The Man with the Top Hat

The Man with the Top Hat is a 2005 crime brickfilm by Jonathan Vaughan. It is about the search for a top hat-wearing bank robber. It was an entry to the Fame, Infamy and Glory Contest on Brickfilms.com and placed sixth. It was followed by The Tompa City Menace in 2007.

The Man with the Top Hat was the first full brickfilm that Vaughan released online, though not his first brickfilm overall. His earlier work included six short films starring precursors to the Man with the Top Hat and his skeleton servant, mostly comprised of still frames.

Plot
At midnight, the infamous criminal the Man with the Top Hat arrives at the Tompa City Bank. He and his henchmen break in, steal a valuable gem and leave their top hat calling card, before making their escape.

The next morning, bank owner James Marone receives a call from Zach Parker, informing him that the bank has been robbed. Mr. Marone arrives on the scene, where a news crew is interviewing businessman Zilph Pilble. Zach sneaks in to Pilble's office and finds a schedule book which details plans to rob the local banks. Zach shows the book to Mr. Marone and they figure out that Zilph Pilble, a man with a top hat, is, in fact, the Man with the Top Hat.

That night, the Man with the Top Hat asks his robot skeleton servant for his schedule book, but it is missing. He heads back to the bank to retrieve it before it is found, but he is met by Mr. Marone and Zach, who have the book. The Man with the Top Hat raises a gun to them, but police appear and arrest him. Not long later, the skeleton arrives at the Man with the Top Hat's jail cell, with the key to open it.

Crew

 * Jonathan Vaughan - Writer, Director, Producer, Animator, Editor, Story, Visual effects
 * Cedrick Salizar - Story
 * Joseph Frank - Music