‘Shrek’ Test Footage Depicts Unfamiliar Ogre That Makes Ours Look Almost Dashing

Photo 79620372 © Yorgy67 | Dreamstime.com

Shrek has layers. So did the making of the film franchise-turned-phenomenon surrounding the ogre.

Recently, a slice of animation history emerged online with the uncovering of original test footage from DreamWorks’ Shrek, providing an intriguing—and ghastly—peek into the early stages of the beloved animated movie. It also gives some credence to the rumor that the company used the then-low-budget film as punishment for artists who underperformed, believing it would never survive past the box office.

The nearly 30-year-old footage was enhanced by YouTube channel Zoom Art Studio for clarity, and it comes with subtitles and enhanced audio. Spanning 38 seconds, the scene shows the ogre entering a town while James Brown’s I Feel Good plays in the background. A bandit pounces on him—calls him a “fat boy”—but this confrontation ends with Shrek scaring off the would-be robber. The protagonist celebrates his victory by dancing to the iconic tune. Shrek it out.

Of note is the appearance of this pop-culture beast, who more closely resembles his depiction in the original children’s book. It can be argued that this primitive iteration makes the Shrek we know look like a cuddly teddy bear, or Prince Charming.

“The original models are straight nightmare fuel,” one person comments on YouTube. “I see why DreamWorks animators described this movie as torture,” another writes.

“I cannot believe Shrek had a glow-up even before he became human,” one viewer chimes in.

This early animation served as a pivotal proof of concept, intended to convince studio executives to greenlight the project. It represented a crucial stepping stone, allowing full-time animators and artists to later transform it into the visually and stylistically distinct film that audiences know and love.

The film’s original vision cast Chris Farley, a Saturday Night Live veteran, as the voice of Shrek. Following Farley’s untimely death, the role was handed down to Mike Myers, who brought the green giant to life with a now-famous Scottish accent that’s made it into four unprecedented main films, two Puss in Boots spinoffs, and an immortal presence in meme culture.

The internet’s ironic obsession with Shrek persists today, with the most recent trend being an unsettling wave of TikTok users imagining themselves in a passionate makeout session with the character.

[via CBR, Gizmodo, The Zoom Art Studio, cover photo 79620372 © Yorgy67 | Dreamstime.com]