Video Pick—The Zit
MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann Elementary School, Binghamton, NY -- School Library Journal, 5/15/2006
The Zit. DVD. color. 5 min. Pipsqueak Films. 2005. $39.95.
Gr 6 Up–This is the familiar tale of a young boy on his way to a big school dance, eager to impress a young lady. Timmy is a portly young fellow, and when he tightens his belt, in an attempt to appear more slender, he forces a small zit to pop out near his nose. This is only the start of Timmy’s nightmare; he’s faced with a pimple problem unlike any other, and every attempt to be rid of the zit only makes matters worse. In less than 30 seconds, what was once a tiny, pea-sized pimple becomes a balloon and then practically a new appendage. Not even the tines of a fork can penetrate this pulsing, glowing abnormality. Thankfully, kitty’s attraction for birds gives Timmy an idea for getting rid of the zit, and the surprising and frankly disgusting conclusion results in surprising consequences. This film was a labor of love for more than 70 professional Disney animators who worked on it as an after hours project for three years. For a zero-budget film, it has remarkable graphics, thanks to cutting edge computer animators and the very best traditional animators. Produced and directed by Disney veteran animator Mike Blum, technical supervisor for Toy Story 3, The Zit features excellent coMputer graphics. This award-winning short film will amuse and captivate viewers of all ages.
