Interesting to note in the garbage scene how the writer chooses to let the audience in on Boo's safety very early on, allowing us to 'enjoy' and appreciate Sully's concern without being clouded by our own concerns for the little girl. A good example of the audience knowing more than the Protag. It could just have easily been a scene of true peril - but would have been weaker for it.

Great point Larry: "...appreciate Sully’s concern without being clouded by our own concerns for the little girl." By the audience being alerted to the fact that Boo is safe the focus remains on Sulley. Instead of "Will this Monster save this girl?" the dramatic question switches over to "What drives this Monster to want to save this girl?" More emotionally and thematically driven, which is refreshing. Pixar made the right choice for sure.

I think the character is also fun and puts a twist on the "show don't tell" rule. Through the whole story we hear and see people react to Sully as "the top scarer in monstropolis" but we don't see him scare until the last half hour of the film. We also see it the same time Boo does which is a jolt because the character is portrayed as compassionate and human.

Really enjoy reading your post Jason and another great intro to a great character. Sully is one of my youngest's first favourite characters if that makes sense? In the same way my eldest made CARS "her" film, the youngest Monsters Inc hers. I love it too, and it is the compassion in Sully as you point out, that makes it so easy for us to sympathise and empathise with him....especially in what, in my opinion, is one of the greatest shots in modern cinema. The very last shot of Sully, after Mike gives him Boo back. We see the door from Boo's perspective....Sully's face appears and we hear a solitary "kitty" and the smile on Sully's face will break the hardest hearts. I can't watch MI (even having seen it about a dozen times) without welling up at that shot....perfect, perfect cinema....and that is what Pixar are so good at....they can make you care about a big blue monster, a cranky old man, a small garbage robot, a fish even a damn car! I'm not even going to get into Jessie's song in Toy Story 2.....

Thank you so much Mark. I'm glad you likes the post. You are so right about how Pixar makes us like the character types we would least expect to root for: "...a big blue monster, a cranky old man, a small garbage robot..." Their movies are a constant reminder that we all have similar needs and desires - no matter if we have blue fur or orange fins. Plus, Pixar makes movies kids can watch with adults and vice versa :)

Thank you for your insight Writerhaha. I agree totally. We learn about how scary of a scarer that Sulley is from everyone but Sulley - until just the right moment. Because the movie is really more about a Monster that is more heart than horror.