Spoilers and additional basic storylines may be found in this post.
Three weeks ago, Pixar surprised fans by announcing the initial details (along with the beautiful poster artwork) of their upcoming short film, Lava, which will be featured alongside Inside Out in theaters on June 19, 2015.
Today, a few additional details have surfaced from an article on Disney Insider as well as the LA Times, including a look at the short’s main character, Uku. The LA Times says Uku is “crusty and prone to eruptions, but with a warm core underneath“. Uku is looking for love and finds his match in Lele, another volcano among the oceans off of the Hawaiian islands. (Get the connection…Uku & Lele…Ukulele.)
Although Uku is a volcano, director James Ford Murphy wanted to ensure that he had a lovable side to him as well. In fact, James noted that the idea for the short came while he was on his honeymoon, some 20 years ago. He was so taken by the Hawaiian culture that he started playing ukulele and ended up writing the music behind the short. (Additional details on the music, and initial plot details can be found in our previous post regarding Lava.) With a background like that, the passion that James has put into this short will certainly jump off the screen and touch our hearts.
As far as the character of Uku goes, we love his grin, squinted eyes, and how it appears that his lush greenery is depicted as arms awaiting a hug. Disney Insider notes that Uku is, “a wonderful example of the power of modern animation technique, as the film depicts tropical flora and fauna with an incredible level of realism“. We can’t wait for more, but we’re still about a year away from a theatrical release in the United States. Fans in Japan won’t have to wait as long as others though – Lava will premiere at the Hiroshima International Animation Festival, held from August 21 through the 25 of this year.
What are your thoughts on Lava’s leading volcano, Uku? Did you see the baby from the 90’s TV show, Dinosaurs, like I did at first glance (photo on the forum)? Leave a comment below or chat about it in the Pixar Post Forum.
