Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Pixar's Side Show...


We all know that Pixar films are known for their stories...

The characters that populate them have universal appeal, but one of the things that goes overlooked is how interesting some of the minor characters are. Several of the secondary roles in their films are as interesting if not more so than the main characters. So let's look at what I believe are the most interesting minor actors in the entire Pixar collection of films...


Wall-E: Mo

The little cleaning robot in "Wall-E" has more personality that most lead characters in live-action films. Without being able to say a word you can tell what this cute little fella is trying to say.



Ratatouille: Emile


My favorite character from "Ratatouille" wasn't Remy, but his sweet, naive brother. The one he took along with him when he knew he was doing something he shouldn't. The only one he trusted with his secret. Emile was an adorable light brown (large)hairball.


Cars: Guido

The quiet and shy helper of Luigi was a sweet example of how a character can convey emotion without words pre-Wall-E.


Incredibles: Edna Mode

My favorite character in "The Incredibles" wasn't the family or the villain, but this pint-sized powerhouse designer voiced by Brad Bird himself. I wish they'd make a short staring her... now that would be interesting.


Finding Nemo: Fish School

John Ratzenberg got more than a cameo in "Finding Nemo" with this role... like a thousand times more roles than he probably expected. Funny and totally enjoyable watching how the animators added personality to these fish.



Monster's Inc.: The Abominable Snowman


Another Ratzenber contribution. Who would have thought the Snowman could be so nice?


Toy Story 2: Wheezy

Played so well by the voice of the Joe Ranft, this penguin could belt out a toon, eh? I wonder if he'll be returning in "Toy Story 3"? Without Joe's voice I don't know if I wanna see him. I was tempted to say Emperor Zurg, but he's more of a primary character in the story.


A Bug's Life: P.T. Flea

John Ratzenberg made this carnival barker all the more interesting with his portrayal of the leader of a motley crew of circus performers.


Toy Story: Rex

Perhaps the greatest contribution to the script by Joss Whedon, this toy Tyrannosaur Rex is anything but frightening. He's a dinosaur that is a hypochondriac and shows you why they went extinct.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rex is the best and Wallace Shawn is brilliant. Thanks for giving props to my favorite characters.

Anonymous said...

Hey Honor, how about doing one of these for the Disney films? I'd love to see your take on some of those.

Honor Hunter said...

Well, there is something coming up about Disney Villains...

Anonymous said...

I second the idea of a short with Edna Mode!!!

mnmears said...

All these are good choices, but I'd like to add "Stinky Pete the Prospector" from "Toy Story 2."

Maybe you consider him more than a bit "miner" player, but I think the character (and vocal performance, too) is one of the best things in the movie along with Jessie (a much more prominent presence).

Honor Hunter said...

I thought of "Stinky Pete", but considered him more of a sidekick to the bad guy than a secondary character.

Anonymous said...

I love Pixar.
M.O is AWESOME!


x