Sometimes it's hard for a movie or TV show that's popular in one country or area to cross a cultural barrier and experience similar success elsewhere on the globe. Fortunately for Pixar, that usually isn't a problem for them, as most of the studio's movies have been well received in numerous countries. That said, there are minor adjustments made to said movies depending on the country it's screening in, and I don't mean just language dubbing. For those wondering what these entail, a new video explores some of the elements Pixar has altered for international audiences.
The Oh My Disney YouTube account has posted a video showing side-by-side comparisons of what Pixar movies look like in the United States vs. how they look in international markets. Some of these changes are just logical. For instance, there's a scene in Ratatouille when Remy opens up a folder filled with newspaper clippings and notes. The French version of the movie understandably changes the handwriting and lettering to the French language, making it more appropriate for the regions it's being screened in. Up took a similar approach with young Ellie's book, changing the title of the book depending on the language used in the country it's being shown in.
However, sometimes translation involves more than just changing wording. Rather than have "Paradise Falls" labeled everywhere in Up, the filmmakers decided to show an image to represent the location for international audiences. The same goes for the "Scare Games" lettering and the designs on Randall's cupcakes in Monsters University. Viewers in other countries aren't getting the exact message as U.S. viewers, but the overall effect is the same...for the most part. In the case of Randall's cupcakes, there was a gag involving the letters that is now non-existent.
And then there are the changes made purely for cultural reasons. In Inside Out, broccoli was replaced with bell peppers in Japan as the food of choice to give to baby Riley because broccoli is enjoyed more in that country. Riley's dad was also watching a soccer game instead of a hockey game in the international versions since soccer, or rather, football, is a significantly more popular sport outside of the States. All in all, the changes Pixar makes to its movies in international markets aren't meaningful in terms of affecting the plot, but they certainly do make the stories feel more like they belong in that region.
Pixar's next movie is Cars 3, which will hit theaters on June 16. So if you're seeing it or any other future Pixar entries outside of the United States, keep an eye out for moments where you think the studio has made these trademark changes. And if you can think of any examples that weren't mentioned in the video, list them in the comments below.
