Monday, January 29, 2007
Family film
Do you think this film succeeded as a “family film,” that is, a film that adults and children would love to see together? I think it did, and one of the reasons is little jokes for the adults that weren’t big enough to get in the way of the film for kids who would not get the jokes (for example, when Elastigirl looks at her butt and sighs). Another reason I think it works for adults is the good acting, great animation, and depth of characterization. Kids and adults would both appreciate the great look and sound of the film and the fast, steady pace.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Back in the glory days of Hollywood there were some very good animations that would run before the feature films. I always figured that the plan was to amuse the kids for a bit in the hope that they would fall asleep during the feature instead of getting all fussy. The key to the success of such animations was that they had to appeal to all age groups. So there was plenty of slapstick and mayhem for the little kids, but also satirical commentary on grown-up life to make it richer for the older crowd.
The “Incredibles” manages this same feat. And more generally, part of appreciating the movie is understanding that although superheroes are not real, they do have a real history. Superhero comics took some raps from the moralists along the way, so in the movie we get an equivalent to the 1950s blacklisting by having all the superheroes driven underground because they are perceived as a threat to society. And then, of course, there is that great gag about the capes.
Yes! The whole thing about lawsuits would be totally lost on a child, but they would just know that the superheroes weren't allowed to be super anymore.
My favorite cartoons are the Warner Bros. shorts (six-minute cartoons that ran before movies and are now shown on Saturday mornings, probably still on ABC). They are filled with jokes for adults. One of my favorites, even though it is homophobic, is when Foghorn Leghorn says, "There's, I say, there's something just a little woo-hoo about a boy who's never played baseball!"
I really liked "The Incredibles," but being a big fan of the Pixar movies I can't help but compare it to the ones that came before it. I think it works as a family film because of the comedy and slapstick, like DW mentions.
But the reason I think other films, such as my favorite, "Finding Nemo," worked better as a movie to appeal to adults is that they were really character driven. "The Incredibles" is driven more by the action. It's more of a preference for me, and not to take away from "The Incredibles" (I do own copies of both DVDs).
The adult appeal has both storytelling and commercial value, and I think it began with the success of movies like "Toy Story." Even Disney's early-'90s hits like "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Little Mermaid" depended more on fantasy and good feelings versus the hip snark of films like "The Incredibles." (When ElastiGirl and Mr. Incredible met up before their wedding, I think her jokes about being more flexible definitely was supposed to seem sexual.)
This is anecdotal, but my sister, a mother of three, has praised "The Emperor's New Groove" and "A Bug's Life" for having in-jokes that she can enjoy, too. I don't know whether that's why she was willing to buy the DVDs as well as going to the shows, but it can't hurt.
How about “Shrek”? What could have more “hip snark” than that? Perhaps there is a growing awareness that there is more money to be made in a truly “family” film as opposed to just a “kids” film. I’m sure it’s a difficult trick, though. Movies like “The Incredibles” and “Shrek” have perfect comedic timing and come off as easy and self-assured. I saw at least one movie that tried to work this same ground and failed spectacularly. It is much easier and more dependable to make the mindless kiddie drivel that will cause parents eyes to roll.
Post a Comment