2000th Post – Another Day: THE IRON GIANT

Yesterday, I mentioned how grateful I was for all the friends I have made over the span of 2000 posts written for this site. To that end, it’s rather apropos that today’s entry was specifically suggested by a friend. It’s tradition around these parts to celebrate a milestone by writing about a film that is personally important. I’ve written about my all-time favorite, I’ve written about the film that got me started as a blogger, and I’ve written about the film that provided a catalyst for the relationship that would ultimately become my marriage.

But when it came to deciding on a point of interest for this, my 2000th entry, I found myself stumped. Luckily, my friend across the pond (and soon to be married man himself) Simon Columb came through. In amongst a litany of suggestions, he struck oil:

“What is the film that inspires you?”

It’s a broad question…a question with an endless array of potential answers…but interestingly, a question I immediately had a response for.

THE IRON GIANT.

If you’ve never seen it, THE IRON GIANT is one of the greatest animated films of all time. Created at Warner Brothers in 1999 under the watch of future INCREDIBLES and RATATOUILLE director Brad Bird, THE IRON GIANT tells a beautiful tale of a boy and his robot. In 1950’s America, a mammoth mechanical alien crash lands near small-town Maine. The robot alien is eventually discovered by young Hogarth Hughes, an energetic whippersnapper with a taste for comic books and late night B-movies. In very short order, Hogarth discovers that The Giant isn’t as dangerous as he seems…and rather eager to learn about this planet he’s crashed on.

As someone who has always had a soft spot for animation, THE IRON GIANT could inspire me on look alone. While the rest of Hollywood was already knee-deep in computer animation, here was a film that showed that you could still tell a wonderful tale with traditional cells and paint. However, the film’s old-school aesthetic comes with a wink to the future, as The Giant himself is a CGI creation. The way he is integrated so flawlessly is a marvel to behold, especially in the way it echoes this strange being wandering through this traditional setting.

What is really inspiring though is the story.

Hogarth is “different”. His classmates are obsessed with acting cool and playing sports. To them, Hogarth and his interests just don’t fit in. It’s a familiar story that many of us have experienced at some stage or another in our lives. As much as we will eventually see the value in being original, our younger years are all about being able to fit in – and Hogarth simply doesn’t fit in. However, before he can get too down on himself about it, he’s given some sage advice from a beatnik artist named Dean. Dean teaches him that it doesn’t matter what his classmates think Hogarth is or isn’t…all that matters is that Hogarth is who he chooses to be.

It seems like such a simple lesson, and yet so few of us choose to learn it. On the surface, we might be unsure, discontent, unspectacular, introverted, underemployed (or even unemployed), directionless, or soft-spoken. We might spent weeks or months feeling like we’re in some sort of rut, not knowing what our next step should be. In a world where the divide between haves and have-nots is widening, it’s very easy to find ourselves in this type of fix. But as THE IRON GIANT says – we are who we choose to be.

We have it within us to be defined by anything – or even be defined as many things if we wish. We can reach out to the endless circles of people who are now able to gather so much easier. We can give greater credence to the moments we call our own, whether they are spent in peaceful solitude, or the boisterous company of others. We can remember that no one thing defines us, especially whatever it is we do to make a living. There are so many ways to make our mark – to say our piece and be heard. Even in an age where negativity and cynicism abound, we can be a force for positivity…we just have to choose to be it.

Hogarth himself is an embodiment of this. When we meet him, we consider him a loner – an odd duck without any friends and a father who isn’t around anymore. When he meets The Giant however, he suddenly becomes a great many things at once. He finds a friend, one who is interested in all the activities Hogarth so enjoys. Hogarth also finds a brother in The Giant; something physically imposing, but who still needs protection and care. But perhaps most interestingly, Hogarth takes on the role of father figure to The Giant. He teaches him truly important life lessons about life and death, right and wrong, and even the immortality of a soul.

None of those lessons though are nearly as inspiring as the way Hogarth teaches The Giant what Dean has just taught him – that we are who we choose to be. How many people have you met in the world who learn something about themselves so completely, that they are able to teach it to someone else?

Yet another moment where THE IRON GIANT inspires.

In its elegant way, what THE IRON GIANT wants us to understand is that along with these choices we make comes the opportunity to inspire others. We can project that which we hold most evident and evoke it from others. The trade-off though is sacrifice. It might be that we have to work against our own inhibitions to get there, it might be that we have to put in more hours and effort. Heck, sometimes it might just come down to holding our tongues when we think we’re in the right. It all comes at a cost, but if it means we get to be who we want to be, isn’t that cost worth it?

This is what inspires me about THE IRON GIANT. This is what moves me to tears, and secretly makes me pretend to be Superman for a few hours afterward. The film does so much so effortlessly, and does so with true beauty and joy. It’s a testament to what is good in this world, and the rewards that can be found within ourselves. There are many other films that stir many other feelings within me, but none that make me want to be a better person the way that THE IRON GIANT does. That’s true inspiration.

Thanks Simon.

Matineescore: ★ ★ ★ ★ out of ★ ★ ★ ★