all the rest of the gang are back for another set of adventures on Shaun the Sheep: One Giant Leap for Lambkind.

For those of you who might not have heard of Shaun the Sheep before, it's a series of stop-motion animated shorts that revolve around a flock of sheep on a farm. Created by Nick Park and Aardman Animation, this series is from the same creative folks who brought you the Wallace & Gromit series as well as the movies Chicken Run and Flushed Away.

Unlike traditional hand- or computer-drawn animation, stop-motion animation requires physical models and sets for every scene. A picture is taken which will be one frame of the final film, the creators verify that everything looks right, and then they painstakingly move the clay models the tiniest amounts in preparation for the next frame. At 24 frames per second, it takes quite a long time to film each five minute episode.

As far as the characters in the show go, Shaun is, of course, the star of the show and the leader of the flock. He's a clever little sheep and can find ways to have fun and get out of trouble when needed. Bitzer is the sheepdog and Shaun's friend. Bitzer makes sure the flock stays where they need to be and don't get into too much trouble. And the Farmer owns the farm where Shaun, Bitzer, and the rest of the gang hang out. He seems completely oblivious to the fact that his dog and sheep are probably smarter than he.

What makes the series entertaining is the combination of slapstick comedy, simple stories, and the complete lack of actual speech by any characters. There are grunts, grumbles, and groans that approximate a conversation, but nothing understandable by the audience. The slapstick humor is appropriate for everyone from ages zero to 100. Though shown most often to kids, I think there's plenty for adults to love as well.

Continued on the next page Page 1 — Page 2Page 3

Article tags

Spread the word
Bookmark and Share
Profile image for fitz

Article Author: Fitz

Brian Fitzpatrick (aka "Fitz") is a software engineer and writer living in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with his wife, two daughters, two dogs, and two cats -- trying desperately to survive the chaos!

Visit Fitz's author pageFitz's Blog

Read comments on this article, and add some feedback of your own

Article comments

Add your comment, speak your mind

Personal attacks are NOT allowed.
Please read our comment policy.
Please preview your comment.

blogcritics lists for Sep 02, 2010

fresh articles Most recent articles site-wide

fresh comments Most recent comments site-wide

most comments Most comments in 24hrs

top writers Most prolific Blogcritics for August

top commenters Most prolific Commenters in 24 hrs