a theory on Randall's "issues"

[linnellisgod]

I've been considering it for a while, and here's my theory.
All things considered, Randall has quite a few psycological problems, it seems... He's insecure, that much we know, but he feels incapable of showing weakness, which is probably because he's faced abuse (bullying, etc.). My theory is that, being an orphan, he was starved of parental affection, and he really envies Sulley for a) how respected and well liked he is, and b) Waternoose's seemingly fatherly treatment of him. Randall wants Waternoose's approval, so he lets the CEO play him like a broadwood grand. And in that one moment when waternoose says "Sullivan was twice the scarer you'll ever be!", you can almost feel how much it hurts, even though he only lets anger show on his face.
am I far off?

[Veg]

I don't think you're far off. I think you just hit that spot!

[linnellisgod]

Glad ya think so:).
Wonder what Sean thinks...he'd know.

[RandallBoggs]

Of course I would ^_^

Actually, that scene you mentioned about "never be the scarer" thing actually has ANOTHER outlook on it...
What we see in the movie isn't actually what Ran had done. He did growl. But there is also a part where he WAS truely hurt.

I brought it on here long long ago lets see...

(And no, it's not part of him turning in the scene or something ^_^)

[Veg]

Aww, poor Randall!

[linnellisgod]

Aww! That's so sad... nobody ever recognises his talent.

[RandallBoggs]

Some do...when they want to use it -_-

[babyrandall]

*sigh* yea, Poor Randall, that pic gets me every time

[linnellisgod]

i can't help but wonder why piar would give their 'villain" character such expressive eyes unless they wanted us to identify with him a little...or in our case, a lot.

[pitbulllady]

linnellisgod said:

i can't help but wonder why piar would give their 'villain" character such expressive eyes unless they wanted us to identify with him a little...or in our case, a lot.

I've often wondered the same thing. Out of all of Pixar's characters, and that includes their human characters, such as the ones in The Incredibles, Randall has the most realistic and expressive eyes. You can just SEE the depths of emotions in them, and often what you see in his eyes contradicts what he's doing or saying at the time, showing that ever-present internal conflict within him. He can be snarling and angry, but his eyes just say, "should I REALLY be doing this?", or when he's preparing the Scream Extractor to scare Mike into revealing the location of "the kid", his eyes say, "what if this thing doesn't work? What if I've failed?" It's most notable when he's carrying Boo, after saving her from a certain death when Sulley dropped her, and those eyes just beg, "What NOW?" In spite of that determined set to his jaw, you can see that he KNOWS he's done something awful, and that he had no clue what to do next, and is pretty certain that the future isn't going to be holding anything pleasant in store for him after all.

pitbulllady

[linnellisgod]

You're absolutely right- that's what makes him so real and interesting. Despite what some might say, he has his own moral code, and he doesn't want to be breaking it. But his own weaknesses are forcing him (on a pshycological level) to do so- a need for "parental" approval drives him to follow Waternoose's every whim like an attack dog.

[tmazanec1]

pitbullady:
"The eyes are the windows of the soul."

[linnellisgod]

absolutely. Look into my eyes, and you can tell I'm mad as a spoon!
But seriously, randall's eyes are amazing.

[RandallBoggs]

Didn't Phil Collins do a song about that kind of thing?

[linnellisgod]

did he? I was thinking more along the lines of They Might Be Giants...but then I always am.
Wait, did you mean the amazing eyes, or the mad as a spoon bit?