Friday, June 05, 2009

Is "Up" a Kind of Steampunk?

Sitting in the theatre waiting for Pixar's latest offering, Up, to begin and after having seen all the previews and commercials, I suddenly find myself wondering if it's a kind of steampunk.

Now, before you jump all over me howling "you have no idea what steampunk is, cretin!", just hold onto your top hats or petticoats and listen for a minute. Sure, there aren't any clockwork automotons or coal-fired horseless carriages or brass-and-wood-trimmed astro vessels, but the general framework of the plot is very Victorian.

An old man with a dream, some ingenuity and a plan for an epic journey, a plucky young fellow along for the ride (by accident or design), and a magnificent, unusual travelling device - I mean, a balloon-lifted house is nothing if not a poor man's airship! Then there's the strange place they arrive at with a reclusive scientist and his strange invention (OK, translating dog collars, rather than, say, a nuclear submarine). Really, this could have been a one-off from Wells, Verne or Burroughs - if they'd had a Jim Henson sense of humour.

OK, movie starting. Must post and turn off phone. Up, up and awaaaaay!


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