Creature Comforts

1989 0h 5m EN

👍

7.2

SOLID

★7.2TMDB · 134

AnimationComedyFamily

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A humorous and thought-provoking view of what animals in zoos might be thinking about their captivity and surroundings.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Julie Sedgewick
Interviewer (voice)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Nick Park
Writers: Nick Park
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 6

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 5-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 6

ERA

Did you know

37 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 6

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Nick Park, shot by Fred Reed. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor William Ennals shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 6

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0099317 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Nick Park directs. Fred Reed behind the camera. William Ennals cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 5-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
237 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Nick Park, shot by Fred Reed. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Editor William Ennals shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6IMDB entry: tt0099317 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Classified under 8 themes, including "zoo", "interview", "anthropomorphism", "stop motion".

The technical file

Cinematography: Fred Reed
Editing: William Ennals
Sound: Aard Wirtz
Runtime: 5 min · 0h 5m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Creature Comforts (1989)

Awards

Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Nick Park

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2025-01-23
★ 8/10
I think this is my favourite Aardman animation and it's probably the simplest. The interviewer takes a delightfully comedic ping at the dreaded television "vox pop" by going to a zoo where she interviews an host of the occupants. Some are perfectly happy in their centrally heated, double glazed environment where they are fed and watered regularly, others - like the Brazilian lion need space, more space and then even more space. Oh, and water that he can can drink and swim in! The chickens steal the show for me, especially the two in the background who mimic the wave to the camera thing whist their pal is extolling the virtues of life in captivity. The dialogue entertainingly parodies the kind of nervously inane comments you get from the public when they are interviewed for the telly and it's genuinely funny. The stop motion clay-mation and the attention to the detailed depth of the characters and the scenarios as they relate their stories makes this a must watch.

Production companies

Who made it

Aardman
GB
Film4 Productions
GB

Key crew

ModelingDebbie Smith
ModelingJohn Parsons
ModelingCliff Thorne
AnimationNick Park
ModelingMichael Wright
ModelingGreg Boulton
Production AssistantAlan Gardner
Sound Re-Recording MixerAard Wirtz
ProducerSara Mullock
EditorWilliam Ennals

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

zoo
interview
anthropomorphism
stop motion
animals
claymation
short film
four-mations

Release history · US

When it landed

Theatrical (limited)1991-03-29· part of "The British Animation Invasion" anthology
Physical1997-01-01NR· "Creature Comforts" CBS/FOX Video #7012 [VHS] 33 minutes

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