The Iron Giant

1999, Brad Bird, USA, 87 min.

Not every box office flop becomes a cult classic, but the animated feature The Iron Giant did. Was it too quirky for mainstream audiences when it was released in 1999? Perhaps it was simply ahead of its time. The story of a young boy, a 50-foot robot from outer space, and a meddlesome federal agent, The Iron Giant is a tale of childish wonder set against a backdrop of Cold War paranoia. Its director, Brad Bird, went on to win Academy Awards for the blockbusters Ratatouille and The Incredibles, and since its debut, animated features have evolved from unsophisticated kids’ stuff to a major Hollywood art form.

This movie is introduced bySean Sakamoto.

“The Iron Giant’s theme of fear of the unknown is craftily balanced against the power of innocent imagination.”

—F.X. Feeney

About Cabaret Cinema: Perception

Can the truth truly be trusted? Is it objective or rather tinted by our experience and memories? Perhaps there is no better medium with which to explore these questions than the illusory cinema. In that pursuit we have invited scientists to introduce films that potently demonstrate that much of our perception is clouded by the distorted lens of our assumptions and desires.