Sadly, this story does not have a happy ending.
"'Just pull him through the screen, that's all you do. Easy as pie, huh?' All the other cartoon characters get to do it, but no, I can't! Have to give the stupid kid a concussion."
—Ted
A Story is one of two student films made by Pixar employee, Andrew Stanton. In this Deconstructive Parody of H.R. Pufnstuf, one specially-chosen boy embarks on a dangerous adventure through the world of his favorite cartoon. The film was made in CalArts and it was completed in 1987.
The film was featured in the Pixar Short Films Collection, Volume 2, and again on the WALLE Criterion Collection Blu-ray. CalArts has also uploaded it
to Vimeo.
A Story contains examples of:
- Angrish: Melvin's polite attempts to stop Randy and his Goon Squad gets Randy so PISSED off, he angrily shouts a string of gibberish as he shakes him furiously.
- The Bad Guy Wins: The story ends with Melvin and Ted getting killed by Randy's explosives, and Randy taking over the kingdom.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Randy gets Melvin and Ted killed all because Melvin politely told him and his Squad to stop.
- Monster Clown: Randy and his Goon Squad fit this trope to a T.
- Parental Neglect: While the narrator introduces Melvin at the beginning, he mentions that his parents always ignored him.
- Pie in the Face: Randy and his Goon Squad's methods of terrorizing the village is throwing pies in the denizens' faces.
- Precision F-Strike:
- During Randy's Angrish-laden rant to Melvin, he says something that sounds like the F-bomb at least a few times.
- The narrator isn't a clean guy himself:Narrator: This, of course, pissed Randy off.
- Storybook Opening: The short begins and ends with Deliberately Monochrome footage of the book the narrator is reading from.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: When Ted pulls Melvin through the Television Portal, the shattering glass gives the boy a concussion, requiring him to wear a bandage throughout the rest of the short. They also learn the hard way that an ordinary boy can't save a whole kingdom from an invasion.
- Would Hurt a Child: Randy and his Goon Squad are more than willing to kill a child, especially if he politely tells them to stop their evildoing.
