WDFA hopes that movie-goers will be bowled over when they finally “Meet the Robinsons” villain, the Bowler Hat Guy

Jim Hill

18 years ago

Carver T. writes in to say:

Yesterday’s Disney-at-SIGGRAPH story confused me …

Photo by Nancy Stadler

Didn’t you once do an article about how John Lasseter was demading that Disney Feature Animation make all of these changes to “Meet the Robinsons.” Changes that included retooling and/or removing altogether that film’s villain, the Bowler Hat Guy?

And yet when I look over your most recent article, I see all sorts of images of the Bowler Hat Guy. So clearly this character is still in this Steve Anderson movie.

So what happened, Jim? Did you get your original story wrong? Or did Lasseter have a last-minute change of heart and then decide to give this “Meet the Robinsons” character a reprieve?

Copyright 2006 Walt Disney Enterprises
Photo by Nancy Stadler

To be honest, Carver T., it’s neither.

Don’t get me wrong, John Lasseter and Pixar’s sacred seven (I.E. “The Incredibles” director Brad Bird, “Monsters, Inc.” director Pete Docter, “Finding Nemo” director Andrew Stanton, writer / director Bob Peterson, veteran story artist Brenda Chapman, editor Lee Unkrich and sound designer Gary Rydstrom) all had some very definite opinions about “Meet the Robinsons” when they first got to see a nearly finished version of Steve Anderson’s film back in March.

In particular, this group of animation veterans were worried that the futuristic family featured in the film’s title was just too eccentric for its good. That by making the Robinsons this quirky collection of kooks … Well, that would make it really difficult for movie-goers to get emotionally involved with these characters. To make audiences truly care about the Robinsons.

And as for the Bowler Hat Guy …

Veteran “Chicago Sun-Times” film critic Roger Ebert once said that “Each film is only as good as its villain.” And — in the case of “Meet the Robinsons” — as originally envisioned, the Bowler Hat Guy was this broadly comic villain. More a vehicle to showcase the sort of flowing, fluid computer animation that only Disney could produce (Which would — in theory — make the Mouse’s movies really stand out from the crowd. Making WDFA’s new CG features appear to be different from all of those other animated films that Pixar, DreamWorks Animation, Sony Imageworks and Blue Sky Studios were now cranking out), rather than a character that could actually drive the film’s plot. Bring a genuine sense of menace and suspense to the proceedings.

So — obviously — the people from Pixar felt that “Meet the Robinsons” is a movie with some pretty significant flaws. But here was their problem: The movie that these folks were shown was 85% done. More to the point, it was then being hyped as this very personal project for director Steve Anderson. (You see, Anderson was adopted when he was just an infant. And given that “Meet the Robinsons” main character, Lewis, is a small boy who’s looking to get adopted … While, obviously Lewis’ situation had a lot of emotional resonance with the film’s director. Many of the questions that this MTR character is looking for answers for were questions that Anderson himself had asked over the course of his childhood).

So here you have an animated feature that’s virtually already complete, a project that the film’s director feels a deep personal connection to … And yet you’re now the new boss at WDFA. And you think that “Meet the Robinsons” still needs a lot of work in order for this material to be able to connect with movie-goers. How would you then proceed?

To give the crew from Pixar a lot of credit, they proceeded with extreme caution. These folks realized that John Lasseter & Ed Catmull were still in their get-acquainted phase with the staff at WDFA. And John & Ed really wanted to make a good impression.

So rather than charging in and demanding that all sorts of changes be made immediately to “Meet the Robinsons,” Lasseter & the Sacred Seven supposedly met with Anderson privately. And then were very careful to frame their editorial comments about his film as thoughts or suggestions. Ideas that Steve could then pick & choose to use as he reworked his movie.

Most of the changes that the folks from Pixar were asking for … Well, they were concentrated in the film’s second act. When the bulk of the Robinson clan first enters the motion picture. More importantly, this is where the Bowler Hat Guy’s dark scheme really begins to unfold.

The changes that were made to this part of the motion picture? … Well, what was once described to me as “radical surgery” … Now WDFA insiders preferred to describe as “fine-tuning.” With a lot of attention being paid to how particular characters were initially introduced in this film. So that movie-goers now get the impression that — while the Robinsons may be this colorful collection of characters — they aren’t just kooks. That this is a family that clearly cares for one another.

As for the Bowler Hat Guy …

… He’s still mostly a comic villain. A great showcase for Dale Baer’s animation. But — at the same time — thanks to a few new lines of dialogue as well as several tweaked scenes — the Bowler Hat Guy has a bit more edge now. Though this character still gets more than his share of laughs in the film, he’s also now a credible threat to Lewis & Wilbur Robinson. Which (it is hoped) will help movie-goers get that much more emotionally invested in the proceedings.

Speaking of which …

According to folks that I spoke with at SIGGRAPH last week, Disney already done at least one test screening of the recently revamped version of “Meet the Robinsons.” And even though the film’s second act was this hodgepodge of storyboard inserts & sequences that weren’t completely animated, I’m told that the movie still played like gangbusters. That the test audience responded that much more strongly to the material.

Which seems to have pleased Steve Anderson (pictured below)

… Who — in case you haven’t heard — is not only the director of “Meet the Robinsons.” He’s also the man who provides the voice for the Bowler Hat Guy.

So anyway, Carver T., to answer your question … It wasn’t that my original story was wrong. The folks at Pixar did ask that some pretty significent changes be made to “Meet the Robinsons.” And that work is still being done by the folks in Burbank right now.

But what I really find fascinating about all this is … Well, the tact and restraint that was used in this particular situation. After years of hearing about how badly David Stainton treated WDFA staffers, how — in the middle of a pitch session — the former president of Walt Disney Feature Animation would put his head down on the table and literally groan with disgust if he disliked your idea … I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to hear that the artists & technicians who work at Disney Feature Animation are now actually being treated like adults.

Which perhaps explain all of the optimistic news that I hear coming out of WDFA these days. With lots of folks there talking about how they think that this division of the Walt Disney Company has really turned a corner. How the dark days are over, how WDFA may now finally be on its way back.

What’s that you say? An upbeat article about the Walt Disney Company on JHM? And on a Monday no less. What is it, April 1st?

No, it’s August 7, 2006. Which is a very interesting time to be making your living writing about the Walt Disney Company.

Your thoughts?