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Blu-ray Review: Docter on Dumbo - “A Joyful Simplicity”

Mar 10

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | 1 Comment

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We’ve been talking for awhile about Pete Docter and his involvement in the new 70th anniversary Blu-ray/DVD for Walt Disney’s Dumbo. I was able to get my hands on the Mexican Blu-ray (which will be identical to the eventual U.S. release). Pete hosts the Cine-Explore commentary (along with Disney historian Paula Sigman and legendary Disney animator Andreas Deja). They talk about the production, Joe Grant/Dick Huemer’s story (with Pete discussing the differences of an early story treatment of the film) and so much more. This is a Picture in Picture (PIP) commentary so you’ll see the three of them on screen at times, along with early sketches, storyboards, clips from other Disney films, etc. The commentary (without the PIP elements) is also included in the regular DVD edition.

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Pete isn’t featured in the nearly 30 minute documentary, Taking Flight: The Making of Dumbo, but I was surprised to see other Pixarians prominently featured. Jim Capobianco talks about the emotional core of the film, the use of watercolor and Up producer Jonas Rivera says that the animation growth between Steamboat Willie and Snow White is “the greatest leap in cinema history”.

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I was really impressed with this Blu-ray. The picture quality is amazing and the extras are very worthwhile. While there is not a current release date in the U.S. (I’ve heard anywhere between June 2010 and Spring 2011), you can import the Blu-ray from Mexico and Japan. It’s also coming out the UK, France and Germany soon (but these will be region locked and not playable on North American players).

Dumbo is one of my favorite Disney films. What do you think? Do you like Pixarians contributing to these animated classics? Share your thoughts.

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New Toy Story 3 Addition: Stretch!

Mar 9

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | 1 Comment

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On the Box debuted the latest Toy Story 3 Character, Stretch. I’m sure you recognize her from the trailer (I believe she was playing poker). This character is voiced by Whoopi Goldberg.  We should see another character debut next Monday or Tuesday. Here’s the character summary:

Stretch is a fun-loving under-the-sea octopus friend that shines in glittery purple. Kids can count her eight rubbery legs and dozens of sticky suckers that are sure to stand up to rough-and-tumble play and extreme stretching.

Toss her high on the wall and watch her climb her way down! Clean in mild soap solution to remove dust and lint.

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EW’s 50 Greatest Working Directors

Mar 9

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | 5 Comments

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Entertainment Weekly share their list of the 50 Greatest Working Directors (Part 1 is here and Part 2 is located here). This is quite a funky list if you ask me. While I’m certainly glad to see Brad Bird (#21),  Andrew Stanton (#47) and Hayao Miyazaki (#10), I’m really puzzled by the rankings associated with all the directors on the list (Lee Daniels at #25?!, Paul Thomas Anderson only at #14, Bigelow ahead of Spielberg, etc.). I’m also wondering where the heck Pete Docter and John Lasseter are? It’s certainly fun to debate…

Do you agree or disagree with the list? What about the rankings? Share your thoughts!

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Pete Docter: The Golden Boy

Mar 9

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | No Comments

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Let’s bask just a bit longer in the Oscar glow from Sunday, OK? Here’s a couple of articles/interviews from “back home”. You’ll see a couple of photos above (Pete backstage with Oscar) and Pete and his wife, Amanda, on the red carpet. Photos are courtesy of ©A.M.P.A.S. and the Associated Press.

  • The Minneapolis Star Tribune talks to Pete’s parents, Dave and Rita Docter. They talk about encouraging Pete’s art as a child, his Oscar speech, walking the red carpet and more.
  • In this short piece, Dave and Rita talk to the local CBS affiliate about Oscar night. They recall all the negative buzz surrounding Up. But we all know who’s laughing now…
  • Here’s a link to Pete’s “Oscar Thank You Cam”. He thanks many people he was not able to thank during the short acceptance speech. He thanks the voice cast, Bob Peterson, Jonas Rivera, Ronnie del Carmen, his family and the late Joe Grant.
  • Here’s a quick video of Pete in the Oscar VIP room getting ready to get his picture taken with his Oscar:

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Up Grabs Oscar Gold!

Mar 7

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | 5 Comments

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  • It was a great evening for Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Jonas Rivera and the rest of the Pixar crew (Lee Unkrich, Darla K. Anderson, Ronnie del Carmen, John Lasseter, etc.) who attended the 82nd Annual Academy Awards.  As expected, Up was awarded the Best Animated Feature Film. Pete gave a great speech. Here’s the transcript:

“Boy, never did I dream that making a flip book out of my third grade math book would lead to this. Boy. It’s incredible being here, it’s just me right now, but please picture this whole stage full of the most amazing cast and crew you’ve ever experienced. Jonas Rivera, producer. Bob Peterson, co-director. You guys should all be up here with me. Thanks so much to Disney and to Pixar Animation Studios for believing in this oddball film.

It was an incredible, incredible adventure making this movie, but the heart of it came from home. And to our families, in my case, to my wonderful parents, they were so supportive. My kids, Nicholas and Ellie, and my amazing wife Amanda, you guys are the greatest adventure. Thank you.”

  • Equally important was Michael Giacchino winning for Best Original Score for his incredible music in the film. Can you really imagine Up without Michael’s amazing score? Nope, neither can I. Here’s the transcript from Michael Giacchino’s speech:

Thank you, guys. When I was… I was nine and I asked my dad, “Can I have your movie camera? That old, wind-up 8 millimeter camera that was in your drawer?” And he goes, “Sure, take it.” And I took it and I started making movies with it and I started being as creative as I could, and never once in my life did my parents ever say, “What you’re doing is a waste of time.” Never. And I grew up, I had teachers, I had colleagues, I had people that I worked with all through my life who always told me what you’re doing is not a waste of time. So that was normal to me that it was OK to do that. I know there are kids out there that don’t have that support system so if you’re out there and you’re listening, listen to me: If you want to be creative, get out there and do it. It’s not a waste of time. Do it. OK? Thank you. Thank you.

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Photos Courtesy of the ©A.M.P.A.S.

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Oscar Night is Here!

Mar 7

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | No Comments

Are you ready for the Academy Awards? Look for full coverage including pics, speeches, etc. later tonight. Also, a few more gorgeous Oscar ads were released (scans courtesy of Awards Daily). I really like the ad where Carl comforts Ellie. Hopefully a few congratulation ads are coming this week after Up wins a few Oscars tonight!

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A Day of Interviews Part 2: Docter, Riveria, Giacchino & More!

Mar 7

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | No Comments

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One more huge collection of interviews to share before Oscar’s big night. Enjoy!

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Oscar Flashback: Monsters, Inc.

Mar 5

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | 1 Comment

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Sunday is right around the corner, so I thought we should take a look back at Pete Docter’s last Oscar ride with Monsters, Inc. After opening in the U.S. on November 2, 2001 and garnering much commercial and critical success, Monsters, Inc. was nominated for five Academy Awards (Best Animated Feature Film, Best Music - Original Song, Best Sound Editing and Best Music - Original Score). Surprisingly it lost to Shrek and only received one win (Original Song Randy Newman -”If I Didn’t Have You”). As we look back today, I think we can say (pretty objectively I might add), which film has aged better…

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I expect bigger things at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards and Up. Look for wins for Pete and company in the Best Animated Feature Film, along with a well deserved Oscar for Michael Giacchino’s amazing score.

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Final Toy Story 3 Poster!

Mar 4

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | 1 Comment

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The final Toy Story 3 theatrical poster was released today, courtesy of Yahoo Movies. It’s pretty gorgeous, huh? Enough said!

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D23 Spring Issue: Pixar Wins Multiple Reader Polls, Giacchino

Mar 3

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | No Comments

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The Spring 2010 issue of D23 Magazine celebrates Disney’s 70 years of Movie & Magic, but there’s also quite a bit of Pixar tidbits too. First up is a poll conducted by the magazine. They asked D23 charter members many questions and here’s the results that had a Pixar flavor:

  • Favorite Disney Robot? WALL-E (with 69% of the vote!)
  • Favorite Toy (If you could only take one to summer camp?) - Woody (47%), followed by Buzz and Jessie.
  • Least Squishable Bug? - Jiminy Cricket (49%), followed by Flik and Heimlich.

There’s also a great article and interview with composer Michael Giacchino. Author Michael Maney looks at his earlier video game projects, Alias, Lost and his work with Pixar (Ratatouille, Up). Here’s hoping Michael adds an Oscar to his impressive resume this Sunday! You can subscribe to this quarterly mag over at the official D23 site.

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Toy Story 3 Has a Twitch?!

Mar 2

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | No Comments

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Have you met this odd fellow? This is Twitch, who can been seen briefly in the last Toy Story 3 trailer. I have a feeling this intimating looking toy will be a softy….The pics and following description are courtesy of Slash Film:

Meet Twitch, the insectaloid warrior, where MAN + INSECT = AWESOME! This sturdy action figure stands over five inches tall, with more than 15 points of articulation, including ferocious chomping mandibles. Use his powerful wings and impenetrable exoskeleton to evade capture! Twitch is meticulously detailed and includes his signature magical battle staff and removable chest armor. For children ages 4 and up. Other insectaloid figures sold separately.

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Pixarian Profile: Carlos Baena

Mar 2

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | 1 Comment

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I’m pleased to present a new Pixarian addition to the site. Carlos Baena might not be a household name just yet, but that is changing. After beginning his career working at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Carlos joined Pixar in 2002. He’s been a key animator ever since on films such as Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille and WALL-E. Carlos’ work will be on full display in the upcoming Toy Story 3, animating key scenes throughout the film. Carlos is also very active helping those who want to break into the animation field. He co-founded the online school Animation Mentor. Check out his Pixarian profile, complete with a newly created bio, filmography and pictures.

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A Day of Interviews: Lasseter, Docter, Giacchino, Ratzenberger

Mar 1

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | 2 Comments

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Happy Monday. Here’s a few interesting interviews to get your week off on the right foot.

  • The LA Times and Pete Docter look back at the Married Montage (one last time) from Up. Nothing too earth shattering if you’ve previously heard his thoughts, but it’s a nice summary of the working process to the final version that appears in the film.
  • There’s a second interview with Pete (and his mom Rita) about growing up in Minnesota, the Pixar Brain Trust, the Oscars and more. There’s a great anecdote about how Pete’s wife, Amanda, keeps him grounded :)
  • On the eve of the Oscars, Reuters gets up close with John Lasseter. They discuss Up, the year in animation and Pixar’s focus on storytelling.
  • Reuters also profiles composer Michael Giacchino and his Oscar chances. I think he’s the best composer working right now and I hope gets a much deserved Oscar for his amazing Up score this Sunday.
  • UK newspaper The Independent talk with Pixar lucky charm John Ratzenberger. He talks about growing up in Connecticut, Cheers, and of course, Pixar.

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Oscar Flashback: WALL-E

Feb 27

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | 6 Comments

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It was just a little over a year ago that we waited anxiously to see if Andrew Stanton’s “robot love story” would be rewarded at the Academy Awards. WALL-E received six Oscar nominations (Best Animated Feature Film, Original Score, Original Song, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Original Screenplay). These six nominations tied Beauty and the Beast for the most nominations ever for an animated film. Many were disappointed that it did not receive a Best Picture nod, as it was one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year (and won many end of year critics awards).

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WALL-E was named Best Animated Feature Film on February 22, 2009. It was announced and presented to Andrew Stanton by Jack Black (who had a funny joke about working on DreamWorks animated films, but betting on Pixar) and Jennifer Aniston. Here’s a transcript of his acceptance speech:

“My producers Jim Morris and Lindsey Collins should really be up here to accept this with me. It’s been such an inspiration to spend time with a character who so tenaciously struggles to find the beauty in everything that he sees. It’s a noble aspiration to have at times like these. I dearly want to thank everyone that’s been on this film: the cast, the crew, everybody at Disney and Pixar Studios. I have to single out Ed Catmull, John Lasseter and Steve Jobs for creating a cinematic safe haven where only a film like WALL-E could be made. To my wife Julie, my kids Ben and Audrey, I love you so much, and I guess I’d be remiss if I did not thank my high school drama teacher Phil Perry for 28 years ago casting me as Barnaby in Hello, Dolly! Creative seeds are sown in the oddest of places so, uh, thank you so much to the Academy for this.”

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New Toy Story 3 Character: Meet Trixie!

Feb 23

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | 3 Comments

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The Kristen Schaal voiced dinosaur seen in the latest Toy Story 3 trailer has a name. Trixie was unveiled earlier today courtesy of Empire. Check out the description by clicking on the pic above. Empire also has a 360 degree character video for Trixie, so check it out! Although the dates are lining up exactly, expect the next character to be revealed on or around March 3rd.

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Bob Peterson: “Working with Paul Bunyan and Hagrid”

Feb 23

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | No Comments

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That’s how Bob Peterson affectionately referred to Pete Docter and himself in the great new Oscar Screenwriting Podcast from the folks at Creative Screenwriting magazine. Bob’s quip came up after they were asked about improvisation and how they handled the voice recording for young Jordan Nagai (Russell). They so share the stage (and mic) with most of the Oscar nominated screenwriters from the past year, but the entire podcast is an enjoyable listen. Bob and Pete have many of the funniest lines of the evenings and I really enjoyed their comments when they presented the first draft of the Up script for feedback (I’m assuming to the Pixar Brain Trust). I’ll leave that anecdote a surprise. You can download the podcast here or via iTunes.

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Up: New Oscar Ad, Two BAFTA Wins + Other Tidbits!

Feb 21

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | No Comments

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  • A beautiful new Oscar ad for Up which focuses on the end of the film (and probably the end of the Oscar campaign). I’ve also included a pretty clever poster combining Up and Up in the Air over at Slash Film. Updated to include one additional Oscar ad!
  • Congratulations to Up for its two BAFTA wins. Best Animated Film and Best Music (Michael Giacchino). I thought Pete Docter’s speech was very gracious and heartfelt. Also in attendance were Bob Peterson and both of their wives. Cheers! Here’s a link to an interview with Pete after he won. You can check out all the winners over at the official site.
  • Speaking of Bob Peterson, he will will be the featured speaker for the Ohio Northern University Spotts Lecture on March 15. Bob was born and raised in Ohio and is a graduate of Ohio Northern. More details here.
  • I’ve launched a Media section for the site. So far I’ve got the scripts for Ratatouille, WALL-E and Up available. What other things would you like to see? Send me an email or leave a comment.
  • Ed Catmull will be presented the Georges Méliès Award for Pioneering at the upcoming 8th Annual Visual Effects Society Awards on February 28th. Up is also nominated for three very long named awards (Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture, Visual Effects in an Animated Feature Film and Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature Motion Picture.
  • Pixar will receive a special ShoWest Big 10 Award for producing 10 consecutive box office hits. This is the same event where Toy Story 3 will screen on March 16th.
  • Lastly, here’s a look at the Toy Story 3 Japanese poster.

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Rumor Roundup!

Feb 18

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | 3 Comments

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There’s been a lot of rumors flying this past week about various Pixar related projects. I would take all of this with a grain of salt. Only time will tell if some (or all) of these come to fruition…

  • Remember that dinosaur production art that was visible in an Up behind the scenes video awhile back? That first still showed Greg Dykstra, this latest uncovered still (see above) shows Up production designer Ricky Nierva and is a much clearer look at a variety of Dinosaurs, insects and a boy…Dying to know if this will be a short film or a feature film…
  • Disney veteran Floyd Norman posted on the Animation Guild Blog comments section that Gary Rydstrom’s 2012 Pixar film, Newt “is dead”. This was subsequently picked up by Upcoming Pixar and many other blogs. That would be a bummer if it’s true, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see…
  • There’s also rumors flying around about Cars 2. Blue Sky Disney is reporting that John Lasseter has been spending a lot of time in Emeryville working on “production issues” and may even assume a co-director role on the film. Again, not confirmed and really nothing to worry about if you ask me.

What do you think about all these rumors? Share your comments!

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Buttercup, 12 Best Supporting Pixar Characters & More!

Feb 18

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | No Comments

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  • Disney-Pixar’s Facebook page debuted the latest addition to Toy Story 3, Buttercup! This very “girlie” looking unicorn will be voiced by the very “manly” Jeff Garlin (WALL-E, Curb Your Enthusiasm)…
  • Have you seen SlashFilm’s great roundup of easter eggs and tidbits from the Toy Story 3 trailer?
  • The Hollywood Reporter says that Toy Story 3 will debut at the annual ShoWest on March 16th! Not sure if this is a final version or rough cut (i.e. work in progress) version. Stay tuned for more on this.
  • John Lasseter talks to MTV about the Totoro cameo in Toy Story 3.
  • Total Film shares their 12 Best Supporting Pixar characters. Those who made the short list include Edna, Ellie, Aliens, Hal, Crush, The Abominable Snowman (Yeti), Bullseye, Mater, Anton Ego, Heimlich, Deb and Roz. Check it out.

Share your thoughts. What do you think about theater owners seeing Toy Story 3 three months early? Do you agree with Total Film’s list of the Best Supporting Pixar characters? Who is missing?

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Oscar Flashback: Finding Nemo

Feb 17

Posted by Greg in Pixar News | 2 Comments

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To celebrate the upcoming Academy Awards on March 7 (and the five nominations for Up), I thought we would look back at past Pixar Oscar runs. It was the year 2003 and Finding Nemo had become the most successful animated film of all time. Here’s some gorgeous For Your Consideration Oscar Ads touting the film for Best Picture, Best Actor (Albert Brooks) and a host of actor/technical considerations. Finding Nemo was nominated for four Academy Awards (Best Animated Feature, Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing and Best Original Screenplay). It was the first Pixar film to win the Best Animated Feature award. Monsters, Inc. was previously nominated, but lost to Shrek.

Here’s a transcript of director Andrew Stanton’s acceptance speech:

“Finding Nemo” would have never been possible if it wasn’t for the extraordinary filmmaking environment created at Pixar Animation Studios by John Lasseter, Ed Catmull and Steve Jobs. And I am going to be forever grateful to the entire cast and crew of “Nemo” for the giving of their incomparable talents to this little fish story that I had; in particular, my producer Graham Walters and my co-director Lee Unkrich, who should be up here with me right now accepting this. Thanks to Dick Cook and his incredible distribution team at Disney. Thanks to the Academy, to my loving parents, to my adoring children. And to my wife Julie, I wrote it to you in a note in eighth grade and now I can say it in front of a billion people–I love you.

The Kodak Theater

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