“The Art of Monsters Vs Aliens” takes an in-depth look at this Intru 3D production

Jim Hill

16 years ago

In spite of some pretty middling reviews, “Monsters Vs
Aliens” made a ton of money this past weekend. This new DreamWorks Animation
production was actually the No. 1 movie in the country, grossing $59.3 million
domestically. With more than $33 million of that gross coming from theaters
where “MVA” was being shown in Intru 3D and 3D IMAX.

So when a movie racks up those sorts of numbers, breaking
three box office records along the way …

Biggest weekend debut (to date) for 2009
Best Opening for a 3D Film
Biggest Spring Opening for a non-sequel Animated Film

… attention must be paid.

Which is why I picked up a copy of Linda Sunshine’s latest
making-of book, “The Art of Monsters vs. Aliens” (Newmarket Press, February 2009)
today. To try and get a handle on why this particular Dreamworks Animation
production (which was the first to be “ … wholly conceived, developed and
authored in 3D”) did so well with domestic audiences.

Sunshine does a good job of walking you through this project’s
production history. Which basically got
started when DreamWorks Animation head Jeffrey Katzenberg suggested that Conrad
Vernon (i.e. the co-director of “Shrek 2.” Who – at that time – was developing
an animated feature that spoofed monster movies of the 1950s) and Rob
Letterman (i.e. the co-director of “Shark Tale.” Who – at the time – was trying
to develop a feature length cartoon that took its inspiration from “The Dirty Dozen”) put their heads together and see what sort of film develops.

What Conrad & Letterman eventually came up with was an animated
feature that actually straddled both of their original concepts. “Monsters Vs
Aliens” (SLIGHT SPOILERS FOLLOW) deals with what happens to poor Susan Murphy. Who – on her wedding day –
gets struck by a glowing green meteor. And – as a direct result – winds up
growing to a height of 49-feet and 11-inches.

Immediately identified by the military as a monster, Susan
is locked away in a super-secret facility where she’s then given the name
Ginormica. Here she meets some of the other creatures that our government has
hidden away over the past 50 years:

Dr. Cockroach, a brilliant scientist who – due to an
experiment that went wrong – now has the head of (what else) a cockroach
The Missing Link, a half-ape / half-fish creature who’s all
man … At least when it comes to the ladies

B.O.B. , the jolly gelatinous blob that was created when a genetically-altered
tomato was injected with a chemically-altered ranch dressing
Insectosaurus, a previously- one-inch-long grub that –
thanks to being exposed to radiation – is now a 350 foot-tall behemoth that gets
easily distracted by bright lights

Susan thinks that – just like the other members of this
monster squad – she’s doomed to be locked away forever inside of this unnamed government
facility. But all of that changes when a massive alien robot crash-lands in Northern
California and then begins lumbering toward San Francisco.

When it becomes apparent that the military won’t be able to
stop this enormous machine, General W.R. Monger (i.e. the official in charge of
the facility where Susan is being held) then goes to President Hathaway with a
bold plan. He suggests turning America’s monsters loose to do battle with this
alien robot. See if they can stop the thing before it levels the city.

Which is how Susan … er … Ginormica and her misunderstood
monster friends wind up in the Bay Area. Going toe-to-toe with that 350 foot-tall
alien probe.

Loaded with more than 400 pieces of concept art &
character design, “The Art of Monsters Vs Aliens” does a great job of pointing
out all of those little things that you might miss during your initial view of
this DreamWorks Animation production. Take – for example – that Shrek-shaped
medal that General W.R. Monger wears on his uniform.

Better than that, it also reveals some of the roads that
Vernon & Letterman didn’t take. Like having the film’s villain, Gallaxahar,
be a woman …

… who (in this early version of “Monsters Vs Aliens”
storyline) then used giant mosquito-shaped probes to suck up all of the Earth’s
oil, water and natural gas.

So if you’d like to learn more about this 3D box office sensation,
you should probably scare up some dough and then go purchase a copy of “The Art
of Monsters Vs Aliens.”

Your thoughts?