i don't have a nose: Monster Miscellany: Monsters, Inc. (2001)

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For me, Pete Docter’s directorial debut Monsters, Inc. represents something of a return to form for Pixar. That said, they never really lost their way as such. But their 1998 sophomore effort A Bug’s Life, even to this day, is seldom seen as a masterpiece, at least not by their standards. Personally, I find this to be a gross injustice, but by 2001, Pixar were ready to bite back with another wholly original hit – one which empathised with the perspective of the ever-demonised monster in your bedroom closet.

The film takes place in a parallel ‘Monstropolis’, specifically Monsters Incorporated, where power is generated by the screams of children in the human world, accessed by monsters through closet doors. The only problem is that these kids are seen as toxic contaminants, meaning they’re as terrifying to the monsters as they are to the kids. Our protagonist, James P. Sullivan, known by his co-workers and friends as ‘Sulley’, voiced by John Goodman, bears the title of ‘top scarer’. He lives with his assistant Mike Wazowski, voiced by Billy Crystal, and finds himself constantly at odds with his rival, the chameleon-like Randall Boggs, voiced by Steve Buscemi. One evening at the factory, Sulley discovers Randall has left an activated door on the Scare Floor, inevitably leading to the escape of a young girl, who is later affectionately given the name ‘Boo’ by Sulley. Naturally, after a chaotic visit to restaurant Harryhausen’s (get it?), Boo unknowingly wreaks havoc on the city, which goes into lockdown as a result. Before long (and without giving too much away), Randall’s secret plans are revealed, and it’s up to Mike and Sulley to save the day.

As usual from Pixar, this is a colourful, funny and endearing little masterpiece. The animation, for its time, is nothing less than spectacular, and the designs of the monsters and the world in which they live are exceedingly creative. Perhaps the greatest appeal this film has, however, is how human it is. The characters are all very believable, and incredibly well-developed. Even the most hard-hearted of stoics cannot help but shed a tear at its heartrending conclusion. On a personal note, this film in some way helped to define the era of animation we were in. Sure, since 1995 Pixar had never really floundered, but with A Bug’s Life not really getting the praise it deserved, and Toy Story 2 being a sequel (albeit a very good one), it was certainly refreshing to see a witty, original and exceedingly creative story hit the big screen – one which, in a sense, affirmed that we were experiencing something akin to a Pixar Renaissance – one that thankfully lasted a long time but unfortunately had to come to an end. From this period onwards, Pixar films seemed to maintain a certain maturity that no other animation company could match – so much so that I wonder whether there are in fact more adult fans than there are kids.

Ultimately, in spite of animation techniques having developed considerably since the Millennium, this film irrefutably stands the test of time. In addition to incredible visuals and top-notch voice acting, Monsters Inc has a supremely engaging story, underlined by a surprisingly mature message concerning corporate greed (one which perhaps even Pixar themselves could learn from in light of their recent spate of sequels). From that perspective, Monsters, Inc. pertains more so to an adult audience than it does to children, in that its roars still resonate. In simpler terms, it’s one of Pixar’s finest, and no less than a monster of a movie.