Monsters, Inc. — Breaking Traditions, Upholding Traditions
Premiering in 2001, Monsters, Inc. is the first Pixar film not directed by John Lasseter. Pete Docter maintains the Pixar feel, but creates a movie that stands out from its predecessors.
During talks for Toy Story (1995), Pete Docter first came up with the idea for Monsters, Inc. (2001). It’s not hard to understand how those two ideas could have been tossed around at the same meeting — ‘What if children’s toys are alive?’ and ‘What if the monsters in kids’ closets are real?’ stem from just about the same place — domestic childhood experience. In the film, we also have the familiar buddy dynamic we know through Woody and Buzz, this time between Mike and Sulley. Breaking from Toy Story, the protagonists’ job is to scare children, rather than to take care of them. How does a film based on frightening kids appeal to kids? Filmmakers had to tackle that challenge to make sure that Monsters, Inc. would work for audiences. Let’s take a look at how they did it.
First Impressions Are Everything
At one point during development and production for Monsters, Inc., Pixar hosted a screen test wherein audiences were able to view the film and creators could watch their reactions. At the screening, the film opened with a dark room, a boy’s bedroom. A monster comes out of the closet. Tension…
