Pixar’s 2009 ebulliently buoyant masterpiece Up inspired nothing but wondrous awe and the occasional tear or two. However, it seems that for all its uplifting emotional qualities, the film appears to be susceptible to some serious context alteration. It turns out that the footage can be flipped around so that it also works well as a child kidnapping tale with a terrifying trip. Check it out below!
In this video from YouTube mashup artists CineMash, and it’s pretty great. The opening moments showing the lonely, wistful Carl Fredricksen sitting in his chair would typically evoke sadness as a life whittles away in grief. But with just a slight shift in tone, we see a sinister spider of a senior citizen with designs to trap a young fly that happens to wander onto his proverbial web. Indeed, that is what happens when the detrimentally diligent Russell shows up at his door, looking to earn a merit badge by doing the good deed of helping the elderly. However, it’s clear from the sinister music that the only thing he’s going to earn himself is severe life-long emotional trauma. That is, if he’s lucky enough to survive.
From there, the mashup’s out-of-context craziness really takes off. Carl’s surprise showing at Russell’s merit badge ceremony turns into a highlight in horrific hubris, as he seemingly just snatches the poor lad from the grasps of his peers and family; right on stage, no less. The brilliance of the editing just spirals things out of control even further with added dialogue from a news report identifying Carl as an elderly sociopath with a floating facility. He seems to be leading young Russell down a path of brainwashing and various other unspeakable forms of torture. Even Charles Muntz appears to be a hero in this twisted scenario. As the outro hauntingly indicates, "once in, there’s no way out." How chilling!
There should be some additional applause reserved for the way this mashup manages to convey the horror film tones not just with cheap theatrics like music and speed manipulation, but seriously skillful use of scenario depiction. This video could have simply hung its hat on the seemingly sinister imagery of an old man hanging around with a young boy, but there was clearly more thought devoted to the piece than that would have required. The alternate story that’s being conveyed here isn’t just incidental. Rather, it flows seamlessly, telling a clear, rather disturbing story from start to finish.
We would be remiss to leave an impression about the magnificent Up as some twistedly terrifying torture film. Thus, what better way to celebrate the art of contextual editing than with this classic from last year, further showcasing the bizarre thematic malleability of the Pixar classic? So, without further ado, on a much lighter note, here is another mashup classic featuring Up as a ‘splosions seeping Michael Bay film!
In the meantime, Pixar fans can cleanse their pallets from that array of absurdity with the subconscious silliness contained within the mind of a young girl with Inside Out, which hits theaters on June 19th. Assuredly, she’ll be safe from the bloodstained mitts of Carl.
