Adam (1992)

Considering that the film is called ADAM, you can probably assume this animated short is supposed to be a strange retelling of the Creation story. However, instead of God, you have the hand of the animator dropping a simple claymation man onto a small newly formed planet. From there, the poor clay creature is mercilessly messed with by the nasty hand. In the end, in a sick twist, the hand realizes that Adam is lonely and creates a mate--you just have to see it to appreciate it.This short has both a lovely sense of humor and is very creative. In light of this, it seems appropriate that it was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Short of 1993.

Many believers of the Bible may wince when they watch this Aardman short based on the first man and God, but it is likely to entertain them in some way otherwise. People who do not believe the Bible are more likely to love this, the absurdity of "the hand of God" (played by a real human hand) and Adam being a coward and being surprisingly stupid - which makes him more the irresistibly lovable!Basically, this "amazing" short to watch, is based on the story of the first man, Adam, who comes down to a rather barren, rocky earth and learns to be like a man. The plasticene animation makes Adam look very entertaining and the hand of God is done very well. The background is also surprisingly unnerving and realistic.So, if I am not mistaken, you (hopefully) should be entertained by this short.Enjoy "Adam".

Yet another fine example of Aardman's pure unbounded brilliance, this amusing and engaging short focuses on the misadventures of a lonesome plasticine figure when his Creator (represented by a real human hand) places him on a tiny nondescript planet and brings him to life. The musical score used in the opening title is bold, beautiful and breathtaking but, in a sparkling piece of irony, when we actually get to meet this 'Adam' for ourselves, he turns out to be a weak, innocent and hopelessly naive being who, having been given life, has trouble working out exactly what it is he's supposed to be doing with it. He goes through all the various stages of coming to terms with his own existence and identity and exploring the world around him, and when it becomes apparent that Adam will never get by down there on his own, his Creator finally chooses to take more clay and mould him a companion, much to Adam's delight. Trouble is, the finished product isn't quite what our hero had in mind, making way for a hilarious and at the same time rather poignant conclusion.The animation, in spite of looking just a tad unpolished, is excellent, the sight gags are perfectly executed (I like Adam's futile attempt to head off and see the rest of the world myself), and Adam himself is as charming a stop motion character as they come. His total obliviousness to his own limitations, which somehow manage to land him in all kinds of perilous situations on this seemingly innocuous planet, is what makes him so thoroughly appealing. It all comes together to produce one of the most fascinating and ambiguous films that the Bristol-based studio has ever crafted. Did Peter Lord intend it as a social commentary on male and female relations, a statement about humankind in general, an analogy of the animator's role as 'God' to the claymation figures he sculpts and brings to 'life', or simply a playful variation on the familiar creation story? Well, that's for your own interpretation to decide, but I personally view it as being a mixture of them all. Whatever the real meaning, it's lovable, enjoyable and Aardman's most inspired shot at a non-dialogue film.Grade: A

This short was nominated for an Academy Award and is well worth watching, though it was probably about a minute too long or thereabouts. It's often amusing, but drags in spots. Interesting idea with excellent animation, but uneven and tedious at times. Recommended.