1990 - A Grand Day Out, Aardman Studios

This marks the first appearance of Aardman’s enormously popular comedy duo, Wallace and Gromit. Lovable and eccentric Wallace is kept on a short leash but the more sensible Gromit, and this perfect relationship would go on to serve Aardman very well, indeed. 

1992 - Screen Play, by Barry Purves

This endlessly complex short film involves stop motion puppets that perform traditional Japanese bunraku puppet theatre. Let that sink in for a moment. With visual and narrative layers and techniques that never cease evolving, it’s a study in international theatre techniques and stop motion. As the story climaxes, theatre gives way to cinema, but stop motion unites it all. The film can’t be absorbed in one viewing, and that’s part of its strength. You’ll be drawn back again, making it no surprise that it earned Purves an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Short.

1992

Mackinnon and Saunders is formed. This puppet and armature design and fabrication company will go on to create some of the medium’s most beautiful and impressive puppets, with films like Corpse Bride and Fantastic Mr. Fox being prime examples. 

1993 - Jurassic Park, by Steven Spielberg

This film would prove to be a major turning point for the medium, precisely because its effects are not done in stop motion. Although much of the world had always embraced stop motion as a medium in its own right, Hollywood didn’t see things that way. For Hollywood, the medium was largely considered a “means to an end”- a way to bring fantasy and special effects elements to life, within live action worlds. As the computer generated tests for Jurassic Park began to surpass what stop motion could achieve in terms of realism, it marked the end of an era for stop motion. At least from the perspective of big-budget producers, the medium was rapidly being fitted for extinction. Fortunately, a major milestone for stop motion would occur the same year. 

1993 - The Nightmare Before Christmas, by Henry Selick

Based on Tim Burton’s story and designs, this feature film is typically considered to be the start of the modern stop motion feature film movement. As Jack Skellington, Sally, and a huge cast of memorable Halloween characters try to figure out exactly what Christmas is (with horrific and comedic results), audiences are treated to a true “classic” of the medium. The film has a beautiful overall look, and features lovely characters and animation. A major success for Disney, the property continues to be hugely popular, and went a long way towards proving to Hollywood that stop motion could generate money. Made with the help of early video referencing tools, it also serves as a bridging film between “old school” stop motion and more recent approaches. 

1994 - Bump In The Night, Danger Productions

This is a nice example of television stop motion from this era. The series stars Mr. Bumpy, a gross and greedy monster, and his best pal Squishington, a far more gentle creature, who lives in a toilet tank. Lots of fun animation, mild gross-out humour, and original stories makes this one worth looking up. It’s a great example of how flat-out fun television stop motion can be. Full disclosure: I am a proud owner of an autographed photo from the Bumpster himself! 

1996 - James and the Giant Peach, by Henry Selick

In this adaptation of the Roald Dahl story, a live action boy is magically transformed into a puppet, where he has great adventures with a gang of singing bugs. A delightful film and a big success, this film would build on the momentum that The Nightmare Before Christmas had begun to generate for the medium.

1998 - The Devil Went Down To Georgia, by Mike Johnson

This is a brilliant example of how animation and music can work together. It stars a beautifully designed and animated Devil puppet, and is also notably for its distinctive “Deep South” aesthetic. It’s an extremely impressive short film, in the guise of music video.