Wallace & Gromit are among some of the most iconic duos in animation. The cheese-loving inventor and his faithful canine companion have had many wacky adventures. 2008’s A Matter of Loaf and Death was the duo’s darkest, being a murder mystery. Wallace & Gromit run their home bakery, but things don’t stay simple. Wallace starts a new romance, and a serial killer is targeting bakers.
The Origin of Wallace & Gromit
Nick Park created Wallace & Gromit while working on his graduation project. Wallace originally had a mustache and wore a flat cap, and Gromit was a cat. The characters underwent some rework, becoming the iconic duo, but Park kept working. He began working on a short film about a man building a rocket. Around the same time, Park presented his idea to the founders of Aardman Animations. They saw his project as overly ambitious but were still impressed with his work.
Park became employed at Aardman Animation, animating commercials in exchange for resources for his project. His hard work paid off, and Wallace & Gromit debuted in 1990. Entitled A Grand Day Out, the short film showcased the pair going to the moon. The feature captured the public’s attention and led to more short films. They showcased Wallace & Gromit taking on colorful foes while running their businesses.
A Matter of Loaf and Death
Wallace & Gromit became bakers and delivered baked goods to bakeries and homes. However, this venture becomes riskier than it should be because of a baker-targeting serial killer. The body count is up to twelve, but Wallace refuses to be scared off. While out on a delivery, he and Gromit rescue a woman and her dog. The lady introduces herself as Piella Bakewell, though Wallace knows her as The Bake-O-Lite Girl. Piella and Wallace become attracted to each other and start a relationship.
Piella pushes her way into Wallace & Gromit’s life, annoying the canine. The only thing to come from it is Gromit and Fluffles, Piella’s dog, becoming close. Everything changes when Gromit visits Piella’s home and discovers thirteen dressmaker dummies in her bedroom. They are all dressed in aprons, but only twelve have chef hats. It is here Gromit realizes that Piella is the serial killer targeting bakers. And she has her sights on Wallace as her thirteenth victim.
How Misfortune Gives Way to Murder
During the climactic battle, Piella reveals her motive for murdering bakers. Her main gimmick as The Bake-O-Lite Girl was flying in a hot-air balloon. This marketing ploy emphasized how the company’s baked goods helped people lose weight. However, Piella consumed too much bread and bakery confections and put on weight. She became too heavy to ride in the balloon and had to go.
This stroke of misfortune was the catalyst for Piella’s revenge against all bakers. Since then, she has lured in her targets by pretending to love them. And she would take them out when they least expected it. Piella even made it a goal of thirteen kills, representing a Baker’s Dozen. Misfortune would also be her undoing during her attempted escape with the hot-air balloon. Because of her weight, she fell into the zoo’s crocodile enclosure and was eaten alive.
Final Thoughts
A Matter of Loaf and Death is an enjoyable Wallace & Gromit short film. While having a similar premise to previous features, it does possess a unique twist. Fun references to other movies, like Patrick Swayze’s Ghost, are seen here and there. Overall, A Matter of Loaf and Death is a fantastic Wallace & Gromit feature.
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