Disney, Pixar, Sendak, Go!

December 13, 2006 8:41 AM

In 1983, John Lassetter and Chris Wedge created some test footage that integrated CGI and traditional animation [YouTube] for Disney. The work it was based on? Where The Wild Things Are. The movie was never made and Lassetter left to start Pixar, which redefined how animated movies were created. Curious to see the shorts that led to Toy Story and its followers? Pixar's put all their short films online.
posted by beaucoupkevin (20 comments total)

Pixar's put all their short films online.

No they haven't.
posted by George_Spiggott at 8:49 AM on December 13, 2006

Ya, that's only about a 1/5th of Mike's New Car for example.
posted by Mitheral at 8:55 AM on December 13, 2006

That's me, paying the price for clicking around a bit, thinking it's all good, then closing the window. Apologies.
posted by beaucoupkevin at 8:58 AM on December 13, 2006

Actually, only one of those shorts led to Toy Story. The rest came after.
posted by Robot Johnny at 9:01 AM on December 13, 2006

[This is what happens when I try to avoid a single-link post to a YouTube video.]
posted by beaucoupkevin at 9:10 AM on December 13, 2006

Luxo Jr. was before Toy Story. As were For the Birds and Tin Toy. I'm sure there were others.
posted by drinkcoffee at 9:12 AM on December 13, 2006

That Where the Wild Things Are test is awful. (I mean, it's good, technically, for the time, but the whole look of it is crappy Disney cute.) Glad they never actually made it.

Kind of off-topic, but I don't think these type of things should be made into full-length features, they rarely work. The Ron Howard Grinch is so awful it makes me sad.
However, if the live action WTWTA must be made, I think Spike Jonze is a good choice to direct.
posted by chococat at 9:13 AM on December 13, 2006

Non-Disney animated Where the Wild Things Are.
posted by kirkaracha at 9:22 AM on December 13, 2006

That Where the Wild Things Are test is awful. (I mean, it's good, technically, for the time, but the whole look of it is crappy Disney cute.) Glad they never actually made it.

Yes, it's terrible, isn't it?

Non-Disney animated Where the Wild Things Are. (Spike Jonze? Dave Eggers? Hm....)
posted by Tuwa at 9:26 AM on December 13, 2006

there is a 3-d version of knick knack that was released with the original. very cool for 1989.
posted by bruceo at 9:53 AM on December 13, 2006

Fantastic find, thanks. I had no idea it existed.

couple comments, though:

Luxo Jr. was before Toy Story. As were For the Birds and Tin Toy. I'm sure there were others.

For the Birds doesn't predate Toy Story, it was released along with Monsters Inc.

there is a 3-d version of knick knack that was released with the original. very cool for 1989.

What 'original'? There is only the 3d version.
posted by GeekAnimator at 10:03 AM on December 13, 2006

Wait, nevermind, I realize what you meant about 3d now. I read your comment as implying that there was a cel animated version of the same story. My goof.
posted by GeekAnimator at 10:09 AM on December 13, 2006

This is really impressive considering that Disney didnb't try anything like this again until Aladin and, arguably, Beauty and the Beast.
posted by lekvar at 10:12 AM on December 13, 2006

For The Birds
Mike's New Car
Jack-Jack Attack
Geri's Game
One Man Band
Boundin'
Luxo Jr
posted by soundofsuburbia at 10:16 AM on December 13, 2006

For the Birds doesn't predate Toy Story, it was released along with Monsters Inc.

My mistake...for some reason I (incorrectly) recalled seeing it in '90 at an Animation Festival, but that must have been something else.
posted by drinkcoffee at 10:23 AM on December 13, 2006

Levkar, they used the vector BG/cel animation for the Big Ben climax in The Great Mouse Detective, which was released only 3 years later (the clip is from '83). I'm not sure Disney was ever really planning a Wild Things feature, I think this was just used as a test to illustrate the new technology. I remember seeing that clip in school around '85, and while it looks fairly awful today, back then it was absolutely amazing. The dynamic vector BGs led to a new way of imagining space and directing traditional animation. Before that, action was usually constrained by camera moves over static backgrounds, so this was a pretty exciting innovation.
posted by maryh at 10:38 AM on December 13, 2006

For 1983 that's pretty damn impressive, I think.

Someday I'd like to work for John Lasseter. That would be just amazing.
posted by zoogleplex at 11:52 AM on December 13, 2006

This is awesome!
posted by brundlefly at 12:52 PM on December 13, 2006

I bet that took all of 1983 to render.
posted by aaronetc at 8:56 PM on December 13, 2006

aarontec!
posted by leftoverboy at 11:05 PM on December 13, 2006