Directors
The Adventures Of Andr̩ And Wally B РAlvy Ray Smith
Luxo Jr. – John Lasseter
Red’s Dream – John Lasseter
Tin Toy – John Lasseter
Knick Knack – John Lasseter
Geri’s Game – Jan Pinkava
For The Birds – Ralph Eggleston
Mike’s New Car – Pete Doctor & Roger Gould
Boundin’ – Bud Luckey & Roger Gould
Jack-Jack Attack – Brad Bird
Mater And The Ghost Light – John Lasseter & Dan Scanlon
One Man Band – Mark Andrews & Andrew Jimenez
Lifted – Gary Rydstrom
Voices
Owen Wilson
Bonnie Hunt
Paul Newman
Bud Luckey
Larry The Cable Guy
Jason Lee
Bret “Brooke” Parker
Billy Crystal
John Goodman
DVD Release Date: November 6, 2007
Rating: G
Running Time: 54 Minutes
The Films
Pixar is full of geniuses. There’s no other way to word it then that. It is a company filled with some of the most brilliant minds the world has ever seen and they use all their knowledge to entertain people. They are able to create images that look so lifelike yet you know they can’t possibly be real. Worlds full of monsters, living toys, and cars that have faces. Towns that are under water, or with sassy little girls, or inhabited by circus bugs. There’s truly no limit to what they can produce on the screen, but the ideas may not always be around. That’s where the other half of the artistically creative brain comes in.
The Walt Disney Company is as common to every person on earth as eating is. I’m not sure you can find a person anywhere that has never heard of something from the world of Disney, and it doesn’t surprise me. Not only is the company involved in everything imaginable, but they have some of the most memorable characters in history. Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Figment, Snow White, and Winnie the Pooh are merely just a few that of the names that people have heard more then once I’m willing to bet. A true visionary in the world of animation, Disney could do no wrong with their 2-D favorites like Peter Pan and Cinderella, but as technology changes, so does the interest of the fans.
It’s only natural then that the technology-riddled minds of Pixar mixed with the creative geniuses of Disney. Together they have produced such incredibly great films like Finding Nemo, A Bug’s Life, and Toy Story. The wonderful characters like Dory, Buzz Lightyear, Mr. Incredible, and Lightning McQueen now came to life in whole new ways that made Disney’s audience grow in both children and adults alike. Feature length films that looked so beautiful; there isn’t a thing that could top them. But there is something that could keep up with them. Animated shorts that give just a small taste of what can be expected in years to come and what Pixar had done for years before Disney. It’s obvious the creativity was always there, but the marriage of the minds made it all complete.
The Adventures Of André And Wally B (1984): André is just a simple man made of simple geometric shapes. He wakes up in the forest, happens upon a bumblebee, and you can kind of figure out what happens from there. Cute and it actually is quite extraordinary when you realize this was done in 1984.
Luxo Jr. (1986): Perhaps the most common and well-known Pixar short as a large desk lamp and a young desk lamp play with an inflatable ball. It’s a very simple story, but very cute and worth a fun little laugh or two.
Red’s Dream (1987): It’s a dark and stormy night and a little red unicycle is all alone in a closed bike shop. And he has a dream. A dream of being in the circus and actually outperforming the juggling clown that sits on top of him. But alas, it is not meant to be as reality sets in and he is still among nothing but bikes. This is an amusing little short, but quite sad to be honest with you.
Tin Toy (1988): A small tin toy fashioned after a one-man band is fresh out of his box and ready to see his new owner. Fear quickly sets in as he learns his playmate is a very young baby just learning how to walk that also throws everything after he drools on it. Going on pure instinct, the tin toy makes a beeline for under the couch only to find a surprising secret and learn a little bit about himself. This is another one of those stories that has a nice feel to it and just makes you smile with a warm feeling.
Knick Knack (1989): There’s a beautiful woman in a bikini sitting on top of an ashtray that reads “Sunny Miami.” In fact, all of the figurines are from somewhere “Sunny.” All except for a snowman stuck inside a miniature snowglobe and willing to do anything to get outside and enjoy the fun. It’s quite funny watching the lengths the snowman will go to in order to exit his surroundings. There’s a fun mixture of reality and fiction as he tries to break the glass around him with such things he surely wouldn’t have in there like a jackhammer and dynamite.
Geri’s Game (1997): (Below left) All alone in a lonely park, an old man sets up a chess board with the pieces on both sides. Upon completing his task, he moves one piece and then takes off his glasses. Slowly he moves to the other side of the board and very energetically moves an opposing piece. This continues until he realizes he can even outsmart himself. Geri’s Game is one of my favorites in this collection because there is one long character and at first you feel a bit sorry for him, but by the time it’s over you may actually be jealous of him for the friendship he has.
For The Birds (2000): (Above right) This would be another of my favorites because it’s just amazingly well done; yet again so simple. A group of birds gather one by one on a telephone line and begin chitter-chattering away. Soon a big dopey bird shows up and merely wants to join in on the fun even though the little birds are ridiculing him to his face. The big bird doesn’t care and sits right on the line in the middle of all of them. A little casual discussion by the small birds as they devise a plan to get rid of their unwanted friend doesn’t turn out quite as they had hoped and things take a lewd turn.
Mike’s New Car (2002): If you’re a fan of Monsters Inc., then you’re going to love this short because Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan (Sulley) are together again checking out Mike’s hot new ride. It has all the comforts of home along with plenty of strange buttons and things that don’t work right. It’s a hilarious short filled with fantastic interaction between Mike and Sulley that will have you cracking up from moment one.
Boundin’ (2003): Here’s a lovely musical number that tells a heart-warming story. A young lamb has a gorgeous coat and is admired by all the animals as he dances and prances. That is until he is sheared one day and left completely naked; sapping all his enthusiasm. But before long a jackalope hops along and teaches the lamb that even if no-one else understands, there’s always fun to be had.
Jack-Jack Attack (2005): Baby Jack-Jack from The Incredibles is in need of a babysitter and young Kari McKeen thinks she can handle the little guy with learning toys and flashcards. Little does she realize that he is indeed like the rest of his secret-superpowered family and he is a lot more to deal with then she realized. Agent Rick Dicker is getting all of her story firsthand before he makes sure she never remembers it again. Not one of the better shorts in the collection, but Kari makes it all worth it.
Mater And The Ghost Light (2006): I’m not a fan of Larry The Cable Guy, but I was able to tolerate him in Cars and as well in this short film. Mater is up to his old tricks playing pranks on everyone in town. But when he hears the ale of the ghost light, his tune changes a bit. Rumor has it that a blue light follows cars around and what happens to those who see it; no-one knows. Mater is very frightened as he heads home for the night and soon is very sorry for the way he’s treated his friends. It’s really a very cute short and makes for a lot of good laughs.
One Man Band (2005): (Below left) Here is my favorite out of the entire collection and it’s evident by how many times I’ve watched it just since acquiring the DVD. A musician sets up shop in a tiny Italian town square that also happens to be extremely deserted. He has every instrument imaginable attached to his body and an empty cup that he’s hoping to fill before day’s end. He soon spots a young girl ready to throw a gold coin into a fountain, but he feels he is more deserving of it so quickly grabs her attention with a musical number.
Not to be outdone, another musician across the square quickly plays a tune for the little girl on his many violins so hopefully he can get the gold coin. The back and forth battle continues as she is constantly torn on who to give the coin to. Her decision is soon made for her by the two musicians and she is not happy about it so she must teach them a lesson. The little girl’s expressions in One Man Band will lead to tears either from pity or laughing, I guarantee it. The scenery, music, and everything else are phenomenal, but she truly makes the entire short what it is.
Lifted (2006): (Above right) Even aliens need some training. A lone farmhouse sits in the middle of a field one moonlit night. A bright blue light soon illuminates it in full and begins to lift the sleeping farmer from his bed. Surely on his way to an abduction, the farmer begins to drift towards the window and then, into the wall. And then into the wall again. Into the ceiling and bouncing all around the room. It seems a young alien is doing his first abduction and is a little nervous under the watchful eyes of his instructor. This is a very good short as well and, will more then likely have you cracking up as you feel a few of the bumps and bruises as well.
The Video
The films are shown in full screen and many different variations of widescreen formats and are absolutely beautiful. Pixar does such fantastic work with their full length features that there’s no way these should be any different, and they aren’t. From their earliest work to their newest, the shorts are all gorgeous in color and presentation.
The Audio
The films are heard in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and also sound fantastic. Every single noise imaginable is heard as if it is totally real. The baby’s cries and giggles. The buzzing of a bee and crack of a twig. Water dripping from a fountain in the background as two morons try to entertain a young girl with their musical prowess. Every sound is dead on accurate and perfectly timed so that you feel as if you are there. Excellently done.
Special Features
Audio Commentaries – Each short comes with commentary from the directors, animators, and others. These are well worth checking out because they give so much information out in anywhere from two to ten minutes that it seems like you’ll get more from these commentaries then anyone seen on a feature length film. You’ll learn about the animation used, what things mean, and what was trying to be accomplished. I was amazed to learn that the first four little birds seen in For The Birds each has their own personality. It’s little things like that which makes you want to go watch the shorts again and notice them for yourself.
The Pixar Shorts: A Short History – This is a twenty-four minute feature giving you everything you need to know about Pixar from creation to the present day in a cramming mode. The full history of Pixar from their earliest days and bringing together of brilliant minds makes you feel as if they would be around forever. But it shows that there were times when they all had no idea if they would even make it as a company period. It then jumps into the merger with Disney and how things have gone from there. It’s a very cool feature and well worth watching.
Sesame Street: Surprise – This is a short segment involving Luxo and Luxo Jr. (the desk lamps) learning the meaning of the word “surprise.”
Sesame Street: Light And Heavy – Another short segment involving Luxo and Luxo Jr. learning the difference between “light” and “heavy”.
Sesame Street: Up And Down – Another short segment involving Luxo and Luxo Jr. learning the difference between “up” and “down”.
Sesame Street: Front And Back – Another short segment involving Luxo and Luxo Jr. learning the difference between “front” and “back”. These are very cute little shorts and are good ways to get children involved in learning. It’s merely what Sesame Street has always been about, but simply updated a little.
Trailers – Wall•E, Peter Pan Starring In Return To Never Land, The Santa Clause: The Escape Clause, and Ratatouille
The Inside Pulse
This is absolutely an excellent DVD to pick up for kids and adults. The kids will want to watch every single one of the animated shorts over and over again which will keep them entertained for hours. Adults will want to do the same, but they’ll also enjoy all the special features. The commentaries are of course just as short as the films themselves, but you’ll want to watch those multiple times too. Other then the commentaries and the history of Pixar, the special features are kind of sparse but that is no matter. Trust me when I say that you’ll get more viewings out of this DVD then 90% of your collection I guarantee it. If you don’t, then there’s really nothing I can give you, but you will anyway.
