Summary

• Claymation movies require complex construction and time-consuming handcrafted work, but the end result is exceptional and charming.
• Aardman Studios and Laika are frontrunners in the claymation genre, producing masterpieces loved by audiences of all ages.
• Claymation films like "Pinocchio" and "Wendell & Wild" bring new approaches and unique storytelling to well-known tales, creating thought-provoking and visually stunning experiences.

Claymation movies feature an art style centered on the complex and creative construction of clay characters. Approached through stop-motion (though typical animation has been known to combine with claymation in certain situations), the style is unique and highly charming. This is also a time-consuming filmmaking endeavor, as the filmmakers have to make all the characters and sets by hand before filming them one frame at a time. Despite those things, there is no denying some exceptional films are grounded in Claymation.

Over the years, there have been people and studios that have mastered the art of claymation movies. Aardman Studios is a clear frontrunner as the best stop-motion studio of the modern era, although Laika has challenged them with a growing list of their own masterpieces. Also at the forefront of the genre are names like Tim Burton and Henry Selick, who teamed up for The Nightmare Before Christmas before going on to make some classics in stop-motion on their own. While the advances of CG animation have changed the movie industry, there is still something nice about watching great stop-motion claymation movies and knowing the love that went into them.

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24 Pinocchio (2022)

Directed By Guillermo Del Toro & Mark Gustafon

While Disney's live-action remake of Pinocchio was released months earlier, Guillermo del Toro's take on the classic tale proved how to take a new approach to such a well-known story. The story is set in Fascist Italy, bringing new layers to the tale of a wooden puppet with dreams of being a real boy. The movie is a more mature examination of the fairytale while still appealing to younger audiences. It deals with mortality and oppression in thought-provoking ways while also being a beautiful experience that won del Toro another Oscar as it took home Best Animated Feature.

Where To Watch Pinocchio

23 Wendell & Wild (2023)

Directed By Henry Selick

Henry Selick is a director who has become synonymous with claymation movies and it was a thrill to see him return to the format with the horror-comedy Wendell & Wild. The movie tells the story of a little girl who is orphaned and is tricked into wishing for her parents to come back by two mischievous demons. There is a fun grotesque quality to the movie and its animation, embracing Selick's darker visions than some of his other claymation movies. There is also the fun of having Jordan Peele and Keegan Michael-Key reunite to voice the titular demons.

Where To Watch Wendell & Wild

22 Early Man (2018)

Directed By Nick Park

Early Man is another modern claymation classic from Aardman Studio. The studio is behind some of the best claymation movies of all time, and while Early Man doesn't reach the same heights as their best work, it is a sign of how brilliant even their lesser efforts are. The movie follows a group of primitive humans in the Stone Age who face off against rivals from the Bronze Age in a soccer match. The funny take on the underdog sports story makes for the kind of inventive sequences and family-friendly humor expected from Aardman Studio.

Where To Watch Early Man

21 A Matter Of Loaf And Death (2008)

Directed By Nick Park

This is one of the claymation movies for Aardman's Wallace and Gromit hit after the theatrical movie, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. The movie is also one of the least appreciated of the series, although it is not bad in any manner. This is a murder mystery that Wallace and Gromit deal with as they start a new bakery business. The problem is that the killer is murdering bakers. Despite not getting the same critical acclaim as others, it was still Oscar-nominated and won a BAFTA and Annie Award for Aardman Studios. Over 14 million people watched it when Aardman released it on Christmas Day on BBC One television (via BBC).

A Matter Of Loaf And Death is available to rent on Apple TV.

20 Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Directed By Wes Anderson

After briefly using claymation in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Wes Anderson made his first animated movie with the quotable Fantastic Mr. Fox. The movie is an adaptation of Roald Dahn's children's story and focuses on a fox who is conflicted between being a responsible family man and embracing his wild animal instincts. It is a gorgeous-looking animated achievement that meshes expertly with Anderson's unique style. There are vibrant characters, a dry sense of humor, and a surprisingly touching message at its center.

Where To Watch Fantastic Mr. Fox

19 Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

Directed By Larry Roemer

While it is not technically claymation, Rankin-Bass had a similar format for their holiday movies. This included Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Instead of making the figures out of clay, these are made out of wood and then sent through the same stop-motion techniques as the beloved claymation movies throughout the years. Instead of claymation movies, the technique was called "Animagic" and consisted of puppet figures made of wood (via Stop Motion Magazine). The animation was used to tell the story of the outcast among Santa's reindeer who proved himself more important than anyone realized.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is available to buy on Apple TV.

18 Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town (1970)

Directed By Arthur Rankin Jr. & Jules Bass

Rudolph opened the doors for other Rankin-Bass Christmas specials, including the follow-up, Santa Claus is Comin' to Town. The Christmas story tells the origins of Santa Claus, finding fun ways to explore various aspects of his legend, from coming down the chimney to putting toys in stockings. With a happy energy and some catchy songs, it is another family-friendly holiday treat that has become a nostalgic classic, running on network television each year during the season. There's a reason it has withstood the test of time so well.

Santa Claus is Comin' to Town is available to rent on Apple TV.

17 The Year Without A Santa (1974)

Directed By Arthur Rankin Jr. & Jules Bass

While The Year Without Santa is not as popular as Rankin-Bass' other Christmas specials like Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer and Santa Claus is Coming to Town, it is still a lot of festive fun. Serving as a sequel of sorts to Santa Claus is Coming to Town, The Year Without Santa sees Mickey Rooney return as Santa who is discouraged by the Christmas season and decides to skip it. Mrs. Claus and the elves then set out to change his mind and save the holiday. However, the most memorable aspect of the special is the inclusion of the villainous brothers Heat Miser and Snow Miser with their catchy villain songs.

The Year Without Santa is available to rent on Apple TV.

16 The Boxtrolls (2014)

Directed By Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi

The Boxtrolls is one of the few claymation movies in recent years not made by the geniuses over at Aardman Studios. It follows a young orphan raised underground by trach collectors who must save his community from destruction. Its response wasn’t overwhelming, but the appearances of Ben Kingsley, Richard Ayoade, and Simon Pegg are well-placed. The unique setting meant the creative use of clay models and animation was perfect for the film. Considering its unusual approach, it even managed to receive its premiere during the 2014 Venice Film Festival.

Where To Watch The Boxtrolls

15 The Adventures Of Mark Twain (1985)

Directed By Will Vinton

While claymation movies can have an unintentionally creepy feel at times, few are as unsettling as The Adventures of Mark Twain. In this film, the titular author is the pilot of a grand, steampunk-esque airship who is joined by Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, and Becky Thatcher on what appears to be a collision course with Halley's Comet. The rest of the plot concerns the kids meeting up with other characters from his works. The surreal, dreamlike movie is not the kind of exciting crowd-pleasing adventure some might expect, but is one of the most unusual claymation movies that is entirely worth a watch.

Where To Watch The Adventures Of Mark Twain

14 ParaNorman (2012)

Directed By Sam Fell & Chris Butler

The creepy effort from the same studio that made The Boxtrolls, ParaNorman was a surprisingly dark effort for a film aimed at children. It took a few creative leaps in its production, combining the stop-motion claymation with 3D-printed faces for each character. On top of the leaps forward from a production standpoint, ParaNorman was also revolutionary in its characterization. It introduced the first openly gay character in a mainstream animated film in the form of Mitch. Done without fanfare or the intention to draw attention, this reveal is one of the subtle reasons ParaNorman was such a brilliant, forward-thinking addition to claymation movies.

Where To Watch ParaNorman

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13 Mary And Max (2009)

Directed By Adam Elliot

This is certainly the least well-known of the critically acclaimed claymation movies. This tragic, semi-comedic Australian work was low-budget and a small release, but has come to be recognized for its emotionally driven storyline and dark content in the tale of two misfits who connect as pen pals. It took a long time to produce, with a multitude of sets, puppets, and props combining to form an artistically immense film brimming with the complex themes of addiction, mental illness, and loneliness. A poignant release that is well worth taking a look into.

Where To Watch Mary And Max

12 Wallace And Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit (2005)

Directed By Nick Park & Steve Box

The Wallace And Gromit series is full of gems, but their feature film, The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit showed their ability to turn a series built on shorts into a feature that was universally praised for its expansion on an already excellent concept. Parodying various horror films in its approach, The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit has the classic appeal from the rest of the series through its ability to entertain kids and keep adults engaged with its mature storytelling. The movie went on to be critically acclaimed and won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.

Where To Watch Wallace And Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit

11 Chicken Run (2000)

Directed By Nick Park & Peter Lloyd

Paying homage to movies like The Great Escape, Chicken Run is a funny and entertaining animated adventure that follows a group of chickens attempting to escape a farm where they will be made into pies. Thanks to a collaboration between DreamWorks and Aardman, Chicken Run was able to gather an exceptional supporting cast including Mel Gibson and Timothy Spall. On top of this, the brilliant script and story were simultaneously touching, heart-wrenching, and hilarious all at once. The movie became one of the highest-grossing claymation movies of all time, and more than two decades later, the story continues with the sequel Chicken Run 2: Dawn of the Nugget.

Where To Watch Chicken Run

10 A Close Shave (1995)

Directed By Nick Park

The Wallace And Gromit series introduced its classic A Close Shave in 1995, showing that Aardman continues to be one of the leading names in claymation movies. With the late Peter Sallis on top form as Wallace (the human) and Gromit (surprisingly not anthropomorphic, as with most animation) as on point as ever with his silent visual jokes, this half-hour special has held its place as one of the best short films of all time since it first hit screens. It also introduced Justin Fletcher as Shaun the Sheep. Shaun went on to have a successful franchise of his own, with Fletcher having voiced the iconic animal for 24 years.

A Close Shave is not currently available for streaming.

9 Vincent (1982)

Directed By Tim Burton

This short film was how Tim Burton got his start with Walt Disney animation before he was let go because it was too dark. Vincent is an Edgar-Allan-Poe-inspired look into the imagination of a young boy with a taste for the mysterious and macabre, much like the director himself. While not the scariest of Burton's work, it does showcase a darker side of Disney that seems to be rare in the studio's modern offerings. Plus, it features Burton's iconic style with narration by Vincent Price. It was an early look at Burton's claymation movies long before he made Frankenweenie.

Vincent is not currently available for streaming.

8 Frankenweenie (2012)

Directed by Tim Burton

The short movie Frankenweenie is another example of one of Tim Burton's early Disney efforts that was deemed too dark for the studio. Ironically, Disney would later ask the director to do a full-length motion picture based on one of his early "scandalous" short films. Taking inspiration from the classic Mary Shelley story, Frankenweenie is a dark yet touching story of a young boy who wants to bring his beloved dog back from the dead. Frankenweenie isn't just a stop-motion adaptation of one of Burton's early short films, but a love letter to the Golden Age of horror movies.

Where To Watch Frankenweenie

7 Corpse Bride (2005)

Directed by Tim Burton

Tim Burton seems to have a loving knack for claymation movies, as the medium is perfectly designed for his quirky and dark tales that are still approachable for younger audiences. Corpse Bride has all the makings of a gothic Broadway musical with Burton's special flavor of weirdness. With wide-eyed characters, a fiendishly fun color palette, music by Danny Elfman, and vocal performances by both Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, it tells of the unexpected romance that occurs when a timid young man accidentally proposes to a dead woman, bringing her back. The movie was another animated hit for Burton, earning an Oscar nomination.

Where To Watch The Corpse Bride

6 The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Directed by Henry Selick

Likely the most well-known claymation movie of all time, The Nightmare Before Christmas channels all the best parts of Halloween and all the best parts of Christmas and turns them into all the best parts of claymation. It’s pretty rare to see something built on such creepy characters use such a charming art style, but when the screens slowly become filled with the contorted, slippery movements of the main characters, fans can understand why this unique approach was taken. The movie has gradually grown into an iconic classic and a Halloween favorite.

Where To Watch The Nightmare Before Christmas

5 The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists (2012)

Directed by Peter Lord

Despite its long title, it’s no secret that The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists was a star-studded hit for the world of claymation movies. Fronted by an incredible British cast of Hugh Grant, David Tennant, Imelda Staunton, and Martin Freeman, the film was well-received, and nominated for an Oscar for Best Feature, even if the box office results weren’t explosive. This one comes from the minds over at Aardman Studios and was their first stop-motion picture since The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit. It was also their first film to drop in 3D. While the Wallace And Gromit series always looks great, this film really pushed the limits of claymation.

The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! is available to rent on Apple TV.