Recently, Jim sat down with Gabriel and Tom from Beneficial Shock magazine to discuss all things Gut Punch. The concept of their podcast revolves around inviting guests to explore films that have left a lasting emotional impact, and, in true Jim style, he chose Disney/Pixar’s Up.
The conversation begins with a look back at Jim’s early creative influences. He reflects on how his parents recently brought out his old schoolbooks, which he describes as being “full of proto-Dorothy works.” Even as a child, Jim was compiling lists of fantasy films, football teams, and dream festival line-up, early signs of the creative thinking that would later shape Dorothy.
Image © Dorothy
After a brief discussion about what we do here at Dorothy, how Jim formats his designs and translates his imagination to paper, the conversation moves onto Jim’s film choice. He explains that, with young kids at home, he doesn’t often watch new films. Instead, he has found himself revisiting older ones with fresh perspective, “turning the negative of not seeing new films into a positive.” This naturally led him to choose Up which is a film he has recently rewatched it with his kids.
Jim begins by reflecting on the opening scene in Up which chronicles the life of the elderly couple Carl and Ellie, the ups and downs of marriage, parenthood and their life growing old together. He notes that “everyone thinks of the same part,” describing it as a moment that “hits really hard and leaves you thinking about life.” He discusses how, in the context of animated films, particularly Pixar’s, he sees it as one of the most emotionally powerful scenes ever created.
Image © Dorothy
He also draws a nice parallel between the film’s story and the beginnings of Dorothy, likening the studio’s early days to a group of friends embarking on a shared adventure which was uncertain but full of possibility.
Throughout the conversation, Jim praises Pixar’s storytelling, calling their work an “absolute sparkling diamond of culture.” It’s the relatability of Up, he suggests, that gives it such emotional response something that evolves as you revisit the film at different stages of life.
Image © Dorothy
There’s also a notable mention to Dug the dog off the film, whose collar translates his thoughts into speech. Jim highlights how “wonderful” this idea is, quoting the iconic line, “I’ve just met you, but I love you,” saying that it is “just so well observed but so funny because it’s so well observed”.
It’s clear that Jim’s appreciation for Up has only deepened over time and is enjoying rewatching it with his children to experience that emotional “gut punch” all over again.
A huge thank you to Gabriel and Tom from Beneficial Shock for reaching out to chat to Jim, we loved it.
You can listen to the full interview here:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4XGLNU4pNcJnlcpiH0DBec?si=1d1052049c4941b0
Beneficial Shock have also released their tenth edition, titled Journeys and Destinations, now available on their website.