Nick Park Animations Trivia Quiz

Answer: A Grand Day Out

Despite the fact that 'A Grand Day Out' was partly a university project, it was nominated for an Oscar in 1991. Sadly the tale of moon-travelling cheese addicts failed to win, as Nick Park was pipped to the post by, well, Nick Park. Both 'A Grand Day Out' and 'Creature Comforts' were nominated for best animated short in the same year, and 'Creature Comforts' won.

Answer: Red Leicester

Gorgonzola is mentioned in 'The Wrong Trousers' and Stinking Bishop in 'Curse of the Were Rabbit'. Of course the most heart-rending line in cinematic history (ok, that may be a little subjective), 'Not even Wensleydale?' comes from 'A Close Shave', when Wallace realises that Wendolene is not the woman he thought her to be. Of course, Gromit always knew.

Answer: An electricity company

Nick Park was interviewed about this advert on Channel Four's 'Top 100 Adverts'. He claimed that although it was voted fourth most popular UK ad ever, in an objective sense, it was not very successful, as most people think it advertised British Gas. When I heard that interview, it was the first time I had realised the adverts were not for British Gas.

Answer: Preston

Preston is a middling-sized industrial/ex-industrial town in Lancashire in the north of England. Apparently the name was chosen by looking at a map and deciding which name sounded most amusing. It turned out to be Preston, which perhaps not uncoincidentally (is that a word?), is also Nick Park's home town. Let us hope his fellow citizens were not too hurt at being compared to a Machiavellian sheep-rustler.

Answer: BBC Radio 4

For the benefit of those not from Blighty, Radio 4 is rather like PBS without the pictures. 'The Shipping Forecast' is a strange incomprehensible form of the weather for (unsurprisingly) shipping which makes announcements like: 'German Byte, rain later, good!'.

It is addictively hypnotic, and much loved by strange people throughout the land. 'The Archers' is a 'simple tale of everyday country folk' first aired in 1950, and generally considered to be the world's longest running soap opera.

Answer: Melon

Marrows are apparently unknown in the USA, but this was only noticed as a problem after the film had been made. A marrow is a very large zucchini, but unfortunately 'very large zucchini' cannot be made to lip sync with 'marrow' terribly effectively, so the traditional British vegetable had to be changed to a fruit.

Answer: Canine Mensa formed

The newspapers are a definite throwaway highlight of the films. On the sports pages on the back of the paper, 'United' are always being beaten by some other team. I'm always puzzled by the 'moon cheese prices soar' headline seen at the start of 'The Wrong Trousers'. If Wallace and Gromit own the moon cheese, why are they so short of money that they need to take in a lodger?

Answer: True

As usual it is Gromit that sorts out the problem. The special effect of the fumes and flames from the rocket were created by waving a piece of silver foil for the flames, and a friend smoking a cigar just off camera for the smoke. CGI spoils all the fun.

Answer: Chicken Run

The penguin is in the zoo from which Rocky Rhodes makes his daring escape. The penguin was incarcerated in a zoo at the end of 'The Wrong Trousers' for stealing a diamond while impersonating a chicken.

Answer: Geordie

The belligerent and highly nationalistic rodent hails from Newcastle. The series which have been made and shown on ITV in the 2000s (it was so much easier when we were living in the 80s and 90s) feature a wide range of new characters from two old bats to a very smug dog chatting mindlessly about daily life.

Although taken from Nick Park's original idea, they are no longer directed by him. They still make me laugh, though.