Disney’s dropped the ball. This year Pixar animator Rodrigo Blaas put out a short called “Alma” that he created on his own time. Pixar or Disney did not make or distribute it.
I admit that when I first skimmed the story and watched the short, I assumed that “Alma” was a Pixar production. The first thing out of my lips when finishing “Alma” was “wow.” It was fantastic, but not like what I’d expect from Pixar, especially for the frothy, if brilliant, clips they put in front of their feature lengths. It boasts a sinister ending, though not one so dark that it should scare off any but the youngest of children.
I don’t want to ruin “Alma” for those who haven’t seen it yet, but I’ll summarize as best I can a tale only five and a half minutes long without spoiling the ending. Child Alma cavorts amongst the snow-slickened streets of a cobblestoned city. As she dashes by a window display for a doll shop, she sees something shocking in the window: a doll that looks exactly her, down to the way she’s dressed.
Alma manages to make her way into the closed shop in pursuit of her doll doppelganger. She achieves her goal, but with unexpected and worrying results. I’ll give you a hint: “Alma” means “soul” in Spanish. You should go check out the short.
The Disney Blog reports that the good news, for those who appreciate the artistic genius of Blaas’ short, is that it’s been optioned for a feature length film with Blaas hired to direct it. I’m assuming that means he’ll have control over how he expands his story.
Here’s the rub: Pixar/Disney are not behind the updated “Alma.” The House of Mouse allowed DreamWorks to steal some of its talent out from under its nose. Not that I have anything against DreamWorks. I think they’ve been going in a great direction lately; I’m fond of “Kung Fu Panda” and adore “How To Train Your Dragon.”
I can’t believe that Disney execs would let such an opportunity slip through their fingers. I’d figure that Blaas would rather create “Alma” with his coworkers in a familiar environment than set up shop at a whole new studio.
Maybe I’m assuming wrong. Maybe Blaas left Pixar for a reason. Or maybe DreamWorks just beat Pixar to the punch, signing Blaas before Pixar even thought to do so. I imagine he’s not the only of Pixar’s employees to put out strong work independently, and one studio can’t possibly adapt everything its staff produces.
However, not every short lends itself to a feature so well. Honestly I can’t think of any of the ones Pixar puts before its films doing so, but then they’re only ever intended as a bit of light entertainment before a more serious story.
The great thing about “Alma” is that a longer running time will allow Blaas to adapt the story in such a way that that creepy ending which might scare off younger children can be resolved. For those who might love “Alma” just the way it currently is, the five and a half minute version isn’t going anywhere.
I’m suspicious that Disney’s current policy on super franchises isn’t behind Blaas’ defection to DreamWorks. Not that he left directly because of the policy, but that his new “Alma” doesn’t fit into that scheme.
I’m probably just being cynical and the reality is far more complicated. I’m just very glad that “Alma” is getting a feature-length movie, no matter the company behind it.
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