Top 10 Things You Missed in Pixar's Elemental
#10: A City of Puns
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This film overflows with elemental-based puns, many of which light up the backgrounds. Instead of Toyota, there’s an automobile manufacturer called Treeyota. We’re guessing that their cars run on an environmentally-friendly fuel source. The Fireplace is a small, family-owned business, but Element City isn’t without franchise stores like Pottery Burn. The puns keep blazing across the end credits. We can’t imagine how a retailer like Wicks R Us can survive in this economy, but they can always take out a loan from the Wells Farglow Bank. If Element City ever becomes a Disney theme park attraction, we hope that they sell Lighter Finger candy bars and Kolgate toothpaste for afterward. Puns are the glue that holds this world together… well, that and Scorch Tape.
#9: The Partly Cloudy Air Elements
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We’re still not sure how “Elemental” ties into the Pixar Theory, but we’re wagering that it’s connected to Peter Sohn’s directorial debut. Before making the leap to features, Sohn got his feet wet with the 2009 short, “Partly Cloudy.” The story centers on a long suffering stork who always winds up delivering dangerous babies, courtesy of a gray cloud. In addition to including a “Partly Cloudy” poster in “Elemental,” the air characters closely resemble the clouds from Sohn’s short. According to Sohn, “Elemental’s” air characters “were more wispy and clear” before taking on their puffier appearances. “Partly Cloudy” was met with technical limitations when it came out, but Sohn felt his team could now authentically anthropomorphize air. It’s the next step in elemental evolution.
#8: A Periodic Schedule
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The inspiration for “Elemental” derived from Sohn’s experiences growing up in New York. You don’t live in the Big Apple without becoming familiar with the subway system. It can be a little confusing, but it helps when the diagram is color-coded. Element City’s subway schedule takes a colorful approach, but that’s not the only unique touch. The chart’s rows and columns are arranged to resemble the Periodic table. Reflecting on his middle school days, Sohn said, “I never saw it as a periodic table. I always saw it as apartment buildings. There was something so funny about the skyline of the periodic table — these little squares being someone’s home. Argon might live next to hydrogen — they would be neighbors.” Who says science can’t inspire art?
#7: The Voice of Ember’s Father
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It’s not uncommon for Pixar’s artists to lend their voices to characters. Bob Peterson voiced Roz in “Monsters, Inc.” and Dug in “Up.” The late Joe Ranft voiced Heimlich in “A Bug’s Life” and Wheezy in “Toy Story 2.” In addition to co-writing “Inside Out,” Ronnie del Carmen voiced Windstar in “Soul.” Del Carmen takes on a more substantial role in “Elemental” as Bernie Lumen, Ember’s aging father. Just as Bernie immigrates to Element City, Del Carmen was born in the Philippines where (at age 15) he landed a painting gig on “Apocalypse Now.” In the late 80s, he immigrated to the U.S. to pursue a film career. Del Carmen worked at Warner Bros. and DreamWorks before laying down roots at Pixar.
#6: The Good Element
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At the same theater where “Partly Cloudy” is playing, you’ll notice another familiar title. No, we’re not talking about “Tide and Prejudice,” although we are eager to see this universe’s version of Mr. Darcy. Another poster advertises a movie entitled “The Good Element.” This pays homage to Sohn’s first feature film, “The Good Dinosaur.” As different as they seem on the surface, Sohn’s two features share a fair deal in common. Both are about the forces of nature with “Elemental” taking a more literal approach. The two films also center on characters working through prejudices to co-exist. We imagine that “The Good Element” has a similar setup, but what are dinosaurs comprised of in this world? Maybe an extinct fifth element.
#5: A Language of Ice & Fire
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Upon arriving in Element City, Ember’s parents stick out from the crowd. This isn’t just due to their physical appearances, but because of the language barriers. Where everyone else speaks English, Mr. and Mrs. Lumen talk with a fiery lingo. The fire language isn’t gibberish. To make this world feel more authentic, the filmmakers sought out renowned conlanger David J. Peterson, who has created languages for projects like “Dune,” “The 100,” and “Raya and the Last Dragon.” Peterson is best known for his work on “Game of Thrones,” conceiving Dothraki, High Valyrian, and other languages. At one point, the “Elemental” team used fire sound effects as a means of communication. Ultimately, the sounds would inspire Peterson while crafting a native fire language known as “Firish.”
#4: Blue Flame Souvenir
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“Elemental” is yet another Pixar film that gets Asian representation right. This hot streak arguably started with Domee Shi’s “Bao.” So, it’s only fitting that “Elemental” sneaks in a reference to that Oscar-winning short. The blue flame is a sacred symbol that connects the Lumens to their homeland, but that doesn’t mean they can’t merchandise it. At the front counter of the Lumen family’s shop, there’s a display for blue flame souvenirs. The little trinkets resemble the sentient bun from “Bao,” albeit with a bluer hue. Aside from celebrating Asian culture, “Elemental” and “Bao” explore how children relate to parents as they attempt to carve out their own paths. Both films also show how food brings families together, assuming that it’s not too spicy.
#3: A113
It wouldn’t be a Pixar film without a salute to A113, the CalArts classroom where numerous animators took their initial steps toward the big league. “Elemental” delivers one of the most inventive examples, as showcased in the teaser trailer. On the subway, you might’ve spotted the letters A, H, and Al. They may seem like random letters until you take a closer look at the periodic table. “H” notably represents hydrogen, the first element. “Al” is aluminum, the thirteenth element. “A” alone doesn’t stand for any element, but when you add 1 and 13, you get one of Pixar’s longest-running in-jokes.
#2: Ralph’s Cafe
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We mentioned a few businesses that make up Element City, but Ralph’s Cafe will likely resonate the most with animation fans. The name pays tribute to Ralph Eggleston, who won an Oscar for his short “For the Birds.” That was far from Eggleston’s only contribution to Pixar. Since working on the original “Toy Story,” Eggleston served as an art director, character designer, and story writer on some of the studio’s most beloved films. Sadly, Eggleston’s life was cut short due to a pancreatic tumor in 2022. Eggleston had hired Peter Sohn over 20 years earlier, becoming his friend and a mentor. In his memory, Sohn snuck this Easter egg into “Elemental.” Eggleston is also one of several names that the film is dedicated to.
#1: Elio
It’s tradition for Pixar films to tease what’s coming next. In “Lightyear,” the vending machine contains an elemental product called Wade Water. Wade takes center stage alongside Ember in “Elemental.” During a flashback, we see a young Wade develop a fear of sponges. In the background, there’s a poster for the school’s space club. This references Pixar’s next feature, “Elio.” Set to come out in 2024, this sci-fi film centers on an 11-year-old misfit who is sent across the galaxy. Having a close encounter with aliens, the titular character is mistaken for Earth’s ambassador. Until that film comes out, we’re just wondering how Element City’s space program works. Considering what happens to water in space, it’s safe to say Wade will never be an astronaut.
