Brad Bird and Ray Gunn or Animation is not a Genre

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#1

Do you think that Animation is truly only for Kids or is it a broad artform that can be used

to tell all kinds of stories of any kind?

  • Animated movies are just cartoons, only for small children
  • Animation is an artform and can be used to tell any story no matter the genre or content

0 voters

You know, just when Im starting to forget why Brad Bird is my all time favorite animation director I find out

about a new project of his and Im not talking about Ratatouille.

Noe don’t get me wrong Im am excited

about Pixar and Brad Bird’s next Animated film, I mean anything by Brad Bird to me is genious. Since Iron Giant

I have been a huge fan of his.

Im talking about a little idea called Ray Gunn. It is a Film Noir/Action

style story about a hard boiled detective and is set in the future. It sounds sooo cool and right up Brad’s

alley. Im a firm bealiver that animation is not a genre, but an artform. Last year we were reminded of that by a

great film called Monster House which was an animated horror film and a great one.

Bird says

"Well, it’s two things that are hard to sell in Hollywood. Part of it is sort of film noir, even

though to me it’s only that in the surface details. Really, it’s more of an action movie, and it had a

substantial amount of comedy in it. I see it as being very mainstream, but Hollywood saw it as being almost

experimental, like, “Whoa, what the heck is this?” In animation, you’re always fighting against,

“Well, that might upset a 5-year-old.” My feeling is, "Well, then, the 5-year-old shouldn’t go.

Come on, can’t we make some other things?" Ray Gunn was not it was PG, you know? Maybe PG-13."

Besides an Incredible’s sequel this is the most exciting animation project to me. I hope Pixar let’s

him do it and let’s him do it the way he wants and perhaps have it be PG-13. Pixar already pushed the envolope

with The Incredibles it being their first PG film with a longer running time too. Now it’s time for them to go

an extra mile.

Remember folks animation does not have to be for little kids anymore and people who think

so are close minded and dumb. I am a strong supporter for animation for adults, not I don’t want you to think

that Im talking about animated… well I don’t think I can say that word on this family freindly message

board. I don’t mean that, I mean more mature material from PG to PG-13 to perhaps even R.

This is

becoming more common in animated films now days. The recent Marvel Animated Films have all been PG-13 and Also

the Hellboy animated films are also PG-13. Beowulf will probbably be PG-13. How about A Scanner Darkly which was

R

People have this idea that all animation has to be for small kids, but that’s not the case folks.

animation is an artform and can be used to tell many different types of stories of any Genre. This is becomming

more and more clear, but there are still close minded people out there.

I would love it if this topic

could be discussed on Radio Pixar, so come on folks post lots of replies.

Ronald C

#2

I am dying to know who the person is that voted animation is

for kids. :confused: Because animation is NOT just for kids, and I’d love to see more animated films challenge that

notion.

Ray Gunn sounds awesome. Of course, I’m excited about

any Brad Bird project. :smiley: Pixar might not be ready to go that extra mile yet,

although all this talk about WALL?E is making me think otherwise. But I think we as

animation fans would appreciate some variety.

~~=oP

#3

I completely 100% Disagree with the first choice.

Animation can tell many stories. I have even seen an animated film that was rated R for blood and violence.

#4

Yea who was that sad close minded

individual. Anyway Im glad that most of you agree with me.

On another note one thing that really bugs me

about certain movie goers is how they refuse to watch movies based on rating or people who don’t watch animated

films because they seem to think that they can not get anything out of it cause they think it’s simply a kids

movie.

This is frusteratingly closeminded and anoying. I have met people that only watch movies that are

rated R or movies that only have to deal with the human condition, never opening up their minds to other types of

films.

Rating has nothing to do with the quality of a film.

Ronald C

#5

I think that as

the animation genre is developed further, more films like A Scanner Darkly will be explored and hopefully, the

pretence that all animated films are for children will be overcome. It’s basically a silly stereotype, and

whoever wants to believe it are just missing out. Ultimately, it’s their decision, but hopefully the animation

industry isn’t too affected because of it- it would always be great to get more and more people to see good

quality animated films, no matter how old they may be.

#6

Some people on the Animated News Message boards had some interesting and brilliant

ideas.

Droosan says

"Brad Bird has talked about Ray Gunn for a long time; I remember first

hearing about the project back when he was promoting The Iron Giant.

Unfortunately, I don’t ‘see’ Ray

Gunn being made as a Pixar film. Much as many people wish to believe otherwise, Pixar has made its reputation

making ‘certain’ kinds of films … family-friendly films, and I can’t see John Lasseter allowing an overtly

‘R’ or ‘PG-13’ rated film (as Brad Bird has continuously stated Ray Gunn must be), to bear the ‘Pixar’

brand name.

I do agree that animation is not just for little kids, and I also agree that both The Iron

Giant and The Incredibles are amazing films for kids and adults, with each pushing the limits of ‘PG’ about as

far as is possible … but IMO, unless Bird can make Ray Gunn as a straight-up ‘PG’ film, it won’t be made by

Pixar.

I think Lasseter should take a page from Disney’s “Touchstone” playbook of the

mid-1980’s: set up a separate, smaller animation studio (with a different-sounding name) … dedicated to

creating good-quality, commercially-successful animated films which will be aimed squarely at adults (‘PG-13’

to ‘R’). Keep the fact that Disney owns the studio ‘quiet’, if possible.

That gives the new studio

division freedom to take ‘risks’ (while still having access to Disney $$$), and takes the ‘burden’ off the

Disney/Pixar studios’ respective ‘brand’ names.

And, if the films are well-received … builds a new

‘brand’. And, if they enjoy enough commercial/critical success, establishes an ‘adult’ animated genre in the

West, for other studios to imitate."

And Ben says

"They could always just put it out

under Touchstone or Miramax, like the Gnomeo And Juliet feature is doing.

Touchstone Pictures presents a

Pixar film…? That would certainly indicate a different mindset and even drum up a few column inches noting the

“change”."

I think that most american movie studios are too afraid to push the limits of

what animation can do. They terrified of a PG-13 or R rated animated film. Even a studio like The Weinstien

Company is scared as TMNT was sopposed to be slightly more PG-13 than PG, but preassure was put on them to make

it more kid freindly.

Ronald C

#7

I also believe that Animation is not a genre, but rather an artform.
It’s

like saying Black-&-White movies is a genre. Its not.

#8

Hey guys check out this editorial on Toon Zone relating to this very topic

news.toonzone.net/article.php?ID=14790

#9

I’d kinda like to know who voted for the first one too!

anyway, I totally agree with the second one. Animation is not it’s own genre. Whenever I see animated movie

reviews and it says animation for its genre i’m like, well animated what? I think a lot of people assume

animated movies are mainly just comedies. But I too have seen animated drama, horror, and plenty that wasnt for

children.

#10

Can somebody translate this

link about Ray Gunn?:
pixarroom.free.fr/RayGunn.htm

#11

I’m on it :wink: I’ll edit this post when

it’s done.

Edit :

It may not be perfect english, but I tried to do my best :wink:

#12

Thanks Archibald! :smiley:

#13

Whoever thinks that

animation is just for kids needs a reality check. Animation can be used to tell any kind of story, in any genre.

It’s not only for children.