Live in Chicago? Capone has seats for an advanced screening of THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS, with director/Aardman Studios co-founder Peter Lord Q&A!!!

Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here.

A couple years after I saw Pixar's groundbreaking computer-generated short LUXO JR., I was introduced to the hand-crafted claymation magic of Aardman Animations through the Oscar-winning CREATURES COMFORTS, and I've been slightly obsessed with the creations of Aardman ever since.

Aardman has been around since the early 1970s, with most of the world first discovered their genius thanks to a little music video you might have seen for Peter Gabriel's song "Sledgehammer." But before long years-in-the-making shorts featuring Wallace and Gromit began infiltrating our lives, followed in 2000 by Aardman's first feature, CHICKEN RUN, co-directed by Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park and Aardman co-founder Peter Lord. Lord has also co-directed (with Jeff Newitt) Aardman latest stop-motion feature, THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS, an inspiring action-adventure-comedy that I had a ton of fun watching recently.

And now for the good part. I have 50 reserved seats for an advanced screening of THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS taking place on Wednesday, April 11 at 6:30pm (please note the early start time) at a theater in downtown Chicago (the exact location will only be given to winners). As an added bonus, we will have co-director and Aardman co-founder Peter Lord on hand for a post-screening Q&A. I had an opportunity to sit down with Lord at San Diego Comic-Con last year, and he was the sweetest, most enjoyable gentleman who was thrilled to share his decades of stories about the company has the films he had a hand in. I can't wait for you to meet him.

As if that weren't enough, the film will be preceded by a 40-minute Aardman Studios retrospective, that will include several shorts and the Wallace and Gromit tale THE WRONG TROUSERS. It's going to be so much fun. Here's how to win…

Send me an email at PiratesChicago@aintitcoolmail.com (please note the new email address) with the subject line "It's a Plunderful Life" (exactly like that). In the body of the email, I need your full Name, whether or not you're bringing Guests (you may bring one guest, but their name is not required), and and the answer to the following question: "What is your favorite Aardman Studios film (short or feature-length film), and why?" I need a title and an explanation as to why it's your favorite; the second part of that answer is more important than the first.

Although these seats are reserved, you must arrive no later than 6:15pm, or your seats will be given away. If you can't arrive early, don't enter this contest. If there's even the slightest chance you or your guest will have to back out of attending if you do win, don't enter. If you have a job that might make you late or unable to attend, or an ill/pregnant relative, or a temperamental significant other, or a scratchy throat, do not enter.

Good luck, everyone! And thanks to Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures for giving us this very fun screening and bringing Peter Lord to Chicago.

-- Steve Prokopy
"Capone"
capone@aintitcool.com
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