Wallace and Gromit in the Wrong Trousers (1993)

The second short film to feature the claymation antics of eccentric inventor Wallace and his dog Gromit, The Wrong Trousers sees the duo become unwitting accomplices to a jewel theft. The trouble begins when, struggling to make ends meet, Wallace decides to take in a boarder - a mysterious penguin. At first, Wallace and his new tenant get along famously; indeed, the penguin forces Gromit out of his room and into the doghouse, literally. However, the bird is not what he seems: Gromit discovers that the penguin is actually the infamous burglar Feathers McGraw. Feathers has his eye on Wallace's most recent invention -- a pair of mechanical trousers that can be programmed to automatically walk on their own -- believing the device will help him steal a world-famous diamond at the local museum. When Feathers traps Wallace inside the trousers, Gromit must find a way to stop the malicious penguin and save his friend. This Oscar-winner for "Best Animated Short" works both as a hilarious parody of film noir and as an exciting, action-packed adventure in its own right, combining skillful visual design and superb animation with inventive, witty storytelling.