Before the 1990s, animated family films were in the gutter. Deemed too expensive, too labor-intensive, their demise was certain. But then came The Little Mermaid, and a decade-long renaissance of hand-drawn and computer-generated animation followed. It culminated with 1999’s, The Iron Giant, an E.T.-esque story of an alien metal man landing on Earth and befriending a lonely little boy. Synthesizing hand-drawn animation and CGI, The Iron Giant depicts an American past that still feels present while reminding children and adults alike “you are who you choose to be.” The film has developed a cult following, but in ’99, it was a flop. The future of hand-drawn animation wasn’t far behind. Thankfully, a 35mm print of writer/director Brad Bird’s Cold War parable will flicker once more at the International Film Series final 2019 screening.

The Iron Giant (1999)
Directed by Brad Bird
Screenplay by Tim McCanlies
Story by Brad Bird
Based on the book The Iron Man by Ted Hughes
Produced by Allison Abbate, Des McAnuff
Voices by Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick Jr., Vin Diesel, Eli Marienthal
Warner Bros., Rated PG, Running time 86 minutes, Opened Aug. 6, 1999

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The above blurb first appeared in the pages of Boulder Weekly Vol. 27, No. 16, “The Iron Giant.”