Comments on: A rat’s apprenticeship http://www.wordyard.com/2007/07/04/ratatouille/ Technology, politics, culture Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:16:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Davided http://www.wordyard.com/2007/07/04/ratatouille/#comment-818 Davided Thu, 12 Jul 2007 02:07:05 +0000 http://www.wordyard.com/?p=1334#comment-818 Well, you know that Brad Bird is a bit of an Ayn Randian, don't you? No kidding; it came up when he made The Incredibles and a mini-controversy erupted (at least on Slate, with some who worked on the film chiming in) over the larger implication that schools were forcing gifted children to dumb themselves down. This is much less plain in Ratatouille but you're right to bring it up--and I ought to have mentioned it in my review(s). Well, you know that Brad Bird is a bit of an Ayn Randian, don’t you? No kidding; it came up when he made The Incredibles and a mini-controversy erupted (at least on Slate, with some who worked on the film chiming in) over the larger implication that schools were forcing gifted children to dumb themselves down. This is much less plain in Ratatouille but you’re right to bring it up–and I ought to have mentioned it in my review(s).

]]> By: Derrick Schneider http://www.wordyard.com/2007/07/04/ratatouille/#comment-819 Derrick Schneider Sat, 07 Jul 2007 22:49:15 +0000 http://www.wordyard.com/?p=1334#comment-819 Having now seen the movie, I see your point, but I think you overlook the role of Colette. Remy has the gift of taste, but is unable to function in the real world of restaurants. It's through her tutelage that he learns how to translate his genius into productive output. Of course, that takes up maybe 15 minutes of screen time. But you have to get in the gags, the intrahuman intrigue, the family drama, the conflict of the buddies, and so forth. Having now seen the movie, I see your point, but I think you overlook the role of Colette. Remy has the gift of taste, but is unable to function in the real world of restaurants. It’s through her tutelage that he learns how to translate his genius into productive output.

Of course, that takes up maybe 15 minutes of screen time. But you have to get in the gags, the intrahuman intrigue, the family drama, the conflict of the buddies, and so forth.

]]> By: charles segal http://www.wordyard.com/2007/07/04/ratatouille/#comment-821 charles segal Sat, 07 Jul 2007 14:00:09 +0000 http://www.wordyard.com/?p=1334#comment-821 Perhaps one little aspect of you review is not exactly wrong, but off; it's a cartoon about a rat that cooks, not a scholarly treatise on the making of a great chef. Need I say more? Perhaps one little aspect of you review is not exactly wrong, but off; it’s a cartoon about a rat that cooks, not a scholarly treatise on the making of a great chef. Need I say more?

]]> By: Brian Phipps http://www.wordyard.com/2007/07/04/ratatouille/#comment-817 Brian Phipps Thu, 05 Jul 2007 16:14:43 +0000 http://www.wordyard.com/?p=1334#comment-817 A comparison might be made to Whisper of the Heart (screenplay by H. Miyazaki), an animated feature dealing with the pains and travails in the craft of writing. A comparison might be made to Whisper of the Heart (screenplay by H. Miyazaki), an animated feature dealing with the pains and travails in the craft of writing.

]]> By: Josh Cochrane http://www.wordyard.com/2007/07/04/ratatouille/#comment-820 Josh Cochrane Thu, 05 Jul 2007 13:17:31 +0000 http://www.wordyard.com/?p=1334#comment-820 Nice post. This was exactly my reaction, particularly in light of the Times' review calling it "one of the most persuasive portraits of an artist ever committed to film." I would argue the contrary: the realities of becoming a great artist -- work, development, learning through failures and false starts -- were clearly sacrificed to the needs of the story. It is a pretty great story, and the instant genius fantasy is defensible in its service, but picking out that aspect of the story for praise is wrongheaded. Nice post. This was exactly my reaction, particularly in light of the Times’ review calling it “one of the most persuasive portraits of an artist ever committed to film.”

I would argue the contrary: the realities of becoming a great artist — work, development, learning through failures and false starts — were clearly sacrificed to the needs of the story. It is a pretty great story, and the instant genius fantasy is defensible in its service, but picking out that aspect of the story for praise is wrongheaded.

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