Robots (2005)

The filmmakers conceived the magnificent mechanical metropolis of Robot City – home to Rodney’s dreams and to his destiny – as a multi-layered, vertically constructed city comprised of several social strata.

At the base of Robot City lays the down and dirty, pre-Industrial Age world of Madame Gasket and her dreaded Chop Shop. Heavy beams and other massive support structures make up much of this level.

Moving up to the next level, we find the world of the Rusties, everyday bots just trying to survive. This next-to-the-bottom stratum is homey, colorful and quaint, and put together with mismatched parts.

Progressing through a few more strata, where the robot middle class live and work, we reach the top level of Robot City. Sleek, polished, successful and corporate, with cooler, shiner color schemes, this level is where the upper-crust bots spend their days.

“Robot City is like any other great urban environment,” says Martino.“It has a wide range of design influences – from Art Deco to ‘50s-era automobiles to a sleek, forward-looking design.”

Robot City’s multi-layered, vertical look complements another key design influence: the pocket watch. “There’s something really beautiful about the back of a pocket watch, where you see all the piece’s inner workings,” says Martino. “We loved exposing the mechanisms of our world.”

ROBOTS presents a world where everyday objects take on unexpected dimensions. For example, at the end of a hard day’s work shining its light over a city street, a lamp post picks up his lunch box and trudges home. And a fire hydrant will warn off a dog about to do its business. “We took everyday things in our world and tried to give them life in ways that are interesting and funny,” Joyce explains.

Robot City is also full of wonderful Rube Goldberg-esque contraptions. Take the “Crosstown Express,” a complex mass transportation system filled with fun and intricate surprises. After Rodney arrives in Robot City, he boards the Crosstown Express for what he thinks will be just a casual ride across the city, to Bigweld Industries. Instead, he experiences a harrowing, thrill-packed trip.

William Joyce remembers the scene’s origins: “Chris Wedge and I were wondering how we would get our bots around. I came up with a giant spherical compartment that I based on some old toy designs.” Joyce notes that the vehicle and scene have something for everyone. “Adults will appreciate the nostalgic look of the sphere, while a child will enjoy a new, dynamic experience.”

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