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Do Pixar Movies Tell The Story of Life?

Posted on Friday, May 22nd, 2009 by Peter Sciretta

I just received The Art of Pixar’s Up in the mail from Amazon (the book is amazing by the way, but don’t read it until you’ve seen the movie - tons of spoilers). I was flipping through the pages when I came across a passage that theorizes that when taken as a whole, the 10 Pixar feature films can be viewed as serialized chapters in a single life. I liked the interpretation and thought I’d pass it along (warning: possible first act Up spoiler):

“From sibling rivalry, early attachment (Toy Story) and socialization (A Bug’s Life), to maturation (Monsters, Inc.) separation, and parenthood (Toy Story 2, Finding Nemo); from protecting the nuclear family (The Incredibles), shifting out of the fast lane (Cars), and rekindling passion (Ratatouille), to planning for future generations (WALL-E) and finally, accepting death (Up).”

Some of the associations are a bit of a stretch, but overall you can definitely see a progression. When asked about the theory, Up co-director Bob Peterson (and voice of Doug the Dog) explains that Pixar animators and directors are getting older, developing families, and “you write what you know.” Which makes sense.

Comments

Sergemeister

Aren't all stories related to life in some way or another?

Slottsherre

Oh, pretty amazing. I'd never thought about that. This pretty much blew my mind.

Steelo

As Sergemeister said, stories usually relate to life in some way.
That's why Pixar works it well.

Whether it's a progression in the hierarchy of life is whatever you choose it to be.
I personally think it's more of a technology issue and the development of skill enough to where 3d and reputation can be more along the lines of philosophy instead of cool lighting effects.

douglaschaplin

It may not be classic 2D animation but I wouldn't trust these stories in anyone else's hands.

I can't wait to see what the next life they create through the next 15 years!

Infrafan

Sure all things are about life in some manner, but animation in general seems to focus a bit more on this, using seemingly lifeless images made by hand and strung together to convey life. Animation is a beautiful artform.

Octoberist

being in my 20s now, I do reflect on my life a lot. It's werid. stuff like how my mom was RIGHT about stuff the entire time, but I didn't realize it until later

dagreenman18

So thats why Cars was a disappointment. It's basically the midlife crisis in the life of Pixar.

TheDaftPunk

That's pretty deep.

Finaldo

Awesome...but if the 10th film is accepting death....what will Toy Story 3 be about? Life after death? Like, the toys getting a new owner?

simmy25

you know that's the story, right?

Finaldo

I didn't, but thank you anyways...then that theory of the Story of Life might be true.

Marko

I'd more compare it to passing the torch to a new generation. After all, Pixar's next batch of film's are all being directed by new directors, though still mainly people who have worked with Pixar before.

Peter Sciretta

Possibly about being reborn? The toys find a new life at a daycare center :)

HollywoodHills

WALL-E is so badass, and I can't explain why I like it so much, but it always gets me when I watch it. But I honestly have no desire to see UP, at all.

freefall

Considering Pixar's film streak, why would you possibly not want to watch it? Did you even see the trailer? I haven't seen Up yet but the chances of not liking this when you love Wall-E seem incredibly slim.

DShelton

Hey Peter, if you love Pixar so much, why don't you just mary it?

Finaldo

He could marry it as well...but I like the Pixar news.

edc

no.
pixar tells the story of akira kurosawa, richard matheson, stan lee and jack kirby, the guy who wrote doc hollywood, myself and others.
they are a soulless corporation that steals ideas and vomits them up for bald IT guys with asian wives and ironically named children.
pixar is scum.

dallegre

I like the way you think! I'd like to offer you a piece of delicious pie.

Brian

If your comment had any relation to Pixar it MIGHT make sense. So...

Pixar is awesome. Disney is awesome. Disney Pixar is awesome squared. Pure and simple.

freefall

Disney is awesome at times... their endless sequel streaks and abominations such as the Disney Channel are not all wonderful. Now Pixar on the other hand... :)

Craigasorusrex

Geez your bitter.

Maybe some time away from the computer will calm you down.

The Iron Avenger

So can we expect a zombie Pixar film?

dallegre

+1'd

AlexxB

So do Dreamworks movies tell the Story of Taking A Dump?

Joe

Nah, they tell The Story of Marketing

sean

amen.

sean

peter, your obsession with pixar needs to stop. so many movies run on themes that are based on life. Pixar is just a company that makes good movies for all audiences, but they don't seperate themselves from anyone else.

Peter Sciretta

Sean. so you can name another studio that had ten films in a row that can be related in progression from childhood to death? Wow :) Did you even read the article?

sean

You can't look at a studio and say that this is the best studio because each movie represents in someway or another stages of life. That's not why Pixar is good at what they do, they're good because they make animated movies for no specific target audience. Everyone can enjoy them. No other studio can do that. If you want to look at studios that make movies that base their themes on some aspects of life, look at movies done by Miramax when owned by the Weinstein brothers. Some of the stuff in that quote like "protecting the nuclear family"...what? I think the Incredibles (which is my favorite animated movie of all time) is much more then that. Couldn't you say that a Bug's Life is more about become brave and helping out your comunnity rather then socializing? The only thing that makes any sense in that quote was about parenting and death, all the other crap is to broad.

ulmann

The story of life-- if you're a man?

http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/02/25/does-pixar-ha...

Gadget Sleuth

I'll tell you what though...Each Pixar movie looks better than the last. The shadows, animation, etc looks pretty darn good.

Nish

I wonder then if the next film would be about rebirth - maybe some sort of reincarnation movie. I don't think some of the above commenters really get that the amazoing thing about this is how these films have reflected the maturity of the people working on them. Essentailly, using these various stories the staff at pixar have told us thier story about thier life. That really deep and possibly sounds like something someone said whilst watching all the films drunk or high..

YoungZer0

Finding Nemo was clearly about parenthood everything else is very stretched. The "accepting death" part about Up makes me care for that movie for the first time. I would like to see it.

Jimmy

“From sibling rivalry, early attachment (Toy Story) and socialization (A Bug’s Life), to maturation (Monsters, Inc.) separation, and parenthood (Toy Story 2, Finding Nemo); from protecting the nuclear family (The Incredibles), shifting out of the fast lane (Cars), and rekindling passion (Ratatouille), to planning for future generations (WALL-E) and finally, accepting death (Up).”

Everything else a stretch? I think only Monsters, Inc. and WALL-E are stretched. Both were more about commitment and protection.

Speaking of which, The Incredibles and A Bug's Life were about commitment and protection also.

Andrew

That's a great theory right there- plus I like how it gives all of Pixar's films a kind of link to each other.
What will Toy Story 3 speak to, though?

Sam E.

Hmm...well all movies are about life to some extent and when it gets right down to it with the exception of nature films human life at that. However, I guess Pixar may more effectively convey stories about life than other creative teams. That said IMO this scales pretty high on the pretense meter. j

Worm

This all seems very stretched. It makes sense that as the creators mature as does the art, but that doesn't mean that these films tell the story of their maturation.

This seems to be similar to a lot of songs, in that the creators notice there could be a meaning and retroactively assign it one.That doesn't mean the meaning was what they had in mind while writing it, but it can be seen.

Also, it's "Dug" the Dog.

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