Pixar's film Elio had the studio's worst opening weekend box office, leading to internet speculation that its "bean mouth" animation style was the cause. Animation experts, however, dismiss this, explaining that "CalArts style" and "bean mouth" are often misused terms for a diverse range of animation techniques. They suggest more likely reasons for Elio's failure include minimal marketing, its PG rating, lack of franchise ties, and a more competitive market for original animated stories.
Did 'bean mouth' really kill Pixar's Elio at the box office?
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Pixar's film Elio had the studio's worst opening weekend box office, leading to internet speculation that its "bean mouth" animation style was the cause. Animation experts, however, dismiss this, explaining that "CalArts style" and "bean mouth" are often misused terms for a diverse range of animation techniques. They suggest more likely reasons for Elio's failure include minimal marketing, its PG rating, lack of franchise ties, and a more competitive market for original animated stories.
Trending- 1 1920s: "Rubber-hose" animation style (e.g., Felix the Cat).
- 2 1961: California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) founded by Walt and Roy Disney.
- 3 1960s-70s: Hanna-Barbera popularizes "limited animation."
- 4 Early 2000s: John Kricfalusi begins criticizing "CalArts style"; "flash" animation popular (e.g., 6teen).
- 5 Present: Pixar's Elio performs poorly at the box office, sparking "bean mouth" criticism.
- Poor box office performance for Elio
- Widespread, often misinformed, criticism of animation styles online
- Ongoing debate about artistic innovation vs. imitation in animation
- Potential impact on future animated film strategies
What: The box office failure of Pixar's film Elio and the internet criticism attributing it to the "bean mouth" animation style, which is often conflated with the "CalArts style." The article debunks this theory, explaining the origins and misapplication of these terms, and offers more plausible reasons for the film's poor performance.
When: Early 2000s (John Kricfalusi began criticizing CalArts style); 1961 (CalArts founded); 1920s (rubber-hose style); early 2000s (flash animation); 1960s-70s (Hanna-Barbera's limited animation).
Where: California (CalArts location), United States.
Why: To understand the reasons behind Elio's box office failure and to clarify the misconceptions surrounding the "bean mouth" and "CalArts style" criticisms in animation.
How: By interviewing animation journalists, academics, and box-office analysts, and tracing the historical development and misinterpretation of animation styles.