Ratatouille — Animating Inspiration
Gusteau tells audiences everywhere to follow their dreams — The animation team makes them believe they can.
There’s always been something about Pixar’s Ratatouille (2007) that really does it for me. I’d have been fifteen when it came out, almost sixteen. I saw it twice in theaters because after seeing it the first time, I dragged my grandma to see it with me.
Maybe it’s the (and I truly say this with love) relentless inspiration-baiting. Auguste Gusteau says in a TV broadcast during the first ten minutes of the film:
“Great cooking is not for the faint of heart. You must be imaginative! Strong hearted. You must try things that may not work. And you must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from. Your only limit is your soul. What I say is true. Anyone can cook. But only the fearless can be great.”
Remy watches this speech with rapt attention, losing awareness of his surroundings, relaxing and softening into his stance. He is spellbound by Gusteau’s words in a similar way I was spellbound as a kid by watching the special features of The Lord of the Rings and dreaming about making…
