Over the years, Pixar has created some absolutely amazing shorts to accompany their main releases. Every time Pixar releases a movie, a short always takes place prior to it, telling a quick story as the animators get to work on new techniques and wow audiences before the main film even begins.
Pixar has also released several shorts to simply continue telling stories with people's favorite characters, particularly within the Toy Story franchise. They are always excellently done and they maintain the usual high Pixar standard, showcasing brilliance.
Another way the shorts stick to a similar path as the feature-length movies is by adding hidden details and Easter eggs. This is something fans have come to know and love from the usual films, and the shorts are no different and in this list, we will reveal 10 hidden details you never noticed in the Pixar shorts.
I Am Speed, I Am Lightning
To kickstart the list we will take a look at the Pixar short, Dante's Lunch. This short film is based around Coco, and therefore everything is set in that same world. However, that didn't stop Pixar from adding in a nice little Easter egg to the popular Cars franchise.
It's a blink and you'll miss it moment as Dante sprints past a boy, who just so happens to be wearing Lightning McQueen shoes. It only adds to the popular Pixar universe theory, with this showing that perhaps Lightning is someone that people are very aware of.
Canadian References
Bao is one of the most heartwarming Pixar shorts and is one that fans really did enjoy. It has a very simple concept, but it is one that's incredibly well done. This is interestingly the first Pixar short to be directed by a woman, Domee Shi, and she brought in plenty of touches to her nation of Canada.
Many people might think this is set in the Far East, but that isn't the case. There are several nods to Canada within the film, with a jumper being shown with a Canadian Maple Leaf, and the street it is set also happens to be named after her daughter.
Grave Details
One of the best short Pixar films is Toy Story of Terror, and it is one that just so happens to be packed with hidden details. One of those is a nod to The Incredibles and the character, Gazerbeam, who is shown very briefly in the movie as one of the heroes who die because of his cape.
In this short film, there is a huge nod to him with a gravestone being shown with his name on it. To add to that, the inscription even gives a nod to his superpower, it reads "RIP Simon J. Palladino - A public servant with a unique vision."
101 Dalmations Nod
Many of the Pixar shorts are full of hidden details and Easter eggs that are references to other Pixar films, however, this particular hidden detail isn't. Instead, it focuses on the classic Disney animation, 101 Dalmations. This moment takes place in the short film, Day & Night.
The two characters go on several fun journeys together and eventually, they end up watching a movie. This movie is the exact same that the dogs watch in the original film, which is called, "The Thunderbolt Adventure Hour."
Italian Details
La Luna was released in 2011 and was first shown prior to Brave in the cinema. It's a beautiful movie that utilizes watercolors in a unique manner that hadn't been seen before, which instantly made it appealing to people watching it in the cinema.
The decision was made for this film to name all the characters after Italian phrases, which some people might have missed. The child's name is Bambino, which means Child, the father is called Papa, and the grandfather is known as Nonno, which means grandfather in Italian.
Geri's Chess Box
Everyone knows Geri from the famous cleaning scene in the original Toy Story movie, but he also has his own short film. He appears as the lead character of Geri's Game which won an Oscar as he plays chess against himself in what is a brilliant short.
This was the first time Pixar had a human character as the main lead and it was a character that certainly became popular. While people focus on him playing chess, they miss the details on his box, which has the original Pixar logo and is labeled "Pt. Richmond Hand Made Pixar Shorts." The studios where the short was made just so happened to be at Point Richmond, hence why it was inscribed.
A Muppet Appearance
Presto was first shown in 2008 prior to Wall-E, and it remains one of Pixar's greatest short movies. The film focuses on a magician who is putting on a show and because the camera is so firmly focused on him, people often miss a few other details.
One of those is the fact that Statler and Waldorf make an appearance in the movie! The two characters from The Muppet Show are well-known for sitting and being critical of things, and they appear in one of the balconies at the show, although it's unknown if they hate this one.
Tin Toy
Tin Toy is one of the original Pixar shorts and remains one of the most popular that the company has ever created, despite its age. However, Pixar clearly is well aware of how popular this character is, because his short movie isn't the only place he's popped up.
Tin Toy can be found in Lifted, another of Pixar's short films which was shown prior to Ratatouille. Within the short, a man can be seen laying down on the floor, just next to his bed. While the focus ends up being on him if you look behind him under the bed, Tin Toy can be seen!
The Children That Time Forgot
Another great Toy Story short film is Toy Story The Time Forgot, and it just so happens to have a brilliant hidden detail that many people may have missed. When the toys are wandering through with lots of boxes for other toys behind them, something interesting can be found.
As is usually the case with real-life toy advertisements on boxes, there is a child playing with the toys that are inside, giving people an idea of what they are like. However, if you look carefully you might just notice those children are Riley's classmates from Inside Out.
A Monstrous Toilet Seat
We have mentioned Toy Story of Terror already in this list, but it pops up again here with arguably the best Easter egg that the shorts have created so far. This one focuses on the bathroom scene in what is a moment that is quickly missed by many people.
However, the toilet seat cover just so happens to be in the same colors of Sully, from Monsters Inc. Hopefully, this doesn't mean someone has skinned the furry monster, but it certainly is his fur that can be seen here, which is something Disney has done before with Scar in the movie, Hercules.