Luxo Jr. (1986)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

John Lasseter

Writer:

John Lasseter (writer)

Genre:

Animation | Short | Family

Plot:

A larger lamp watches while a smaller, younger lamp plays exuberantly with a ball but doesn't pick up the knack of correct handling.

Plot Keywords:

Lamp | Ball | Anthropomorphism | Computer Animation | Pixar Animated Film

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins

Runtime:

2 min

Country:

USA

Language:

None

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

South Korea:All | Australia:G | Argentina:Unrated | Spain:T | USA:G | UK:U

Company:

Pixar Animation Studios

Trivia:

The ball in this short has cameo appearances in several Pixar features. In Toy Story (1995), it chases Buzz Lightyear in an Indiana Jones homage. In Up (2009), it is in the apartment where the girl plays as Carl's house floats past her window. In Monsters, Inc. (2001) it is in Boo's room.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Leviathan (1989)

Good Start

I find it amazing that a film which is a minute and a half long, with one fixed camera position, can have such a strong story and characters. And these characters don't even talk! It's all about the animation. I can almost see the delight on Luxo Junior's face (although he doesn't have a face) as he leaps after that giant ball at the end of the film. Likewise, I love Luxo Senior's surprised double take as he sees the ball come bouncing towards him, and then his exasperated head shake as his son passes him by. It was a good idea for Lasseter to start out with mechanical objects. He could start slow and work his way to working more with facial expression.