ALARIS' REVIEWS

24th June 2010
The Pixar Shorts: A Short History (2007)

I'm an ardent fan of Pixar Animation Studios, and of the spectacular place they've carved for themselves in Western animation. Producing consistently excellent films, packed with humour, heart, and hope, Pixar are a testament to the supremacy of great storytelling.

Pixar Shorts: A Short History is a collection of Pixar's short films, from their early software demos, to the charming shorts screened in cinemas all over the world. This DVD also includes an engaging and inspiring documentary, recounting Pixar's origins as the struggling PR branch of a computing company.

Some common themes in many of Pixar's films are the anthropomorphising of animals and inanimate objects, and the universality of complex stories, told without the use of words. It's from this same well that empathy is drawn.

Below are some very brief comments about each short:

The Adventures of André and Wally B (1984)

If you watch this short on its own, it's a fairly basic 3D demo. If you watch this short, then watch the doco, then watch this short again, it's like, wow.

Luxo Jr (1986)

This has got to be my favourite short, and I can see why the lamps which feature in this have become iconically associated with Pixar. The film is incredibly sweet, manages to squeeze in three acts, and the lamps are amazingly expressive.

Red's Dream (1986)

The noir mood of this film is quite atmospheric, but the surreal clown sequence is a bit creepy.

Tin Toy (1988)

Think Toy Story (1995) as a horror film. Very cute and slightly disturbing.

Knick Knack (1989)

I loved this short. Adorably whimsical, and again revisiting the idea of souvenirs as distinctive characters.

Geri's Game (1988)

You can really see the advances in the animation technology as well as in the cinematography. The story is less exciting, but I like their portrayal of older people, seen again in the very moving Up (2009) .

For the Birds (2001)

Another very cute short, conveying complex, acute social situations without words.

Mike's New Car (2002)

An entertaining coda to Monster's Inc (2001) . The accuracy of the facial expressions is particularly well demonstrated here – the uncanny valley seems like a distant nightmare.

Boundin' (2004)

I'm not really a fan of the character designs in this short, but the message is upbeat.

Jack-Jack Attack (2005)

I hadn't actually seen this short before – a coda to The Incredibles (2004) – but it's highly entertaining. Pixar always does great work in creating likeable, distinctive characters. Impeccable comic timing.

One Man Band (2006)

A slightly macabre battle between two travelling minstrels. Such evocative characters, and again, without a word being spoken.

Mater and the Ghostlight (2006)

Cars (2006) was actually my least favourite Pixar, and Mater was my least favourite character. So, not a winner for me.

Lifted (2007)

A cute twist on the alien abduction concept – it brought back memories of high school French exams.

Verdict: A lovely showcase of storytelling from a brilliant animation studio.

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