Jack-Jack Attack
Encyclopedia
Jack-Jack Attack is a 2005 short film produced by Pixar
based upon their film
The Incredibles
. Unlike many of their previous shorts, it was not given a theatrical release, but was included on the DVD
release of the film. The idea for this short came from an idea for a scene originally considered for inclusion in The Incredibles film; it was cut from the feature and subsequently expanded into this short. The short is based on the youngest member of the superhero
Parr family: the baby, Jack-Jack. From The Incredibles, the audience knows that Jack-Jack's babysitter Kari McKeen started experiencing difficulty with him shortly after hanging up the phone with his mother, Helen Parr (also known as Elastigirl or Mrs. Incredible).
Kari calls Mrs. Parr to assure her that she can take care of Jack-Jack, but is cut off by the plane being fired upon. Thinking nothing is wrong, Kari asks Jack-Jack if he is ready for some "neurological stimulation". She puts on Mozart
's Piano Sonata No. 11
for him, which has the result of Jack-Jack having an epiphany
about his latent superpowers.
When Kari's back is turned, Jack-Jack seems to disappear and reappear in the kitchen. Finding this weird, Kari tries calling Mrs. Parr again. While she is leaving a message, Jack-Jack floats onto the ceiling and spills milk onto Kari's face. Kari puts him in his playpen, flipped upside-down so that he cannot float away, and tries calling Mrs. Parr again. He promptly escapes the playpen, leaving a perfect circular hole in the bars, and appears on a high bookshelf. He falls, and Kari dives to catch him, but he passes through the floor into the laundry room. Running down to find him, Kari sees Jack-Jack passing through the walls and floating around, babbling happily, before she finally catches him.
To calm Jack-Jack down, Kari tries showing him flashcard
s. This works well until she shows him a card of a campfire
, at which point he suddenly bursts into flames
. Recoiling in horror, Kari picks up Jack-Jack with a pair of tongs and takes him to the bathroom, where she douses him in the bathtub.
Late in the afternoon of the next day, with shadows lengthening and sunlight reddening, the house is a shambles and Kari is on the verge of madness, desperately struggling to stay awake. She appears to have mastered anticipating Jack-Jack's abilities, spraying him with a fire extinguisher
when he ignites and reflecting laser beams out of his eyes with a mirror. Kari has laid other items close to hand including a garden hose from the back yard, the fireplace tongs, oven mitts, a butterfly net, some rope attached to a grappling hook
, and a chainsaw
. Eventually, Syndrome comes to the door, asking if this is the Parrs' house. Kari thinks he is the new babysitter come to relieve her, but wonders what the "S" on his costume stands for. He claims it stands for "Sitter", because if he called himself "Babysitter", his uniform would have to say "BS
".
Dicker is incredulous that Kari believed Syndrome, but Kari shouts that the baby was exploding and she was not in a sound state of mind at the time. Dicker then asks Kari if she told anyone else about the event, and she replies that she did tell her parents, who didn't believe her and thought she was joking. Kari then expresses her wish to forget the whole event, and Dicker promises that she will as he activates a device to erase her memory.
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
based upon their film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
The Incredibles
The Incredibles
The Incredibles is a 2004 American computer-animated action-comedy superhero film about a family of superheroes who are forced to hide their powers. It was written and directed by Brad Bird, a former director and executive consultant of The Simpsons, and was produced by Pixar and distributed by...
. Unlike many of their previous shorts, it was not given a theatrical release, but was included on the DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
release of the film. The idea for this short came from an idea for a scene originally considered for inclusion in The Incredibles film; it was cut from the feature and subsequently expanded into this short. The short is based on the youngest member of the superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
Parr family: the baby, Jack-Jack. From The Incredibles, the audience knows that Jack-Jack's babysitter Kari McKeen started experiencing difficulty with him shortly after hanging up the phone with his mother, Helen Parr (also known as Elastigirl or Mrs. Incredible).
Plot
This short film shows Rick Dicker, a government agent assigned to aid "supers" in maintaining their anonymity, interrogating Kari about what happened when she was babysitting.Kari calls Mrs. Parr to assure her that she can take care of Jack-Jack, but is cut off by the plane being fired upon. Thinking nothing is wrong, Kari asks Jack-Jack if he is ready for some "neurological stimulation". She puts on Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
's Piano Sonata No. 11
Piano Sonata No. 11 (Mozart)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major, K 331 is a sonata in three movements:#Andante grazioso — a theme with six variations#Menuetto — a minuet and trio#Alla Turca: Allegretto in A minor and major....
for him, which has the result of Jack-Jack having an epiphany
Epiphany (feeling)
An epiphany is the sudden realization or comprehension of the essence or meaning of something...
about his latent superpowers.
When Kari's back is turned, Jack-Jack seems to disappear and reappear in the kitchen. Finding this weird, Kari tries calling Mrs. Parr again. While she is leaving a message, Jack-Jack floats onto the ceiling and spills milk onto Kari's face. Kari puts him in his playpen, flipped upside-down so that he cannot float away, and tries calling Mrs. Parr again. He promptly escapes the playpen, leaving a perfect circular hole in the bars, and appears on a high bookshelf. He falls, and Kari dives to catch him, but he passes through the floor into the laundry room. Running down to find him, Kari sees Jack-Jack passing through the walls and floating around, babbling happily, before she finally catches him.
To calm Jack-Jack down, Kari tries showing him flashcard
Flashcard
A flashcard or flash card is a set of cards bearing information, as words or numbers, on either or both sides, used in classroom drills or in private study. One writes a question on a card and an answer overleaf. Flashcards can bear vocabulary, historical dates, formulas or any subject matter that...
s. This works well until she shows him a card of a campfire
Campfire
A campfire is a fire lit at a campsite, to serve the following functions: light, warmth, a beacon, a bug and/or apex predator deterrent, to cook, and for a psychological sense of security. In established campgrounds they are usually in a fire ring for safety. Campfires are a popular feature of...
, at which point he suddenly bursts into flames
Spontaneous human combustion
Spontaneous human combustion describes reported cases of the burning of a living human body without an apparent external source of ignition...
. Recoiling in horror, Kari picks up Jack-Jack with a pair of tongs and takes him to the bathroom, where she douses him in the bathtub.
Late in the afternoon of the next day, with shadows lengthening and sunlight reddening, the house is a shambles and Kari is on the verge of madness, desperately struggling to stay awake. She appears to have mastered anticipating Jack-Jack's abilities, spraying him with a fire extinguisher
Fire extinguisher
A fire extinguisher or extinguisher, flame entinguisher is an active fire protection device used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergency situations...
when he ignites and reflecting laser beams out of his eyes with a mirror. Kari has laid other items close to hand including a garden hose from the back yard, the fireplace tongs, oven mitts, a butterfly net, some rope attached to a grappling hook
Grappling hook
A grappling hook is an anchor with multiple hooks , attached to a rope; it is thrown, dropped, sunk, projected, or fastened directly by hand to where at least one hook may catch and hold. Generally, grappling hooks are used to temporarily secure one end of a rope. They may also be used to dredge...
, and a chainsaw
Chainsaw
A chainsaw is a portable mechanical saw, powered by electricity, compressed air, hydraulic power, or most commonly a two-stroke engine...
. Eventually, Syndrome comes to the door, asking if this is the Parrs' house. Kari thinks he is the new babysitter come to relieve her, but wonders what the "S" on his costume stands for. He claims it stands for "Sitter", because if he called himself "Babysitter", his uniform would have to say "BS
Bullshit
Bullshit is a common English expletive which may be shortened to the euphemism bull or the initialism B.S. In British English, "bollocks" is a comparable expletive, although bullshit is commonly used in British English...
".
Dicker is incredulous that Kari believed Syndrome, but Kari shouts that the baby was exploding and she was not in a sound state of mind at the time. Dicker then asks Kari if she told anyone else about the event, and she replies that she did tell her parents, who didn't believe her and thought she was joking. Kari then expresses her wish to forget the whole event, and Dicker promises that she will as he activates a device to erase her memory.