January 24, 2006 2:42 PM PST
More than one observer has said that Pixar seems to be working the kind of revolutionary magic Disney once did. And while most of us are familiar with Pixar blockbusters like "The Incredibles" and "Toy Story," many innovations first appeared in the studio's shorter works. Here's a glimpse at some of them.
In the first Pixar short, 1986's "Luxo Jr.," a baby lamp finds a ball to play with, and it's all fun and games until the ball bursts. When Pixarite John Lasseter, formerly of Disney, was learning how to make digital models, he chose the nearest, easiest subject: an architect's lamp on his desk. "Luxo Jr." was nominated for an Oscar.
Photo by Pixar
