In this week’s Movie Memory Machine: Five For mini-episode, Landen and Truman take the barn door off its hinges and run wild through five films that share DNA with Barnyard—whether through animated anarchy, animal allegories, or vibes of chaos barely contained. From Orwellian pigs to vengeful foxes, they reflect on how kids’ movies used to get weird (and sometimes disturbingly real), how barn animals became cartoon icons, and why Kevin James’s cow son might not be built for leadership.
Films Discussed:
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Animal Farm (1954, animated)
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Babe (1995)
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Cars (2006)
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Chicken Run (2000)
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Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Topics Covered:
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CIA-funded animation and anti-fascist farm allegories
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George Miller’s journey from Fury Road to Pig in the City
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The existential crises of the Cars and Barnyard universes
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Chicken Run as a claymation Great Escape with poultry
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Whimsy and wolf energy in Wes Anderson’s animal ensemble
Key Takeaways:
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Barnyard’s tonal whiplash is unmatched: dead dads, dance parties, and cow-on-cow milk theft.
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Animal Farm was propaganda—but it still slaps.
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Babe proves you can be gentle and iconic.
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Sometimes the best way to critique society is with talking chickens.
Listener Prompt: Which animated animal film scarred or shaped you the most? Is Wild Mike cinema? Let us know using #MovieMemoryMachine.
Support the Show! Help keep Movie Memory Machine ad-free and artist-owned! Here’s how you can support us:
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Become a Patreon supporter – For as little as $1/month, you get access to bonus content for all shows on the Grunt Work Podcast Network. Join at https://patreon.com/gruntworkpod
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Leave a rating and review – On Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen.
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Like, follow, and share on social media – We’re @MovieMemoryMachine on YouTube and @MovieMemoryPod on Letterboxd.
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Tell a friend – Word of mouth is how we grow.
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Join our Discord – Vote on whether films stay in modern memory or are left forgotten. Visit https://www.moviememorymachine.com for access.
Follow Us: 🌐 Website: https://www.moviememorymachine.com 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MovieMemoryMachine 🎞️ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/moviememorypod/
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