This wasn't a childhood movie for me -- I only saw it starting in my teenage years, but I connected to it immediately. The fear of being unable to perform your function and the tragedy of thwarted function hit something deep. I actually interpreted the objects' differing perspectives as being linked to their function -- for example, in the scene where the blanket doesn't have anyone to cuddle with, the tragedy doesn't come merely from its loneliness, but from the fact that it is made to cuddle and be cuddled, and this function is being thwarted. You can see how it tries to cuddle with itself, but fails, because of all the objects it most of all requires relationship to be what it was made to be. I do think the fact that their fierce, hopeful alliance to their function is validated by the movie's end suggests that rather than being nihilistic, the movie walks through nihilism and emerges on the other side. Kind of similar to The Man Who Was Thursday in some ways, or some of the more hopeful 40k fan content. "Hope means hoping when things are hopeless, or it is no virtue at all... As long as matters are really hopeful, hope is mere flattery or platitude; it is only when everything is hopeless that hope begins to be a strength." - G. K. Chesterton But there is some inherent tragedy, since the appliances' master is also mortal and flawed. This is something I've wrestled with in my object stories -- humans make very poor gods.

I would love new BLT stories that center on planned obsolescence, screens replacing knobs and levers and dials, and the trend of adding precarious computers to appliances that have gotten along just fine without them

I finished the video! I had such vague memories of this film, your video was so interesting! I love when you analyze media through the lens of philosophy

Comment for the comment god! This deserves so many more eyeballs

Watched it all the way through. Love your videos. I work in the industry and want to make things better. Watching your videos makes me want to make great films that will last for generations.

I have a very fuzzy 4 year old memory of this movie making me extremely emotional...maybe scared? Or really sad? I was really young and then my mom got rid of all the VHS Tapes ( irony?)

Very good video, keep going like this and you'll grow in no time. A thought that occurred to me is how this fits the postmodern notion of desiring machines, as in Deleuze where humans too are included in this category. I guess when you look at it like that you can say it's a story of addiction, or even the addiction to addiction (will to will). For a machine, to do its job is heaven, would the state of the machines be better if they didn't seek their master? With Nietzsche, too, the will to life is a life birthing instinct, whatever maximizes it is the best even if it means self delusion.

I’ve never seen this film, but will definitely check it out after seeing this. My childhood trauma film was ‘The Last Unicorn’. I don’t know if it meets the definition of nihilism, but certainly left me feeling deeply sad every time I saw it. Great video, as always.

Great stuff Mr. Cook

It's weird how so many kids, including myself, loved this movie even though it was quite uncomfortable to watch. This analysis just upped how dark it is. And AI! I feel like people don't understand how dark that film is. Like this little guy goes through the most incredible adventure, survives all odds, but can't see any of that. He can only see that he lacks his only desire. Man, now I need to go watch an absurdist film to cleanse my palate lol

Made it through, after a few existential pauses. Genuinely fascinating analysis that recontextualized a film I always thought I had made up growing up. I'd love to hear your thoughts on complex themes and philosophies found in modern children's media or the lackthereof.

Great video, great narration. I haven't seen this movie since I was very young, but I knew it was different. What a terrifying story honestly

I am a simple woman. I see a video recontextualizing a childhood classic, I click. I had no idea the film was based on a book, but I also barely knew how to read back when I had the VCR lol

Always loved watching The Brave Little Toaster. I need to rewatch it now following your video. Great lesson on nihilism. Your analogies were really helpful in understanding the concepts and related themes. Great video!

Childhood trauma? I saw this at a friend's place when we were approaching our 30's and it traumatized us like nothing else! We'd both worked selling Kirby vacuums, so we delighted in the depiction of that character. "It's a G2!" we crowed (this was about the time the G3 was being introduced). We spent the first part of the movie quoting selling points: "A complete home-care system." and "Machined from airplane-grade aluminum." and such. Then the AC unit self-destructed. We spent the rest of the movie gasping, crying, we clutched each other in fear. We became closer friends after watching it together. Shared trauma, I suppose. Solidarity. To this day I find the sheer *menace* of the landfill's crushing machine both an example of masterful nonverbal characterization, and a terrifying intrusive image

All the way to the end!

Yes! Did finish it! Lovely company while preparing ingredients for a stew. Caught the princess bride line, definitely loved the deep dive on a fondly remembered film

I loved the video

I haven't thought about this movie for a really long time. This really puts it into context. I think they eventually went to Mars for some reason?

31:43 Whoah dude - what did that pawn shop owner ever do to you?

your description of the ending is inaccurate. a lot of fans of this movie joke around that the "master" may be too attached to his appliances to the point he follows then into a certain doom. even if he didn't know that these where his appliances he tried to take them because they looked like his old appliances. if anything it negates your point on the film's nihilism and turn into optimism. the appliances are saved because of the master personal beliefs in preserving them' so despite the many reasons to the contrary they should have faith in the mater and toaster was right all along. I'm not saying that is reasonable what I'm saying is you should omit details that don't align with your point.