This scene early on in the movie is the first time we really get to see the giant. The fact that the first couple of times we see the giant is at night, adds to the mystery of the creature. He's also shown in pain which immediately softens you to the character.
Here we see the giant in contrast to the boy. This type of framing is used frequently in the movie to help truly grasp the size of the giant. I think these types of shots also help to establish their relationship in the movie.
These shots where we get to know the characters more really embrace the time period. The environment is unmistakably 50's and represents the small town life in Rockwell. We see this in the soda parlor and in the diner where Hogarth's mother works.
The forest is a place that we see the giant pretty often. It's the only thing large enough to conceal the giant. It's an interesting contrast and seeing this massive creature in such a beautiful environment helps to associate him as a gentle creature, similar to the deer.
This is the first time that we see the giant interacting with the townspeople. It's a moment where he does something heroic, contrary to the expectations of the town.
I like these scenes where we see recognizably human expressions from the giant. Although he doesn't speak much in the movie, we can gather his emotions and thoughts through his bodily and facial expressions. Here he believes that his friend is dead.
In this scene we see the giant transform into what he was created to do. The transformation comes with a chance in the environment. Specifically the sky begins to turn red. Maybe hinting at the correlations with the red scare?
Here we see the sky totally red. And the giant in his fully weaponized state. I especially like this contrast between the giant and the boy. Another scene similar to the beginning in the woods where we truly see the full scale.
This is a good example of the creative framing of some of the shots in the movie. We can see the giant, who was holding Hogarth, falling out of the sky and Annie's expression as she watches her son fall to the ground.
As the chaos of the destruction dies away the sky returns to a normal color again.
This is probably the most iconic scene of the movie. The giant sacrifices himself to save the people by flying into the missile which was headed for town. He decides right before impact that he wants to be like superman. You can see the earth in the background and again, his expression shows his contentment right before he's blown up.
The Iron Giant
Is a heartwarming tale about a young boy who finds and befriends a alien metal giant during the cold war on the east coast of the U.S. This film was inspired by the book, “The Iron Man”, by Ted Hughes. Playing off of the times and the anxieties about the Red Scare, the film contrasts this with the innocence and nostalgia of boyhood and the curiosity and excitement of the unknown. There are references to Sputnik, the atomic holocaust and “invaders from mars”. Clearly painting a picture of the world at the time creating a captivating scenario for our lovable character, the Iron Giant.
The film also touches on some heavy subjects such as souls, weapons, killing, and death. There are also a swear words thrown into the dialogue. For an animated film it is just enough to sway some parents from introducing the movie to their young children. However, there’s still humor and endearment and adventure that is characteristic of our favorite childhood films. The director and story writer, Brad Bird, does an amazing job of showing a relatable representation of childhood and more specifically, boyhood. He does this with Dash from the Incredibles (specifically in the giggle he lets out when he discovers he can run on water) and in the many other Pixar movies he’s directed. The mood is lighthearted and the viewer can connect to the curiosity and wonder that the boy has with this alien being. The viewer can also make this connection with the boy’s fascination with rescuing animals and bringing them home as pets and his fascination with the giant. Just another lost creature from the forest. The subtle maturity of it does keep the wonder and enjoyment of the film even into adulthood. Similar to ‘Stand by Me’ and the innocent way that it deals with the subject of death.
The Iron Giant is beautifully animated. Released in 1999 it was done in a traditional hand drawn animation style and gives off the warm feeling of small town representation which took direct inspiration from Norman Rockwell’s famous depictions of American life. The name of the town in the film, Rockwell, is also a nod to the well established artist. The animation is further enhanced by the use of 3D effects which were used to animate the giant. However, after the giant was built and animated in the 3D software, the giant was then traced over to keep continuity so that the giant wouldn’t look out of place in the hand drawn environment. The movie depicts the giants ominous size in relation to his surroundings without looking obviously out of place in the world of the film. There are many scenes in the movie that are thoughtfully framed and enhance the watching experience. There are also many beautiful contrasts with the giant and nature. The story line takes place in fall through the winter. The colors of the trees and the contrasts with the snow do a lot to engage the environment.
Overall it us a highly underrated film with eye catching visuals, a captivating storyline and a witty script. Not to mention a lineup of surprising voice actors. Jennifer Aniston (Annie Hughes), Harry Connick Jr. (Dean McCoppin), Vin Diesel (The Iron Giant), and Christopher McDonald (Kent Mansley).
An amnesiac metal giant crash lands on earth and must prove his innocence despite his weaponized construction amidst the cold war with the help of an adventurous young boy.
Heartwarming
Extraterrestrial
Vivid
Red Scare
Adventurous
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