The Adventures of André and Wally B. (A "Short" Review)

Welcome to A Short Review!  A new series where I review short films in under 300 words (or more if I feel like it :p).  I figured with Pixar releasing two films this year, now would be the perfect time to begin such series with the Pixar shorts—one each day from November 9^th to the 24^th (counting down the days until The Good Dinosaur is released).  I’ll begin with Pixar’s (then called The Graphics Group) first film ever made—The Adventures of André and Wally B.

Director(s): Alvy Ray Smith

Date Released: 1984

Theatrically Released Alongside: Nothing

Similar to watching a post-1900s silent film (an activity few are accustomed too, myself excluded), The Adventures of André and Wally B. must be given an open mind when viewed.  While looking nothing more than shoddy CGI compared to today’s standards, the short was a revolutionary advancement in computer animation—featuring the first use of CGI movement blur alongside a (at the time) complex background setting.  The short is also noticeable for being Pixar’s (then called The Graphics Group) first attempt at animation—sparking a studio’s ambition to revolutionize animation, as well as create many amazing films.  Yet in terms of plot, The Adventures of André and Wally B. leaves much to be desired.

The short follows a bizarre looking fellow named André, whose “adventures” boil down to vainly trying to escape a bee named Wally B.  Why such a simple incident is given the grand title of Adventures is anyone’s guess, nor is it clear why André sounds exactly like Donald Duck.  The animation is similar to early VeggieTales episodes, albeit with better fluidity in character movement.  Continuing the previously written analogy, the short contains several aspects reminiscent to the early silent era.  The characters are given names despite a remarkably short runtime (less than two minutes), as well as having zero dialogue (a staple Pixar would continue with its shorts until Boundin’).  The comedy is relatively predictable, and I’d be lying if I wrote the short was funny.  Yet while weak in plot, The Adventures of André and Wally B. deserves credit for its groundbreaking animation—setting Pixar off on the road to greatness.