The Laws of
Physics in an Animation Universe
I.
Introduction
A.
Introduction of animated feature film: The
Emperor's New Groove (2000)
B.
Thesis: Walt Disney’s Feature Animation: The Emperor’s
New Groove exists in a realistic world but is contrasted with comedic
qualities of Improbable Path of Actions, Squash & Stretch, and Superhuman
abilities that break the laws of realism and physics.
II.
Improbable Path
of Actions & Gravity
A.
When Kuzco is being carried and the chair tips
way past the edges of the stairs without ever falling, implicating the center of balance is ignored
in order to get the exaggerated path winding up the stairs. (1:95) Contrast: Soon after the stair scene, Kuzco swings the champagne bottle initiate the ceremonial ship launching. The bottle follows the pendulum arc and the timing. (2:08)
B.
Kronk follows the cracker Kuzco throws and
starts with a parabolic arc in the jump. However, when Kronk reaches the apex,
the timing is exaggerated to hold Kronk’s pose and falls straight down.
(7:94)
C.
The spacing feels uniform because the way the
items fall into the suitcase make it look light instead of landing with gravity
dragging it down. (49:30)
D.
Kronk would most likely have a mixture of rolling and bouncing down the
stairs, however he is given a goofy fall so
he always bounces up and landes on his face or butt on every step. (19:30)
E.
Kuzco and Pacha are stuck at a cliff edge and get
carried and flown upwards by a colony of bats. (42:30)
III.
Squash and Stretch & quality of material
A.
Kuzco’s body is in the bag, but squashes thinly
and making the whole action of falling down the stairs more comedic. His bounce
resembles a bouncy handball rather than a llama. (19:30)
B.
Kuzco freaks out and loses control of his limbs;
his limbs get spindly and bounce and around like rubber. His squash and
stretches are super exaggerated. (24:14)
C.
Pacha and Kuzco are tangled in vines are start
arguing; Kuzco stretches like rubber because Pacha slams into him with his
whole body weight. There are frames of the motion blur and to recreate in 2-D
the animators created a smear frame. (39:43) Contradiction: Kuzco doesn't squash when he hits the wall right after the stretch, losing his squishy qualities in the same sequence.
D.
Kuzco underestimates Pacha’s strength and weight
and get squashed during their trust building exercise where they have to scale
up a cliff together. (40:53)
IV.
Superhuman and exaggerated actions
A.
Kuzco is on his
portable throne chair while his meek servant manages to carry portable chair
and his body weight while running up the winding stairs. (1:95)
B.
The balloon gives a feeling of explosion of air
rather than a realistic pop. (28:37)
C.
Expectations and Reality: Yzma’s hammer. Yzma is
shown carrying a large mallet hammer with both hands to crush Kuzco statue
busts. There are repeated instances where Yzma struggles to get to walk with
the hammer and get it up into the swing position. (10:48) Contrast: However, an interesting contrast is Yzma’s difference in strength is when she imagines herself with a giant hammer (that is probably the same one from the statue scene). Yzma takes the hammer to
crush the flea version of Kuzco. She holds the hammer up with
ease and only needs one hand. (12:16)
V.
Conclusion
A.
The animation contains realism such as qualities
of weight, secondary action, inertia, and etc.
B.
There are many instances where these realistic laws
are broken in order to sell the comedy. The fictional physics works because
it was done intentionally.
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