If I recall a few weeks back you were fangirling about Shrek? But in the field of animation (which I suppose you’re referring to as opposed to complex and/or creative storylines, in which case you have Prince of Egypt, The Road to El Dorado, Chicken Run, Shrek, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, How to Train Your Dragon, Megamind, Rise of the Guardians, and The Croods, for starters), Shrek was not a visual masterpiece in everyone’s opinion. But this is all a matter of opinion. Let’s move to some more concrete evidence.
Disney, glorious Disney, while I adore its Renaissance Era as much as the next guy, has also had 77 years to ensnare a fanbase. Whereas Dreamworks Animation was created a mere 17 years ago, and this little fledgeling company has reached a $430 million average gross, surpassing every animation company (including Walt Disney Animation Studios) aside from Pixar.
Now, if we’d care to elaborate to Pixar, it would be fair to say that Dreamworks has some pretty worthy competition. But to say that Cars 2 is its only flop is a critical understatement. It’s true that many of Pixar’s films have surpassed 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, and some Dreamworks films haven’t been able to match up. But lately, Pixar, while they have all my respect in the world, appears to be faltering. While Cars’s 74%, Brave’s 78%, and Monsters University’s 78% on Rotten Tomatoes are far from unsatisfactory reviews, they’re beaten not only by How to Train Your Dragon’s 98%, but also by The Prince of Egypt’s 79%, Chicken Run’s 97%, Shrek’s 88%, Wallace and Gromit: the Curse of the Were-Rabbit’s 95%, Kung Fu Panda’s 87%, and even Madagascar 3’s 79%. And the latter was about escaped zoo animals joining the circus.
But let’s ignore the reviews for now, because they’re not always reliable. After all, Mr. Peabody and Sherman is currently tied with Monsters University when it comes to percentage of critic likeability. While some agree, other skeptics claim that can’t be right.
So let’s move on to comparative flops.
Yes, Turbo was ridiculous. Yes, Shrek did not need that many sequels. Yes, we all try to forget Bee Movie ever existed. Dreamworks has made quite a few mistakes.
But how could Disney ever forget their wonderful gem, Home on the Range? How about the brilliant spectacle, Chicken Little? And The Brave Little Toaster was obviously a masterpiece. Best of all, how could we ever neglect that Disney has an entire company called Disneytoon Studios, devoted mostly to cheap, direct-to-video sequels that turn this:
Disney has produced over 40 direct-to-video movies just for money’s sake.
Dreamworks has produced one.
And even then, the animation quality is not the greatest, but, well…
(Joseph, King of Dreams, 2000)
At least it has, like, actual shading.
But I’ve ranted so long about reviews and box office results that I’ve left out the good meat of this argument, animation.
The Disney Renaissance, of course, started with The Little Mermaid. A wonderful movie, yes, I’m not going to argue that at all, but let’s take a look at something.
(The Little Mermaid, 1989)
Throughout most of the movie, save for a few bits of the “Part of Your World” and “surfacing” scenes, nothing on Ariel has a shadow. Her hair, body, tail, everything, is all one solid color. The animation is smooth and the movie is beautiful, but it’s not perfect. This shading didn’t really get utilized in Disney at all until the next year.
(The Rescuers Down Under, 1990)
(Just a sidenote that the above movie got a 68% on Rotten Tomatoes, lower than multiple Dreamworks movies including Rise of the Guardians and The Croods. While it is a Disney Renaissance movie [and still a good film], it is often left underrated in many lineups for fear of tainting Disney’s “flawless” image during this era.)
Meanwhile, Dreamworks Animation’s second movie ever produced has animation and shading like this:
(The Prince of Egypt, 1998)
It’s arguable that The Prince of Egypt had a few years of animation progression on The Little Mermaid, but shading like this is a team effort, period. There’s people specialized in this. Was it a matter of technology, or stylistic choices? It’s all up for debate.
There is, however, the prominent claim that Dreamworks is so much more attentive to fine animation detail than Disney, primarily in CGI.
Lately, this post has been circulating, showing that both Disney and Pixar are just now exchanging their pasty-faced CGI leads for blotchy, detailed skin, while Dreamworks had been using details such as blotchiness for quite a few years now. But faces are always doted upon. Faces are the most obvious things noted.
Let’s take a look at some details that both companies could’ve understandably overlooked, but Dreamworks didn’t.
(Dreamworks’ Rise of the Guardians, 2012)
(Dreamworks’ Rise of the Guardians, 2012)
Water effect on clothes and hair:
(Pixar’s Ratatouille, 2007)
(Dreamworks’ The Croods, 2013)
Now I’ll admit, some of these were super hard to compare, especially the water effects. After all, looking at when these movies came out, and the progressive allowances of animation for their times, they’re all really great. Heck, Pixar made the first computer animated movie of all time. Disney left classic musicals that people will cherish and love for ages to come. All three companies included in this argument have their ups and downs, and have created pure masterpieces amongst them. In fact, according to who you talk to, they’re all pretty much equal.
But here’s the reason I stayed up until five in the morning finishing this freaking post.
There is a difference between voicing your opinion and cussing out an entire company and the people that enjoy its work. To call Turbo Dreamworks’ latest failure (and yes, I know what word choice you used, but I’d rather keep this professional) and imply that both Disney and Pixar are centuries ahead from every other Dreamworks film ever made is horrendously disrespectful to people who have devoted years of their lives to creating these films. To every animator, screenwriter, and director who have worked so hard to bring these stories to life.
To Brenda Chapman, who, after completing The critically acclaimed Prince of Egypt, became the first female director of an animated movie for a major company (coincidentally, though she came up with the story and had brilliant credentials, Chapman was removed from the position of lead director in Brave during post-production, for hinted sexist reasons that Pixar refused to elaborate on).
To Chris Sanders, who co-wrote, co-directed, and did storyboard art for Lilo and Stitch, yet left Disney to create How to Train Your Dragon and The Croods at Dreamworks, where he remains today.
To Jeffrey Katzenburg, who actually worked on The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, but left Disney to freaking create Dreamworks Animation Studios and give the biggest animation company of all time a run for their money.
Your opinion is not wrong. Your opinion is not right.
My opinion is not wrong. My opinion is not right.
They are opinions, but there is a much more tactful way to voice yours when it comes to a movement that has influenced and touched millions of people, even if you cannot see the beauty in it.
So rest assured, even if you take none of my opinions—or even my evidence—to heart, that doesn’t change the fact that Dreamworks is my inspiration, and something I and so many others are willing to protect.
It has given me complex, admirable people of color.
Women with bodies and hair like mine.
A pair originally scripted to be gay.
Original stories that aren’t all pre-written fairy tales.
And above all, characters I can relate to in their struggles…
So if you can’t see why people would give Dreamworks as much credit, if not more, than you do Disney, then don’t worry, I’m not angry at you.
titsay
turnnoffyourmind
germansingergirl
theartofmadeline
dailybridgerton
