Clay animation is a form of stop-motion animation movie. The artists usually use malleable materials like plasticine clay to create characters and substances. Traditional animation, like stop-motion, is just the recording of frame-to-frame still pictures, creating an illusion of motion in the eyes.
The filmmakers minimum play back the still pictures over at least ten to twelve frames per second. Many films, music videos, and video games are created this way. A clay animation film is just a stop-motion film using the material clay.
It is undoubtedly a formidable job and a time-consuming animation process but satisfying at the same time if it pays off. Despite being so creative and toiling, this art form is rare nowadays and lacks appreciation. The effort and the patience that the animators reflect in their work are not noticeable these days, thanks to modern-day CGI animation dominating the whole animation industry.
Though there are animated films that grew from this form of animation, and they are some cult favorites. Although these days, there are films where the animators combine the modern style with clay animation, which is kind of famous, like The Lego Batman film.
25 of the Best Clay Animation Movies:
25. A Close Shave (1995)
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
- Director: Nick Park
- Cast: Peter Sallis and Anne Reid.
About A Close Shave:
Aardman Animations, famous for their stop-motion/ Clay animation films, first introduced the Wallace and Gromit films into British pop culture. A Close Shave is the third film of the Wallace and Gromit franchise. They are the cultural icons of Claymation and some of the best-known stars in the UK. Although they are British icons but nowadays in the modern era, they are well-known worldwide.
In the short film, Wallace and his pet dog Gromit head to operate a window-washing business. There Wallace fell in love with wool shopkeeper Wendolene. Her sinister dog Preston rustles (stealing cattle) Sheep for the wool supply. Meanwhile, Gromit gets framed and put into jail for killing Sheep. With the help of Shaun and Wendelone, Wallace must discover the actual plot. This is the first Wallace and Gromit movie that introduces the character Shaun, who has a successful spin-off television show, Shaun, the Sheep.
This short claymation movie is remarkably good and has silent comedy with body language. It is a must-watch movie that won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.
24. Coraline (2009)
- Streaming Platform: Netflix and Prime Video
- Director: Henry Selick
- Cast: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Keith David, Dawn French, and Ian McShane.
About Coraline:
The second movie on the list is Coraline, an American stop-motion horror movie and one of the best Clay animation films. This movie is based initially on the novella of the same name by Neil Gaiman. The same director of the popular stop-motion film The Nightmare Before Christmas directed this dark fairy tale movie.
A young girl named Coraline, through a secret door of her new home finds an idealized parallel universe. It is strangely an alternative version of her frustrating home with a sinister secret motive twist that lures her. Laika Studio did a great job with the visually pleasing animation with clay figurines and computer-aided design to bring a fresh 3D look. It is Laika’s one of best works and worth a watch.
23. Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
- Streaming Platform: Netflix and Prime Video
- Director: Nick Park, Steve Box
- Cast: Peter Sallis, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Peter Kay.
About Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Previously, Aardman created only short films of the Wallace and Gromit series. Still, in 2005, DreamWorks Animation and Aardman Animations collaborated on the project and produced the first full-length Wallace and Gromit feature film. It is one of the highest-grossing stop motion/ clay animation movies only after Chicken Run.
The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is a parody of some classic horror movies and Hammer Horror (British horror film production) movies. Cheese-loving eccentric Wallace and his intelligent dog Gromit started a new venture as pest controllers. Before the annual Giant Vegetable Competition, they have to protect the vegetables of the townspeople from pests, including rabbits.
However, soon they discover a giant rabbit devouring many vegetables in the town. The movie has some intelligent approaches, from subtle references to classic films to an interesting storyline where a kid and well adults can enjoy it. It is a commercially successful film and won many awards, including an Academy Award for Best Feature Film.
The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is the second non-American and non-computerized animated feature film (after Studio Ghibli hit Spirited Away) to win the Academy Award.
The church scene with all of the villagers in Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of The Were-Rabbit (2005) was meant to homage the meeting scene in Jaws (1975), where the people of Amity are discussing how to deal with the shark. pic.twitter.com/m1XR85IXGA
— Horror4Kids (@horror4kids) June 27, 2022
22. Chicken Run (2000)
- Streaming Platform: Netflix.
- Director: Peter Lord and Nick Park
- Cast: Julia Sawalha, Mel Gibson, Tony Haygarth, Phil Daniels, Miranda Richardson, Timothy Spall, and more.
About Chicken Run:
Chicken Run is another collaboration movie between DreamWorks and Aardman Animations. Aardman’s first feature-length movie is a pure masterpiece.
The story centers around the British anthropomorphic chicken group. When the chickens learned that their owners were planning evil deeds, they tried to escape from being turned into meat pies. Suddenly they met an American Rooster named Rocky Rhodes, who is their only hope.
Learning about his flying ability, Chicken leader Ginger begs Rocky to teach them how to fly. The brilliant script, mindful hilarious storyline, and stunning voice acting adorn this movie with the crown of the highest-grossing stop-motion film.
21. Mary & Max (2009)
- Watch Mary and Max in Prime Video.
- Director: Adam Elliot
- Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Toni Collette, Eric Bana, and Bethany Whitmore, with Barry Humphries as narrator.
About Mary & Max:
Mary & Max is one of the brilliant stop-motion clay animation films. Adam Elliot directed this Australian animated film; the producers are Melanie Coombs and Melodrama Pictures. This is one of the movies which is low-budgeted but highly admirable.
The story is about a growing friendship between two pen pals, Mary, a lonely Australian girl, and Max, an obese American man with Asperger’s syndrome. Elliot’s story of a real-life pen pal of 20 years prompted him to make this film. The movie deals with mature themes like loneliness, alcohol addiction, and mental illness.
This movie is absolutely noteworthy because of the dark and emotional storyline that it has. The animation took a long, complicated process with multiple shots, frames, puppets, and props.
#NowWatching Mary & Max (2009) an animation about a young Australian girl and her writing to a man in New York with Asperger's. Which I have seen before and is a very beautiful movie. There will be tears.
Movie number 1,004 for me this year. #FilmTwitter pic.twitter.com/6Z5jlBwI6a
— NotGeorgeLucas (@NotGeorgeLucas1) December 29, 2021
20. Early Man (2018)
- Streaming Platform: Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney Plus
- Director: Nick Park
- Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Maisie Williams, and Timothy Spall.
About Early Man:
Early Man is a 2018 stop-motion comedy film by British claymation giant Aardman Animations. Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park once again came back in the direction of this movie.
Dug and his sidekick Hognob gather Stone Age dwellers to fight against Lord Nooth. Using invaders, they have to win over their land in a football match against the Bronze.
The film got positive reviews but was a box office failure in America, and some even consider it not the best of Aardman’s works. The film brings the voices of many famous British actors.
19. The Wrong Trouser (1993)
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
- Director: Nick Park
- Cast: Peter Sallis
About The Wrong Trouser:
The Wrong Trouser is another edition of the Wallace and Gromit movie. It is the second film of this duo, produced by Aardman Animations.
Wallace rents a spare bedroom to a sinister penguin named McGrew. He took an interest in Wallace’s one invention, “Techno-Trousers,” and plans to steal a diamond from a city museum. The Wrong trouser has one of the highest ratings of 100% and is “laugh-out-loud funny” on Rotten Tomatoes.
It also won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. It is one of the last of the Wallace and Gromit series, with only one spoken character, Wallace. Peter Sallis used to give voice to Wallace until 2010, and later Ben Whitehead replaced him before Sallis’s death in 2017.
18. Corpse Bride (2005)
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
- Director: Tim Burton and Mike Johnson
- Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Emily Watson, Albert Finney, Christopher Lee.
About Corpse Bride:
Corpse Bride is one of the many masterpieces of Tim Burton. With his usual touch of dark ghoulish themes, incredible musical arrangement, and Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter’s voice acting, this film remains one of the best stop-motion/clay animation films.
Victor, a nervous groom, practices his wedding vows in the woods before his marriage. When he places the ring in a tree, he accidentally marries a dead bride named Emily, who suddenly appears in front of him. Emily takes him to the land of the dead.
17. The Pirates! In An Adventure with Scientists! (2012)
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
- Director: Peter Lord
- Cast: Hugh Grant, Martin Freeman, Imelda Staunton, David Tennant, Salma Hayek, Lenny Henry, and more.
About The Pirates! In An Adventure with Scientists!
This British stop-motion clay animation film is a collaboration between Aardman Animations and Sony Pictures Animation. It is based on the novel of the same name by Gideon Defoe’s The Pirates! Series. The story follows as the pirate captain and crew must visit Victorian London to prove his worth and win the Pirate of the Year Award.
This British-American duo-produced film is Aardman’s first 3D project which added a new credit to the clay animation work. The film also gathered many voices of prominent British actors.
16. ParaNorman (2012)
- Streaming Platform: Prime Video
- Director: Sam Fell and Chris Butler
- Cast: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Tucker Albrizzi, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, and more.
About ParaNorman:
ParaNorman is a stop-motion animated fantasy horror film. Laika Studio produced this dark, creepy film that is unsuitable for children.
Norman Babcock lives in an ill-fated town that is under a curse. He can talk to ghosts, leaving him to end the witch’s curse on the city.
It is the first stop-motion film to use the 3D color printer to color the characters’ faces. Also, remember, the film openly introduced the first gay character in an animated movie, breaking all the stereotypes.
15. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
- Streaming Platform: Disney Plus and Prime video.
- Director: Henry Selick
- Cast: Chris Sarandon, Catherine O’Hara, William Hickey, Ken Page, Paul Reubens, Ed Ivory, and more.
About The Nightmare Before Christmas:
The Nightmare Before Christmas is undoubtedly one of the best stop-motion/ Claymation movies. Stop-motion genius Tim Burton and Henry Selick’s dual approach to the themes of Halloween and Christmas brings out the rare gem of Clay Animation.
Jack Skellington, king of Halloween town, suddenly finds Christmas town. Watching the festivities and people celebrating holidays, he becomes obsessed with it. The obsession with Christmas became so intense that he intended to abduct Santa Claus.
The visually pleasing art style, creepy characters, and Tim Burton’s dark storytelling style make this movie the best of all time.
14. Frankenweenie (2012)
- Streaming Platform: Disney Plus
- Director: Tim Burton
- Cast: Catherine O’Hara, Winona Ryder, Martin Short, Martin Landau, Charlie Tahan, Atticus Shaffer.
About Frankenweenie:
When Tim Burton was working at Disney, they asked him to remake the short film of the same name Frankenweenie. There are many references to the classic literary Frankenstein, and initially, it is a parody and homage to Frankenstein. However, Tim Burton added his dark element of horror and science fiction, which is usually the opposite of what Disney portrays.
In the film, Victor Frankenstein resurrects his dead Bull Terrier, Sparky, with the power of electricity. However, Sparky, with his monster-like look, terrifies his neighbors, but he is the same loyal dog that he used to be.
13. The Adventures of Mark Twain (1985)
- Streaming Platform: Prime Video.
- Director: Will Vinton
- Cast: Gary Krug, Chris Ritchie, James Whitmore, Carol Edelman, Wilbur Vincent, and more.
About The Adventures of Mark Twain:
This American stop-motion claymation movie is based on many works of Mark Twain that feature the plots of Halley’s comet. The film is not just for kids but also for mature people as it discovers themes of life, death, and the afterlife.
The author, Twain, is the pilot of an airship. Three children named Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, and Becky Thatcher sneak into the airship and the four set on many adventures to meet the ultimate destiny of Halley’s Comet.
12. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
- Streaming Platform: Prime Video and Disney Plus
- Director: Wes Anderson
- Cast: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson.
About Fantastic Mr. Fox:
Fantastic Mr. Fox is another stop-motion/ clay animated comedy movie. It is based on a popular children’s novel by a prominent author, Roald Dahl.
Mr. Fox, unable to resist his animal instinct, steals the produce of three farmers. Three farmers, Boggis, Bunce, and Bean, trapped and tried to kill him and his folks. It is a brilliant comedy family movie, and some prominent Hollywood actors have lent their voices to this film.
fantastic mr fox (2009) pic.twitter.com/djT4YUvUEt
— ⋆♱☆｡⋆༄✧ (@mywildattic) November 21, 2022
11. Missing Link (2019)
- Streaming Platform: Hulu
- Director: Chris Butler
- Cast: Hugh Jackman, Zach Galifianakis, Zoe Saldana, David Walliams, Matt Lucas, Timothy Olyphant, Amrita Acharia, Emma Thompson, and more.
About Missing Link:
Missing Link is a 2019 American stop-motion comedy film. Laika Studio’s other gem, Missing Link, is a funny, adventurous comedy film unlike any other of Laika’s work.
Mr. Link recruits Sir Lionel Frost, an investigator of myths and monsters. He traveled to America’s Pacific Northwest and met Mr. Link, who requested to find his missing relatives. Some wholesome secret came out afterward. It is the first non-computer animated movie to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film.
10. Shaun the Sheep (2007)
- Streaming Platform: Netflix and Prime Video
- Director: Mark Burton, Richard Starzak
- Cast: Justin Fletcher, John Sparkes, Omid Djalili.
About Shaun the Sheep:
Shaun the Sheep is a British stop-motion/ Claymation movie by Aardman Animations. Before appearing in the Wallace & Gromit franchise film A Close Shave, Shaun set off in his television show Shaun, the Sheep, which is very popular among children and adults. After his successful venture into a TV show, Shaun the Sheep finally got its feature film in 2015.
Shaun and his mischievous flock wanted a day off, but it was more than an adventure. He and his gang go into a big city to save their farmer, diagnosed with amnesia just after an accident. Meanwhile, an animal hunter follows them to capture them.
Aardman Animations is indeed the king of Claymation, and Shaun the Sheep is another hilarious and witty edition of Aardman.
9. Vincent (1982)
- Streaming Platform: YouTube
- Director: Tim Burton
- Cast: Narrator Vincent Price
About Vincent:
Vincent is another Tim Burton film that lasts very few minutes. In the short film, a little boy named Vincent pretends to be like the actor Vincent Price. He is inspired by Edgar Allan Poe. While reading them, he feels detached from reality and loses himself in macabre daydreams.
As a work of Burton, it has to be darker, which is very unlikely for a Disney film.
8. The Boxtrolls (2014)
- Streaming Platform: Prime Video
- Director: Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi
- Cast: Ben Kingsley, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Elle Fanning, Dee Bradley Baker, Steve Blum, and more.
About The Boxtrolls:
The Boxtrolls is another stop-motion film by Laika Studio. Bringing the Clay animation film is a daring thing to do in animation when the industry is enchanted by the magic of Disney Pixar. But Laika Studio brought out the charm by releasing their third stop-motion film, The Boxtrolls. It is based on Alan Snow’s novel Here Be Monsters!
The movie is about a human boy named Eggs who was surprisingly raised by trash-collecting trolls, the ‘Boxtrolls.’ He befriends Winnie and schemes to save the Boxtrolls from the evil Archibald Snatcher, a pest exterminator. The film got mixed reviews but was praiseworthy of great animation.
🎥 Are you looking for a fun movie to watch with your family? The Boxtrolls is now streaming!
This 2014 stop-motion animated fantasy comedy film follows a community of quirky, mischievous creatures who inhabit a cavern beneath the city of Cheesebridge 🧀 pic.twitter.com/g5Eejp8Hrx
— Netflix Life (@NetflixLifee) November 23, 2022
7. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (1998)
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime and YouTube
- Director: Larry Roemer
- Cast: Burl Ives, Billie Mae Richards, Larry Mann, Paul Soles, Stan Francis, and more.
About Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer:
The Red-Nosed Reindeer Rudolph is the famous 1964 TV Special stop-motion/clay animation movie. Every year during the holidays, it is mandatory to telecast this classic Christmas movie numerous times, and no matter how old it is, it never loses its charm.
Rudolph’s father is Santa Clause’s reindeer, and they expect him to be one of them. However, Rudolph is born with a natural, red-colored nose, making him an outcast. He met Hermey, an elf who wanted to be a dentist, and Yukon Cornelius, the prospector. Together they find themselves on an island of misfit toys.
6. A Grand Day Out (1989)
- Streaming Platform: Prime Video and HBO Max
- Director: Nick Park
- Cast: Peter Sallis
About A Grand Day Out:
A Grand Day Out should obviously make it to the list because it is the first Wallace and Gromit movie, and of course, Aardman made Claymation movie. Nick Park directed, co-written, and also animated this short film, as expected from a genius like him.
In the movie, the famous Cheese-loving person Wallace and his loyal dog Gromit, to their utter surprise, find out that they are out of cheese. But no worries, they flew to the Moon as everyone knows the Moon has plenty of cheese. They started their cheese-collecting adventure on the Moon and met a stranger.
5. $9.99 (2008)
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
- Director: Tatia Rosenthal
- Cast: Geoffrey Rush, Samuel Johnson, Anthony LaPaglia, and Claudia Karvan
About $9.99:
$9.99 is an Australian clay animation film targeted at adults. The story focuses on Dave Peck and his search for meaning in life. He is unemployed, and one day he finds an advertisement in a book that will tell the meaning of life for just $9.99.
The movie premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. It mostly got positive reviews for beautiful visuals and wonderful clay animation.
4. A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon (2019)
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
- Director: Richard Phelan, Will Becher
- Cast: Justin Fletcher, John Sparkes, Amalia Vitale, David Holt, and more.
About A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Another Aardman-produced movie on the list of Claymation is the sequel of Shaun the Sheep Movie. The silent comedy with the characters’ body language and facial expressions again charmed everyone, and it is worth the praise.
In the movie, Shaun and his flock meet an alien who crash-landed near their farm. They have to find a way to send her back to his home, or else she will get into the hands of the Ministry of Alien Detection.
3. James and the Giant Peach (1996)
- Streaming Platform: Disney Plus
- Director: Henry Selick
- Cast: Paul Terry, Simon Callow, Richard Dreyfuss, Jane Leeves, Joanna Lumley, Miriam Margolyes, and more.
About James and the Giant Peach:
James and the Giant Peach movie combines stop-motion and live-action movies. Based on the novel of the same name by Roald Dahl, the film is another work of Tim Burton, who co-produced the film with Denise Di Novi.
In the film, an orphaned boy who lives with his two cruel aunts, one day, drops a magical crocodile tongue. It grows out to be a huge never-ending peach tree. He befriends six insects in that giant tree and embarks on an adventure.
2. A Town Called Panic (2009)
- Streaming Platform: Prime Video
- Directors: Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar
- Cast: Stéphane Aubier, Jeanne Balibar, Nicolas Buysse, Véronique Dumont, Bruce Ellison and more.
About A Town Called Panic:
A Town Called Panic is a stop-motion clay animation film eco-produced by many international countries. Based on the TV series of the same name, this movie premiered at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. It is the first stop-motion film to be screened at an international film festival.
Two friends, Cowboy and India, try to construct a barbeque pit for their other friend, Horse’s birthday. The accidental purchase of 50 million bricks instead of 50 destroyed their house. They tried to rebuild it but realized that their walls were being stolen. To catch the thieves, the trio travels to the center of the world.
1. Anomalisa (2015)
- Streaming Platform: Prime Video
- Director: Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson
- Cast: David Thewlis, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom Noonan
About Anomalisa:
Anomalisa is a stop-motion clay animated adult psychological film. Charlie Kaufman directed this film, and it is based on his audio play of the same name.
The story follows a middle-aged British man who is suffering from Fregoli Delusion. For this, he is unable to understand other people’s thinking. But when he met a stranger on a business trip, his life started to change.
This dark, psychological-themed film is an extraordinary example of a stop-motion animated film where the clay character intends to come alive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What are some old Claymation movies?
Ans: Some old Claymation films are The Boxtrolls, Monkeybone, The Adventures of Mark Twain, Paranorman, Mary And Max, Wallace And Gromit In The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit, Chicken Run, A Close Shave, Coraline are some of the old clay animation films.
Q2: What are the new stop-motion Movies?
Ans: Wendell & Wild is the story of two devious demon brothers Wendell and Wild have to face their arch-enemy with the help of the nun Sister Helly, who is notorious for expelling demons. However, the brothers are not only plagued by her, but also by her altar boys. Robin Robin is the story of an optimistic young robin raised by a family of mice who makes a heartfelt wish on a Christmas star to learn how to fly.
