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Q & A
Q&A: Animated movies portray Christian virtues Bill Fentum, Jul 13, 2010
Robert Valerde
Robert Velarde got the idea to write The Wisdom of Pixar (InterVarsity Press) partly out of frustration that no other book had covered the animation studio’s blockbuster films from a spiritual perspective. Released in June when Toy Story 3 reached theaters, it’s a collection of essays on moral virtues found in several Pixar movies.
Mr. Velarde, an author of several books on evangelical theology, spoke recently with associate editor Bill Fentum.
What’s the secret to Pixar’s success? Mostly it’s how they tell their stories, and the focus on character. They don’t dumb things down for kids, and they don’t rely on humor targeted at adults or a multitude of pop-culture references. They just tell great stories. In the book I liken it to what Christ did with his parables. He told great stories that engaged people and communicated a moral message.
A lot of the creative staff at Pixar were with the company when it was formed in 1986. They spend a lot of time together working on stories to get them just right. Also a couple of high-level individuals—Andrew Stanton who directed Finding Nemo and WALL•E and Pete Docter who directed Monsters, Inc. and Up—are Christians and outspoken about their faith. It isn’t on the surface in their work, but it gives the films an underpinning based in Christian virtue.
Can that reach a wider audience than an openly faith-based approach? I think so. We have a tendency in Western Christianity to say, “OK, that’s the secular stuff. Now let’s do our own thing and be clear that we’re making a message movie and go all out with a direct, Christian approach.” Certainly, there’s a place for that to happen within the church. But Pixar shows we can have a broader perspective on Christianity’s relationship to culture and let that come out in the work.
In my chapter on Ratatouille [2007], I talk about having godly ambition to create and make a difference in our culture. We have an opportunity to engage culture intelligently and to have a positive influence, instead of either avoiding culture or embracing it uncritically.
How is that concept played out in Ratatouille? The film is about a rat named Remy who longs to be a chef in Paris. At one point he says the reason he admires human beings is because they do so much more than he sees other creatures doing. They have an artistic bent, a desire to make and improve things. I think that underscores the fact that human beings are made in God’s image. We have something within us that God has implanted, this desire to create and make a difference. Even biblically, we see this theme: God is very much into detail in the Old Testament as to the kind of artistry that goes into something like the tabernacle or the temple. We need to reclaim the influence Christianity has had on art through the ages. We’ve somewhat lost our way in the last century.
How have Pixar movies developed since the first Toy Story in 1995? At its heart Toy Story was really a kids’ buddy film. You had Buzz and Woody initially not liking each other, but then they learned to work together. By 2003, in Finding Nemo, they were taking on the theme of parent-child relationships and the challenges the fish Marlin faces when he’s separated from his son.
Then The Incredibles in 2004 was a big step forward in that it was the first Pixar movie where all the characters were human beings. They weren’t fish, bugs or monsters. They were people, and aside from the superhero stuff you had a family facing issues of relating to one another. It’s a very mature film, probably the turning point where people went beyond thinking that Pixar only made movies for kids.
Which film is most meaningful to you? Finding Nemo. As a father, it just struck me very powerfully. The whole aspect of wanting the best for your children and yet knowing that in this world they will suffer pain and difficulties. And wondering how much rope to give your kids. How much room do you give them to grow into their own persons as opposed to hovering about them all the time? Marlin starts off as an overprotective parent, and for good reason: He lost the rest of his family when his home was attacked. But he has to learn that he can’t always be there for his kid. He can only do his best and let Nemo grow up.
Do your children notice such themes? I think so. It’s easier to discuss those things with older kids, though we should do it simply. Don’t look at the Pixar films and say, “Here’s a template for how to teach kids about family or justice or identity or courage.” But for an example, after watching Cars one of my four children told me Lightning should have won the big race at the end and then returned to help his hurt friend. But the lesson is that we’re not supposed to be self-centered. God made us to love him first and then love others. The self is certainly a part of that, but our first response should be to take care of others.
Robert Valerde
A lot of the creative staff at Pixar were with the company when it was formed in 1986. They spend a lot of time together working on stories to get them just right. Also a couple of high-level individuals—Andrew Stanton who directed Finding Nemo and WALL•E and Pete Docter who directed Monsters, Inc. and Up—are Christians and outspoken about their faith. It isn’t on the surface in their work, but it gives the films an underpinning based in Christian virtue.
Then The Incredibles in 2004 was a big step forward in that it was the first Pixar movie where all the characters were human beings. They weren’t fish, bugs or monsters. They were people, and aside from the superhero stuff you had a family facing issues of relating to one another. It’s a very mature film, probably the turning point where people went beyond thinking that Pixar only made movies for kids. 
