The fundamental difference between Pixar films and DreamWorks productions has always been that Pixar animators create films specifically for children. If there’s a villain, they are irredeemable; if there’s a hero, they are a knight in shining armor. Pixar films have traditionally been black and white in this sense – ensuring no child gets confused. However, “Ratatouille” stands out from their usual fare.
The animation giants, DreamWorks Animation and Pixar Animation Studios, continue to compete. DreamWorks recently released the third “Shrek” film, and Pixar has responded with “Ratatouille” (2007), a hilarious story about a French rat who dreams of becoming the head chef of a famous Parisian restaurant. Remy, the rat, is simply irresistible. Unlike his unkempt relatives, he only steals fresh food and prepares it into magnificent dishes based on the recipes of the famous chef Gusteau. Naturally, his passion for fine dining leads Remy to Paris and Gusteau’s restaurant. However, the owner has just passed away, unable to cope with a scathing review from a food critic. Moreover, the new owner, a nasty dwarf from Italy, is ruining the deceased chef’s reputation by promoting a line of frozen foods “From Gusteau.” In short, the fate of French cuisine now lies in the paws of Remy and the hands of his new, clumsy friend, a garbage boy.
Pixar’s Deviation with “Ratatouille”
The fundamental difference between Pixar films and DreamWorks productions has always been that Pixar animators create films specifically for children. If there’s a villain, they are irredeemable; if there’s a hero, they are a knight in shining armor. No mockery of fairy tales, no below-the-belt jokes, no soul-searching. Pixar films have traditionally been black and white in this sense – ensuring no child gets confused. This approach has been successful with films like “Monsters, Inc.” (2001) and “Finding Nemo” (2003). However, “Ratatouille” stands out. Perhaps Pixar decided to try playing on the opponent’s field, or maybe they genuinely changed their principles. Director and screenwriter Brad Bird, an Oscar winner for “The Incredibles” (2004), pokes fun at the highbrow Europeans who are all gourmets and snobs, and laughs at low-quality American fast food. He hilariously mocks the master of critical thought, the food critic Ego. Peter O’Toole voiced this character in the original, while Mikhail Kozakov brilliantly voiced him in our version. A perfect match! Bird also makes fun of the eternal squabbles between the French and Italians – the Italian dwarf named Живодэра is hated by everyone who works in the truly French establishment. Amusingly, to make this line understandable to our audience, the Italian character speaks with a distinctive Caucasian accent: “Boy, you will never work in my restaurant.”
A “Children’s” Film with a Twist
This is the kind of “children’s” film we’re talking about.
