Monsters University shows how Sulley and Mike became friends

Prequel focuses on the university days of Sulley and Mike
Reveals pair's aspirations and how dreams are not always realised
Monsters University looks set to eclipse predecessor in earnings

By Lina Das

PUBLISHED: 17:05 EST, 4 July 2013 | UPDATED: 19:57 EST, 4 July 2013

Whether university days are the most party-fuelled of a student's life or a time of crushing doubts and insecurities, there's no doubt they help shape character during that testing leap into adulthood.

That's the premise of Monsters University – the prequel to the hugely successful 2001 animated film Monsters Inc.

In the first film, the large, lumbering Sulley (voiced by John Goodman) and his best friend and coach Mike (Billy Crystal) are the most prolific scare duo of all at Monsters Inc – the factory where their job is to frighten children in their sleep which in turn generates the screams necessary to power the universe in which the monsters exist.

Prequel: Monsters University looks set to eclipse its predecessor in earnings and cement Pixar's position as the studio with one of the most original batch of storytellers

It was a hugely original idea which won the film several awards and took over £300m at the box office.

But Monsters University looks set to eclipse its predecessor in earnings and cement Pixar's position as the studio with one of the most original batch of storytellers.

'Everyone loved the original film so much, that we really felt pressure not to let them and the original filmmakers Pete Docter and John Lasseter down.' says Kelsey Mann, Monsters University's story supervisor at Pixar studios

Pixar, who over the years have become renowned for making films which appeal to both children and adults alike (remember how many parents where left sobbing at the end of Toy Story 3?) have done the same again with Monsters University – the tale of how the close friendship between Mike Wazowski and James P Sullivan ('Sulley') developed.

The lime-green, potato-shaped monster with one all-seeing eye is determined to ace his exams and become the scariest monster on campus... despite the fact that he's smaller than all the other student scarers.

Sulley on the other hand has no such problem – with his large purple and blue frame, leonine roar and a family scaring history going back generations, he's got cockiness to spare, neglecting his studies in the belief that he'll sail through his exams on natural talent.

Aspirations: Mike is determined to ace his exams and become the scariest monster on campus

Dreams: Mike hopes to become the scariest monster, despite the fact he's smaller than all the other student scarers

The two take an instant dislike to one another and when their rivalry becomes increasingly overwrought, the head of the university's School of Scaring Dean Hardscrabble (voiced imperiously by Helen Mirren) kicks them both out of the prestigious Scare Program, forcing them to work together to try and salvage their university careers and forge a greater understanding of one another.

'We already know from Monsters Inc that Mike doesn't achieve his aim of becoming the scariest monster around but the heart of the movie basically says that that's OK'

- Director Dan Scanlon

Billy Crystal who voices the ever-chirpy Mike admits that, 'he's really the favourite character I've ever played. He's fearless and funny and I relate to him in a way because I was a little bit of a misfit. I was a film-directing student at New York University and there were all these other people there – Oliver Stone, Christopher Guest. And our Professor was Martin Scorsese.

'And then there was me, so I was a little out of it! But we all have those moments of self-doubt like Mike and Sulley and we all do even as we get older. That's what's so fascinating about life – we're always starting over in a way.'

Pixar visited several American universities, including Harvard, Princeton and Berkeley and watched college movies such as Animal House and Good Will Hunting to immerse themselves in the culture of campus life.

But whereas a lot of college movies tend to focus on the raucous, partying aspect of university life (of which the film has some touches), Monsters University is imbued with altogether more depth than most live action films.

Grown-up: The film deals with the subject of how dreams and aspirations are not always realised

'We didn't want it to be just a fun, crazy, party movie,' says the film's director Dan Scanlon, 'and we wanted it to be about self-discovery, so we talked a lot about our own college days as we were working on the story.

'I work with people who have really cool jobs as animators but what I didn't realise was that some of them grew up with big sports-related dreams or hopes of becoming a doctor and how crushed they were when those dreams didn't work out.

'Mike has dreams of becoming the best scarer at university and works so hard at it, but because he's so cute, all the studying in the world can't help him.

Success: The film has already taken more than £50m in its first weekend in the US

'Our film is about what happens when you become an adult and you realise that life is going to be much harder than you thought and that maybe you aren't as talented as you once believed.'

Pixar films have never shied away from tackling adult-seeming issues from death and childlessness (Up) to the loss parents feel when their children leave home (Toy Story 3). This is their first film though to tackle that most middle-aged of emotions: disappointment.

That's not to say that the film won't have resonance for younger audiences too.

'When the first movie came out in 2001,' says Billy Crystal, 'John Goodman and I hosted several screenings for children who had lost their parents [during 9/11]. They were about six or seven years old at the time so they'd now be the same age as Mike and Sulley in Monsters University.

'They'll be going through the same sorts of experiences as Mike and Sulley are going through too, so these characters are very important to them.'

There are some 400 characters who populate the Monsters University campus with an average of 25 students and teachers in every shot (other Pixar movies generally have less than ten characters per shot) making the film a visual as well as an emotional treat.

One of the new characters, Dean Hardscrabble, is voiced by our own Helen Mirren and, says Dan Scanlon, 'she did ask if we wanted her to play such a scary teacher just because of that cool, British accent of hers.

'So we did actually try different accents with her, but in the end we said: "We're hiring Helen Mirren – we just want her to be her".'

But, adds producer Kori Rae, 'She did ask us if we'd like for her to audition for the part and we told her: "No, that's OK Dame Helen – we believe you can do it".'

Stars: Helen Mirren, who provides the voice of Dean Hardscrabble, with Sulley and Mike

The movie has already taken more than £50m in its first weekend in the US. 'It seems so silly to say this,' says Kelsey Mann, 'but even though Mike's a little green potato head, that guy has more real feelings than some of the live action characters in most Hollywood movies.'

Director Dan Scanlon added: 'We're always trying to get to the reality of emotions in our films and we think we've done that with Monsters University.

'We already know from Monsters Inc that Mike doesn't achieve his aim of becoming the scariest monster around but the heart of the movie basically says that that's OK.

'It's the not giving up when you realise something just isn't for you as you never know: it may just lead to something better.'

Monsters University is in cinemas from July 12.

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Source : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2356314/Monsters-University-shows-Sulley-Mike-friends.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

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Thursday, July 4, 2013