Red's Dream (1987)

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  TheMovieDiorama

  6 / 10

  Red's Dream may just contain the most nightmarish clown ever. Pixar were starting to experiment. After the success of their previous short 'Luxo Jr', Lasseter attempted to recreate the technicality and wonderment of the animation by introducing new techniques. Imitating geographically complex locations, such as the bike shop, showcased how advanced rendering has evolved throughout the 80s. Lasseter was able to detail several bicycles (include the spokes) and still maintain a consistent frame rate. Still, he managed to convey a story through visually striking methods, this time an unwanted unicycle nostalgically dreaming about its time at the circus. As minimal and weak as the story is, it melancholically portrays depression. A somewhat mature theme for the younger audience, but with enough buoyancy and creativity to keep them engaged. The anthropomorphic objects are consistently animated and uphold a sense of personality, however with the introduction of a human character, highlights areas of weakness in terms of animation. That clown is something else. Absolutely terrifying, and I'm sure many kids bursted into tears. The rigid formation, stiff facial features and essence of inhumanity show that replicating human models was just not ready. Although, an admirable attempt nonetheless. Certain aesthetics have aged well, others have not. Red's Dream certainly is no nightmare, but not the idyllic fantasy Lasseter may have visualised. Certainly ambitious!

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