In what Criterion is describing as their “first collaboration” with fabled animation studio Pixar, Andrew Stanton’s “Wall•E” will be joining the collection this November (spine #1161). And, typical of Criterion releases, it will be festooned with special features, including a new essay (by Sam Wasson), a pair of audio commentaries and a new documentary called “Wall•E A to Z,” featuring co-writer/director Andrew Stanton and writer Jim Reardon.
“Wall•E,” released back in 2008, originated as an idea from “Up” director (and current Pixar chief creative officer) Pete Docter called “Trash Planet.” Soon the idea mutated, as it was passed to Stanton and the focus became squarely on a small, lonely robot inhabiting an abandoned, garbage-covered Earth. When another droid visits Earth, the sleek new Eve, Wall•E falls in love. He follows her to the Axiom, a cruise ship in space, and together they reignite the human race.
“Wall•E,” released back in 2008, originated as an idea from “Up” director (and current Pixar chief creative officer) Pete Docter called “Trash Planet.” Soon the idea mutated, as it was passed to Stanton and the focus became squarely on a small, lonely robot inhabiting an abandoned, garbage-covered Earth. When another droid visits Earth, the sleek new Eve, Wall•E falls in love. He follows her to the Axiom, a cruise ship in space, and together they reignite the human race.
- 9/8/2022
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
“Wall-e,” Pixar’s 2008 sci-fi love-story animated film classic, is getting a special three-disc 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray release from the Criterion Collection this fall.
The special edition of “Wall-e,” the first collaboration between Criterion and Disney’s Pixar, features a 4K digital master approved by director Andrew Stanton, according to Criterion. The three-disc set will be available Nov. 22, 2022, and is currently available to pre-order from Criterion’s site for 39.96.
“Wall-e” is set in the 29th century, after humans have long since fled Earth for outer space, leaving the movie’s protagonist — the last functioning trash-compacting robot — to go about the work of cleaning up the pollution-choked planet, one piece of garbage at a time. When he meets Eve, a fellow automaton sent to detect plant life, the pair are launched on an intergalactic quest to return humanity to Earth.
According to Criterion’s description, “Transporting us simultaneously back to cinema...
The special edition of “Wall-e,” the first collaboration between Criterion and Disney’s Pixar, features a 4K digital master approved by director Andrew Stanton, according to Criterion. The three-disc set will be available Nov. 22, 2022, and is currently available to pre-order from Criterion’s site for 39.96.
“Wall-e” is set in the 29th century, after humans have long since fled Earth for outer space, leaving the movie’s protagonist — the last functioning trash-compacting robot — to go about the work of cleaning up the pollution-choked planet, one piece of garbage at a time. When he meets Eve, a fellow automaton sent to detect plant life, the pair are launched on an intergalactic quest to return humanity to Earth.
According to Criterion’s description, “Transporting us simultaneously back to cinema...
- 9/8/2022
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
In a bit of an unexpected and pleasant surprise for fans of both animation and physical media, Pixar has teamed up with the folks at Criterion for a special 4K Ultra HD release of one of the greatest animated movies of the last 15 years (at least). "Wall-e," the 2008 Oscar-winning triumph from director Andrew Stanton, is indeed going to get a physical release as part of the Criterion Collection. And it sounds like this is going to be worth the money.
Criterion made the somewhat unexpected announcement out of nowhere, revealing that the 4K edition of "Wall-e" will be hitting shelves in November. So Pixar fans now know what to put on their Christmas lists this year. Aside from an impressive list of special features (more on that in a moment), the film has been mastered in 4K, which was approved by Stanton personally. The new release also comes with some...
Criterion made the somewhat unexpected announcement out of nowhere, revealing that the 4K edition of "Wall-e" will be hitting shelves in November. So Pixar fans now know what to put on their Christmas lists this year. Aside from an impressive list of special features (more on that in a moment), the film has been mastered in 4K, which was approved by Stanton personally. The new release also comes with some...
- 9/8/2022
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
HBO Max is continuing to increase its DC content with a three-part docuseries about the comic book company's history and legacy.
Leslie Iwerks — an Academy Award and Emmy-nominated director whose previous credits include "The Pixar Story" and "The Imagineering Story" docuseries at Disney+ — will be co-directing the DC Comics docuseries. Greg Berlanti, the creative force behind The CW "Arrowverse," is on board as executive producer, and Mark Catalena will also executive produce and co-direct the project with Iwerks. Other executive producers on the project besides Iwerks, Berlanti, and Catalena are Sarah Schechter, David Madden, Rachael Jerahian, and Jonathan Gabay.
While we don't have...
The post DC Comics Docuseries Coming to HBO Max From The Pixar Story Director appeared first on /Film.
Leslie Iwerks — an Academy Award and Emmy-nominated director whose previous credits include "The Pixar Story" and "The Imagineering Story" docuseries at Disney+ — will be co-directing the DC Comics docuseries. Greg Berlanti, the creative force behind The CW "Arrowverse," is on board as executive producer, and Mark Catalena will also executive produce and co-direct the project with Iwerks. Other executive producers on the project besides Iwerks, Berlanti, and Catalena are Sarah Schechter, David Madden, Rachael Jerahian, and Jonathan Gabay.
While we don't have...
The post DC Comics Docuseries Coming to HBO Max From The Pixar Story Director appeared first on /Film.
- 9/25/2021
- by Vanessa Armstrong
- Slash Film
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Leslie Iwerks is about to unveil her newest documentary. The Imagineering Story is a six-part documentary series which tracks the history and evolution of Imagineering in Walt Disney theme parks, and it serves as a sort of spiritual follow-up to her 2007 film The Pixar Story, which chronicled the genesis of that company and […]
The post ‘The Imagineering Story’ Director Leslie Iwerks on the Culture of Imagineering, the Definitive Disney Attraction, John Lasseter, and More [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘The Imagineering Story’ Director Leslie Iwerks on the Culture of Imagineering, the Definitive Disney Attraction, John Lasseter, and More [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
- 11/12/2019
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
Leslie Iwerks, the Academy Award and Emmy-nominated filmmaker behind The Pixar Story, has been secretly working on a major documentary about the video game industry. If you looked at Iwerks’ IMDb page over the past 18 months, you’d see an in-development project referred to only as “Untitled Enterprise Documentary.” On the official website of her production […]
The post Secret Riot Games Documentary Coming Soon From Leslie Iwerks, But Is It A Puff Piece Or An Expose? appeared first on /Film.
The post Secret Riot Games Documentary Coming Soon From Leslie Iwerks, But Is It A Puff Piece Or An Expose? appeared first on /Film.
- 9/11/2018
- by Peter Sciretta
- Slash Film
Get behind these lessons from the man behind the mouse.
What would Walt Disney have thought of the new live-action Beauty and the Beast? What would he have thought of the 1991 animated version? While there are so many questions we’d love to have answered about the man’s take on the modern world, it’s best to look at what we can still learn from such an iconic figure 50 years after his death.
Disney remains an inspiration for students of business in particular, but a lot of his words of wisdom originated with and still speak to the art of filmmaking and creators in general. We highlight six such tips for writers, directors, animators, and more below.
Set Your Goals Early
Disney was still just a child when he figured out what he was good at and what he wanted to do with his life. At 14, he was already in art school. At...
What would Walt Disney have thought of the new live-action Beauty and the Beast? What would he have thought of the 1991 animated version? While there are so many questions we’d love to have answered about the man’s take on the modern world, it’s best to look at what we can still learn from such an iconic figure 50 years after his death.
Disney remains an inspiration for students of business in particular, but a lot of his words of wisdom originated with and still speak to the art of filmmaking and creators in general. We highlight six such tips for writers, directors, animators, and more below.
Set Your Goals Early
Disney was still just a child when he figured out what he was good at and what he wanted to do with his life. At 14, he was already in art school. At...
- 3/15/2017
- by Christopher Campbell
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Exclusive: Ella Brennan: Commanding The Table, the feature-length documentary about the famed New Orleans restaurateur behind the influential Commander’s Palace, is ordering out. The pic, directed by Leslie Iwerks (The Pixar Story, Citizen Hearst), has been picked up by Octagon and Cargo Film & Releasing in a worldwide sales rights deal. Octagon is also repping life rights for Brennan's story, with an eye toward a feature film deal. The docu, which is making the festival…...
- 12/13/2016
- Deadline
Recognized as one of the most important female restauranteurs, Ella Brennan’s life story is making its way to the big screen in “Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table.” Directed by Oscar-nominated director Leslie Iwerks, the documentary will have its world premiere at the New Orleans Film Festival on October 14, but before its grand debut, IndieWire has your first look at the doc in the trailer and poster below.
Narrated by Patricia Clarkson, the film is the behind the scenes story of Brennan, one of America’s foremost restaurateurs whose life work has cemented New Orleans as a star on the nation’s culinary map. At the age of 18 she went to work at her brother’s bar on Bourbon Street and soon because the pioneer of the modern American food movement.
Read More: ‘She Started It’ Trailer: Documentary Aims To Bolster Female Entrepreneurship
The documentary also features friends and industry...
Narrated by Patricia Clarkson, the film is the behind the scenes story of Brennan, one of America’s foremost restaurateurs whose life work has cemented New Orleans as a star on the nation’s culinary map. At the age of 18 she went to work at her brother’s bar on Bourbon Street and soon because the pioneer of the modern American food movement.
Read More: ‘She Started It’ Trailer: Documentary Aims To Bolster Female Entrepreneurship
The documentary also features friends and industry...
- 9/27/2016
- by Liz Calvario
- Indiewire
This Friday, Pixar releases its 17th film (and fifth sequel) “Finding Dory,” itself the hundredth or so computer animated film made in the last couple decades. Andrew Stanton directed and John Lasseter (the chief creative officer of Disney and Pixar) executive produced the feature. Yet just over two decades ago, Lasseter and Stanton were finishing production on the computer animated film that would pivot the medium in a direction so new even their actors could not describe what they were seeing.
Read More: How Andrew Stanton Found the Right Path for ‘Finding Dory’
Produced for Disney Channel, this 1995 documentary “The Making of Toy Story” provides an overview on production of the first Pixar film. We see the seeds of story development provided by the remarkably young Lasseter, Stanton and “Inside Out” director Pete Docter all the way to Randy Newman composing the final music. The 28-minute doc does not go...
Read More: How Andrew Stanton Found the Right Path for ‘Finding Dory’
Produced for Disney Channel, this 1995 documentary “The Making of Toy Story” provides an overview on production of the first Pixar film. We see the seeds of story development provided by the remarkably young Lasseter, Stanton and “Inside Out” director Pete Docter all the way to Randy Newman composing the final music. The 28-minute doc does not go...
- 6/16/2016
- by Russell Goldman
- Indiewire
Netflix has a many, many films, shows and documentaries to watch. A lot of them you will know are there - great Netflix Originals like House of Cards, Orange is the New Black and Better Call Saul - but there is even more to discover that you might not think or even know to look for.
Here are some of our favourite Netflix hidden gems:
It's Such a Beautiful Day
Animator Don Hertzfeldt is a Digital Spy favourite, first coming to our attention with the bizarre, irreverent, melancholic and frequently obscene short Rejected. There is something undeniably beautiful behind the strangeness of the characters and scenarios he brings to life.
His first feature film, It's Such a Beautiful Day, spins together his previously released trilogy into a touching black comedy about hapless Bill and his hilarious, humdrum existence.
The Short Game
Chances are, this Netflix Original documentary will offer your...
Here are some of our favourite Netflix hidden gems:
It's Such a Beautiful Day
Animator Don Hertzfeldt is a Digital Spy favourite, first coming to our attention with the bizarre, irreverent, melancholic and frequently obscene short Rejected. There is something undeniably beautiful behind the strangeness of the characters and scenarios he brings to life.
His first feature film, It's Such a Beautiful Day, spins together his previously released trilogy into a touching black comedy about hapless Bill and his hilarious, humdrum existence.
The Short Game
Chances are, this Netflix Original documentary will offer your...
- 2/19/2015
- Digital Spy
At some point during last week’s staggeringly multifaceted D23 Expo in Anaheim, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs introduced a trailer for “The Imagineering Story,” a new feature-length documentary by Academy Award-nominated director Leslie Iwerks, who previously helmed “The Pixar Story” and “Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible.” While the movie won’t be released until 2016, the footage from D23 has emerged online. And even though we got to spend some time in the California parks during D23, the trailer makes us want to go back. Like right now. Based on the footage from the trailer, the movie looks like it’s going to cover a whole lot of ground. From the creation of Wed Imagineering, as it was originally known, as a kind of off-the-books research and development arm of the Disney empire, to the initial design and construction of the risky Disneyland, to Walt’s grand designs for Epcot,...
- 8/17/2013
- by Drew Taylor
- The Playlist
News Simon Brew 16 Aug 2013 - 14:24
The world of creating Walt Disney theme parks, attractions and rides is set to be explored in a new documentary...
Now this already looks well worth a look. Leslie Iwerks is to direct a new documentary, that digs into the world of the Walt Disney Imagineers, the team of people responsible for the design of its theme parks and other assorted attractions. The film isn't yet named, but it was formally announced at Disney's recent D23 Expo.
Iwerks is the daughter of Don Iwerks, himself a former Imagineer, and she's previously but together The Pixar Story documentary, that was released back in 2007.
The unnamed documentary will be an official Disney production, so we wouldn't expect anything particularly cutting about it. That said, an official documentary should offer plenty of access, and the project promises a fascinating glimpse into a world we don't really get to see.
The world of creating Walt Disney theme parks, attractions and rides is set to be explored in a new documentary...
Now this already looks well worth a look. Leslie Iwerks is to direct a new documentary, that digs into the world of the Walt Disney Imagineers, the team of people responsible for the design of its theme parks and other assorted attractions. The film isn't yet named, but it was formally announced at Disney's recent D23 Expo.
Iwerks is the daughter of Don Iwerks, himself a former Imagineer, and she's previously but together The Pixar Story documentary, that was released back in 2007.
The unnamed documentary will be an official Disney production, so we wouldn't expect anything particularly cutting about it. That said, an official documentary should offer plenty of access, and the project promises a fascinating glimpse into a world we don't really get to see.
- 8/16/2013
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Leslie Iwerks, the Academy Award-nominated documentarian who brought us The Pixar Story and Industrial Light and Magic: Creating the Impossible, is back with another "peek behind the curtain" film. This time out, she’s not showing us how movie magic is created, but how Walt Disney brought together a diverse group of talented “Imagineers” and created Disneyland. I’ve got the brand new trailer to whet your appetite. The untitled project (which has the temp title of The Imagineering Story) isn’t due out until 2016, but this early peek has us eagerly counting down the days until its arrival. Filled with interviews and archival footage, The Imagineering Story highlights how Disney’s theme park vision went from concept to reality. It’s...
Read More...
Read More...
- 8/14/2013
- by Mike Bracken
- Movies.com
"What if you could dream the impossible..." If you're as much of a die-hard Pixar fan as I, you've most likely already seen The Pixar Story documentary by Leslie Iwerks (if not, watch it on iTunes tonight). Iwerks, whose grandfather was an early Disney animator and father was a former Imagineer, is back at it working on another Disney documentary about Imagineering, and the Imagineers team that built the first Disneyland & Disney World theme parks, rides and animatronics that became a key part of the Mouse House's legacy. An early teaser trailer shown at D23 has arrived online and it's a must watch for anyone who loves Disney. Here's the first trailer for Leslie Iwerks' Disney Imagineering doc, from Disney Parks (via SlashFilm): During a gathering of Disney fans at the D23 Expo, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs premiered this trailer from a documentary that explores the past,...
- 8/12/2013
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Cinelan and Ge have announced additional filmmakers set to join their Focus Forward documentary initiative. Filmmakers Lucy Walker (“Waste Land”), Eddie Schmidt (Producer, “Twist of Faith”), Phil Cox (“The Bengali Detective”), Leslie Iwerks (“The Pixar Story”) and Stanley Nelson (“Freedom Riders”) have joined previously announced filmmakers in the effort. Spearheaded by Morgan Spurlock (“Super Size Me”) and Cinelan’s Karol Martesko-Fenster, the program was announced at the most recent Toronto Film ...
- 10/26/2011
- Indiewire
Ge and Cinelan announce from The Doha Tribeca Film Festival that the following award-winning filmmakers will join Focus Forward, a global documentary initiative that looks at the human power of ideas and innovation through three-minute films that can educate and inspire: Lucy Walker (director, Waste Land), Eddie Schmidt (producer, Twist of Faith), Phil Cox (director, The Bengali Detective), Leslie Iwerks (director, The Pixar Story) and Stanley Nelson (director, Freedom Riders). More information below: Cinelan also invites non–North American filmmakers to explore contributing to the Focus Forward effort. Cinelan's co-fournder, Karol Martesko-Fenster, says of the enthusiastic response to their program: "Focus Forward is a truly global initiative and we are encouraged that the universal appeal of its message ensures it will have a global face.” ...
- 10/26/2011
- Thompson on Hollywood
In case you missed it, for the month, we were Obsessed With Pixar, a site-wide take-over on our previous home Obsessed With Film that was designed to show our appreciation for the greatest animation studio in the history of film-making. But what makes Pixar so great? Is it just the films? Is it the characters? Is it the joyful and playful ethos behind the company? Or is it all of the above?
Well, follow the link to find out exactly why we love Pixar…
1. The characters: Woody and Buzz
The relationship that a lot of Pixar’s modern reputation was built on, the sometimes volatile dynamic between the “wimpy cowboy doll” and his Space Ranger best buddy is built on the solid foundation of exceptional character development and wonderful, appropriate voice work by Tom Hanks and Tim Allen.
2. The Alternative Posters
Not content with merely making incredibly beautiful primary materials,...
Well, follow the link to find out exactly why we love Pixar…
1. The characters: Woody and Buzz
The relationship that a lot of Pixar’s modern reputation was built on, the sometimes volatile dynamic between the “wimpy cowboy doll” and his Space Ranger best buddy is built on the solid foundation of exceptional character development and wonderful, appropriate voice work by Tom Hanks and Tim Allen.
2. The Alternative Posters
Not content with merely making incredibly beautiful primary materials,...
- 7/15/2011
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
Each week within this column we strive to pair the latest in theatrical releases to the worthwhile titles currently available on Netflix Instant Watch.
This week Cars 2 gives sequels a bad name, and Bad Teacher attempts to cash in on the R-rated comedy wave, while limited release offers A Better Life and discovers Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop. Now, if these features can’t fulfill your need for animated tales of triumph, rotten role models, immigrant-centered drama and sidesplitting tour docs, don’t fret. We’ve got a line up that’s sure keep you on the edge of your seat as you kick back in your AC!
— — —
Cars 2
Larry the Cable Guy returns to voice the buck-toothed pick-up truck Mater, who falls into a world of international espionage as his buddy Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) spins his wheels abroad. Michael Caine, John Turturro and Eddie Izzard join the free-wheelin’ cast.
This week Cars 2 gives sequels a bad name, and Bad Teacher attempts to cash in on the R-rated comedy wave, while limited release offers A Better Life and discovers Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop. Now, if these features can’t fulfill your need for animated tales of triumph, rotten role models, immigrant-centered drama and sidesplitting tour docs, don’t fret. We’ve got a line up that’s sure keep you on the edge of your seat as you kick back in your AC!
— — —
Cars 2
Larry the Cable Guy returns to voice the buck-toothed pick-up truck Mater, who falls into a world of international espionage as his buddy Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) spins his wheels abroad. Michael Caine, John Turturro and Eddie Izzard join the free-wheelin’ cast.
- 6/23/2011
- by Kristy Puchko
- The Film Stage
25 years ago, the world of animation changed forever, thanks to business megazord Steve Jobs’ acquisition of the computer graphics division of the ailing Lucasfilm for $10 million. Who would have thought that the high-end computer hardware company would end up making obscene- but entirely justified- amounts of money from the animation demos that John Lasseter created to show off the Pixar Image Computer to potential clients!
Anyway, history’s usually boring. So instead of talking about where the company came from, and how it blossomed (instead get your hands on the excellent The Pixar Story if that floats your boat), I thought it might be far more entertaining to offer a selection of the best alternative Pixar posters, some released by Pixar themselves and others made by fans out of sheer admiration of the films.
So without further ado, here goes…
Eric Tan’s Genius Wall*E Alternatives
Like most of...
Anyway, history’s usually boring. So instead of talking about where the company came from, and how it blossomed (instead get your hands on the excellent The Pixar Story if that floats your boat), I thought it might be far more entertaining to offer a selection of the best alternative Pixar posters, some released by Pixar themselves and others made by fans out of sheer admiration of the films.
So without further ado, here goes…
Eric Tan’s Genius Wall*E Alternatives
Like most of...
- 2/4/2011
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
By Terry Keefe
Leslie Iwerks’ grandfather, Ub Iwerks, was the co-creator and designer of Mickey Mouse, as well as the pioneer of numerous special effects processes, and this lineage gave the Santa Monica-based filmmaker a pretty unique perspective on the subjects of her 2008 Emmy-nominated documentary The Pixar Story, as well as those of her just-finished doc, Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible, which premiered on Starz/Encore last month. Ilm and Pixar picked up the FX and animation baton, created in part by Ub Iwerks, and launched it into hyperspace. Between the Ilm and Pixar docs, and her first documentary, focused on the life of her grandfather, The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story, Leslie Iwerks has authored a significant history of the animation and effects in the American film industry.
(Leslie Iwerks, above.)
Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible recounts the story of the legendary special effects house,...
Leslie Iwerks’ grandfather, Ub Iwerks, was the co-creator and designer of Mickey Mouse, as well as the pioneer of numerous special effects processes, and this lineage gave the Santa Monica-based filmmaker a pretty unique perspective on the subjects of her 2008 Emmy-nominated documentary The Pixar Story, as well as those of her just-finished doc, Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible, which premiered on Starz/Encore last month. Ilm and Pixar picked up the FX and animation baton, created in part by Ub Iwerks, and launched it into hyperspace. Between the Ilm and Pixar docs, and her first documentary, focused on the life of her grandfather, The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story, Leslie Iwerks has authored a significant history of the animation and effects in the American film industry.
(Leslie Iwerks, above.)
Industrial Light & Magic: Creating the Impossible recounts the story of the legendary special effects house,...
- 12/4/2010
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
I really don't think the legendary Industrial Light & Magic needs an introduction, but I might give them a quick one anyway. From Star Wars to Jurassic Park to Transformers, Ilm is one the leading visual effects companies that has been paving the way in the effects industry since first opening some 35 years ago. We're breaking our rules again to bring you a trailer (via SlashFilm) for a documentary that Starz channel Encore will be airing later this weekend, on Sunday, November 14th. The doc tells the inside story behind how Ilm first began and the people that made it possible, from George Lucas to Steven Spielberg. Check it out below! Watch the official trailer for Encore's Industrial Light & Magic: Creating The Impossible: From director Leslie Iwerks, of the wonderful Pixar doc The Pixar Story, and narrated by Tom Cruise, Industrial Light & Magic: Creating The Impossible takes audiences behind ...
- 11/9/2010
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
I doubt I need to tell you much about Industrial Light & Magic, at least with respect to the basics. The venerable effects company has been around for thirty-five years now, after being started by George Lucas to create effects for Star Wars. The company quickly became the premiere effects company in the world, and has set the standard for the transition from practical to digital effects, and every manner of blending the two. Now there is to be a documentary about the company, directed by Leslie Iwerks, the filmmaker who made The Pixar Story. Tom Cruise narrates the doc, which will also feature interviews with George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, J.J. Abrams and Jon Favreau as well as producers and actors. (What, was James Cameron busy?) No word on whether this will be a broad, glossy overview or a nuts and bolts history lesson. I'd expect the former, but...
- 9/16/2010
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
Thursday:
10:00-11:00 – DreamWorks Animation: Megamind — DreamWorks Animation makes its Comic-Con debut with Megamind. The characters Megamind and Metro Man are jettisoned to Earth as babies when their home planets are destroyed. Megamind crash-lands inside a maximum-security prison, where he evolves into the wicked and diabolical genius he is today, while the dashingly handsome superhero Metro Man grows into the universally adored savior of Metro City, beloved by every man, woman and child — and especially the city’s ace reporter Roxanne Ritchi. These life-long archenemies will rewrite superhero movie lore when they challenge each other to the ultimate showdown of Good vs. Evil! Megamind stars Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, and Jonah Hill and director Tom McGrath join forces to unveil footage from DreamWorks Animation’s November 5 release. Hall H
10:30-11:30 – Danny Elfman — From Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure to Alice in Wonderland, composer Danny Elfman discusses his 25-year collaboration with director Tim Burton.
10:00-11:00 – DreamWorks Animation: Megamind — DreamWorks Animation makes its Comic-Con debut with Megamind. The characters Megamind and Metro Man are jettisoned to Earth as babies when their home planets are destroyed. Megamind crash-lands inside a maximum-security prison, where he evolves into the wicked and diabolical genius he is today, while the dashingly handsome superhero Metro Man grows into the universally adored savior of Metro City, beloved by every man, woman and child — and especially the city’s ace reporter Roxanne Ritchi. These life-long archenemies will rewrite superhero movie lore when they challenge each other to the ultimate showdown of Good vs. Evil! Megamind stars Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, and Jonah Hill and director Tom McGrath join forces to unveil footage from DreamWorks Animation’s November 5 release. Hall H
10:30-11:30 – Danny Elfman — From Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure to Alice in Wonderland, composer Danny Elfman discusses his 25-year collaboration with director Tim Burton.
- 7/14/2010
- by Jason Moore
- ScifiMafia
Friday's schedule has just gone up for the 2010 Comic-Con at San Diego. As was the case with yesterday's breakdown, I'm focusing on film/TV/DVD related events, screenings and panels.
Read about Thursday's line-up of events.
10:00-11:00 Comedy Central: Ugly Americans— David M. Stern (showrunner and executive producer), Dan Powell (executive producer), Jeff Poliquin (supervising producer), Devin Clark (producer and series creator), Aaron Augenblick (director of animation), Matt Oberg (voice of Mark Lilly), Kurt Metzger (voice of Randall Skeffington), and Randy Pearlstein (voice of Leonard) take you behind the scenes at this animated series sensation. Featuring a sneak peek of the new season, Q&A, and more. One audience member selected will be drawn into an upcoming episode! Room 25Abc
10:15-11:15 Aloha, Earth!— Lost castaway found! Battlestar Cylon becomes human! Star Trek writers return from space! A supernatural force has drawn some of sci-fi's giants...
Read about Thursday's line-up of events.
10:00-11:00 Comedy Central: Ugly Americans— David M. Stern (showrunner and executive producer), Dan Powell (executive producer), Jeff Poliquin (supervising producer), Devin Clark (producer and series creator), Aaron Augenblick (director of animation), Matt Oberg (voice of Mark Lilly), Kurt Metzger (voice of Randall Skeffington), and Randy Pearlstein (voice of Leonard) take you behind the scenes at this animated series sensation. Featuring a sneak peek of the new season, Q&A, and more. One audience member selected will be drawn into an upcoming episode! Room 25Abc
10:15-11:15 Aloha, Earth!— Lost castaway found! Battlestar Cylon becomes human! Star Trek writers return from space! A supernatural force has drawn some of sci-fi's giants...
- 7/9/2010
- by Patrick Sauriol
- Corona's Coming Attractions
By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: John Lasseter has a tough time letting go of his individual Pixar creations.
And can you blame him? We become so emotionally attached to Lasseter’s original characters, from Woody and Buzz of “Toy Story” to cocky race car Lightning McQueen. Imagine how enamored with them Lasseter must be?!?!
Riding the wave of “Toy Story 3,” I finally popped the excellent documentary “The Pixar Story” into my player. It gives tremendous insight into the “birth” of Pixar from the misguided decisions at Disney, the risks taken by Steve Jobs, and the overwhelmingly creative powers of Lasseter, a genius who also happens to serve as the animation studio’s beating heart. Some compare him to Walt Disney, and in the context of the discussions made in the documentary, it’s hard to argue.
One of the best stories told in the doc involves “Toy Story 2,...
Hollywoodnews.com: John Lasseter has a tough time letting go of his individual Pixar creations.
And can you blame him? We become so emotionally attached to Lasseter’s original characters, from Woody and Buzz of “Toy Story” to cocky race car Lightning McQueen. Imagine how enamored with them Lasseter must be?!?!
Riding the wave of “Toy Story 3,” I finally popped the excellent documentary “The Pixar Story” into my player. It gives tremendous insight into the “birth” of Pixar from the misguided decisions at Disney, the risks taken by Steve Jobs, and the overwhelmingly creative powers of Lasseter, a genius who also happens to serve as the animation studio’s beating heart. Some compare him to Walt Disney, and in the context of the discussions made in the documentary, it’s hard to argue.
One of the best stories told in the doc involves “Toy Story 2,...
- 6/24/2010
- by Sean O'Connell
- Hollywoodnews.com
Now that the Michel Gondry's "Green Hornet" trailer is out in the open, the comics world is reacting, and I've included a quick sampling with opinions from Cully Hamner, Jeff Parker and the ever-quotable Brian Denham in the Report today.
While they were checking out Seth Rogen and Jay Chou, however, a few other faces in the crowd were watching SyFy's new "Phantom" re-imagining and "The Pixar Story" on CNBC. Click on past the jump to find out what everyone thought and see Fred Van Lente's Hercules casting recommendation, as well as what Bendis got away with this morning during the Avengers retreat.
I'm @brianwarmoth, and I believe I beat the Library of Congress to archiving these statements in the Twitter Report for June 22, 2010.
"Green Hornet" trailer pt. 1: @cully_hamner Hey, I'm Seth Rogen & I like to party, but my father died & left me a car & a manservant & Omglet'SDECIDE2BETHEGREENHORNET!
While they were checking out Seth Rogen and Jay Chou, however, a few other faces in the crowd were watching SyFy's new "Phantom" re-imagining and "The Pixar Story" on CNBC. Click on past the jump to find out what everyone thought and see Fred Van Lente's Hercules casting recommendation, as well as what Bendis got away with this morning during the Avengers retreat.
I'm @brianwarmoth, and I believe I beat the Library of Congress to archiving these statements in the Twitter Report for June 22, 2010.
"Green Hornet" trailer pt. 1: @cully_hamner Hey, I'm Seth Rogen & I like to party, but my father died & left me a car & a manservant & Omglet'SDECIDE2BETHEGREENHORNET!
- 6/22/2010
- by Brian Warmoth
- MTV Splash Page
I’ve just this minute finished watching Dirty Oil, an Erin Brokovich style documentary into the oil industry in the Us and Canada written, edited and directed by Leslie Iwerks who previously brought us The Pixar Story. This is the first movie that I’ve been able to review at home in ages and I thought I better get my thoughts down now before the next busy piece of work comes along.
Dirty Oil starts off by interviewing random Americans asking them where they think that most of their countries oil comes from. They all give the most obvious, and you’d think correct answer ‘The Middle East’ or ‘Saudi Arabia’. After the rolling credits end and the narration (given by Neve Campbell) begins, we learn that Canada is actually now the largest supplier of oil to the United States of America. This came as a rather large surprise to me,...
Dirty Oil starts off by interviewing random Americans asking them where they think that most of their countries oil comes from. They all give the most obvious, and you’d think correct answer ‘The Middle East’ or ‘Saudi Arabia’. After the rolling credits end and the narration (given by Neve Campbell) begins, we learn that Canada is actually now the largest supplier of oil to the United States of America. This came as a rather large surprise to me,...
- 4/21/2010
- by David Sztypuljak
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
There will likely never be a more enjoyable documentary about Disney animators than Frank and Ollie, Theodore Thomas' 1995 film about two very close members of the famed Nine Old Men. As far as informative chronicles go, however, the new film Waking Sleeping Beauty is at least a fascinating continuation of the studio's history and is every bit as captivating as its more recent predecessor and concurring account, The Pixar Story. Whether you're one of those hardcore Disneyphiles or merely a passive or nostalgic fan of the brand like myself, it's an engrossing and entertaining journey back to a significant moment in the company's past.
Waking Sleeping Beauty interestingly enough begins exactly as The Pixar Story does, with a home movie shot by animator Randy Cartwright as he tours the animation building in 1980 (introduction to a young, pouty Tim Burton gets an easy laugh). But while the earlier film quickly...
Waking Sleeping Beauty interestingly enough begins exactly as The Pixar Story does, with a home movie shot by animator Randy Cartwright as he tours the animation building in 1980 (introduction to a young, pouty Tim Burton gets an easy laugh). But while the earlier film quickly...
- 3/25/2010
- by Christopher Campbell
- Cinematical
Although Dirty Oil isn’t the sort of thing we’d usually report on, I thought that it was well worth bringing to your attention as this trailer for the movie looks intriguing. Dirty Oil looks at America’s obsession with the increasingly in-demand product and probably raises a few eye-brows whilst doing so.
Dirty Oil is directed by Leslie Iwerks who has previously brought us The Pixar Story and The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story. Neve Campbell narrates in this documentary style look at the Us oil industry with interviews from leading experts.
Check out the trailer below and let us know what you think in the comments below. Dirty Oil is currently showing at the Panton Street Odeon in London.
Dirty Oil is directed by Leslie Iwerks who has previously brought us The Pixar Story and The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story. Neve Campbell narrates in this documentary style look at the Us oil industry with interviews from leading experts.
Check out the trailer below and let us know what you think in the comments below. Dirty Oil is currently showing at the Panton Street Odeon in London.
- 3/19/2010
- by David Sztypuljak
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
In some ways or another, the struggles and triumph behind Walt Disney Animation studios is just as climatic as the animated films they created itself. Its hard to imagine that before the Disney Renaissance era when the studio was at its top of the game, establishing a reputation synonymous for magical wonderment and quality storytelling, was once on the very brink of shutting down and what would have rob us a string of animated classics like The Lion King. The documentary Waking Sleeping Beauty takes us inside the compelling history of the Mouse house, chronicling the series of events between 1984 and 1994 and shedding some light on its decline and its greatest successes with intimate interviews from the biggest name in animation and some revealing never-before-seen home videos. Those who enjoyed The Pixar Story and Dream On Silly Dreamer, both similar documentary on the internal workings in animation will most definitely be interested in this.
- 2/20/2010
- Screen Anarchy
This Friday, two of Pixar’s most popular films make a return to theaters in a new format. Sort of. Fans of Toy Story and Toy Story 2 will be able to experience both films again in a movie theater for the price of one. Oh yeah, it’s also in 3-D.
I had the chance to see them last week; and what I saw, I liked. It’s always nice to be able to see an old beloved classic in a movie theater again, and with this Toy Story Double Feature, you get two. I do have an inkling, however, that some people might feel disappointed by the 3-D—even though they shouldn't.
Toy Story and its first sequel are only fourteen and ten years old, respectively, but they’ve already entered film culture as landmarks in animation, helped by Pixar’s current position as the castle in which animation emperors reside in.
I had the chance to see them last week; and what I saw, I liked. It’s always nice to be able to see an old beloved classic in a movie theater again, and with this Toy Story Double Feature, you get two. I do have an inkling, however, that some people might feel disappointed by the 3-D—even though they shouldn't.
Toy Story and its first sequel are only fourteen and ten years old, respectively, but they’ve already entered film culture as landmarks in animation, helped by Pixar’s current position as the castle in which animation emperors reside in.
- 10/1/2009
- by Arya Ponto
- JustPressPlay.net
I'm breaking our theatrical-only policy today to bring you the news that The Pixar Story documentary is now available on iTunes. For a mere $14.99 (it's worth it) you can download and watch one of the best documentaries you'll see all year. This fascinating film from Leslie Iwerks looks at the first years of Pixar Animation Studios - from the success of Toy Story and Pixar's promotion of talented people, to the building of its East Bay campus, the company's relationship with Disney, and its remarkable initial string of eight hits. If you are remotely a Pixar fan or just love their movies, this is unquestionably a must watch! Initially, The Pixar Story was released only on TV on the Starz movie channel, meaning those who didn't have the channel wouldn't be able to watch it at all. Thankfully I caught it at a friend's house back in April and enjoyed...
- 12/17/2008
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
"Wall-e"by Peter Dimako The best animated film of the year. Filled with romance, comedy, adventure and an earthly message, “Wall-e” is an eye-opener in multiple ways. I had read somewhere that someone wished for more dialogue in the film and, after seeing the film in wonderful Blu-ray for the second time, are at a loss of words for such a comedic comment. Dialogue is aplenty; however the machines are the central characters so speech from the bots is limited mostly to calling one another’s names.The story takes place seven hundred years into the future; a time when the Earth has been abandoned by humans due to garbage overflow. Thankfully “there’s more space in space” if you’ve grown tired of garbage“ in your face.” People have taken to living onboard giant space cruise ships with every single need and want attended to by the ship and its array of robotic servants.
- 11/19/2008
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Pixar movies are the kind of family movie you can enjoy without the family. There’s something there for the adults and the themes tend to be universal ones. Pixar's creators understand how to think and laugh like a kid and tailor their movies for the broadest possible audience without feeling the need to dumb down the content or characterization. Instead, their movies are smart and funny and usually heartwarming.
For the first time, a socially responsible theme became a focal point in Wall*E and it’s a welcome one. The movie, out on DVD today, tells of an Earth where consumerism has ruined the planet, making it uninhabitable.
The Wall*E units tried to keep up with the trash but failed, until one is left. Humanity is long gone, mostly relocated to a pleasure yacht voyaging amongst the stars. Wall*E has gained an unusual degree of artificial...
For the first time, a socially responsible theme became a focal point in Wall*E and it’s a welcome one. The movie, out on DVD today, tells of an Earth where consumerism has ruined the planet, making it uninhabitable.
The Wall*E units tried to keep up with the trash but failed, until one is left. Humanity is long gone, mostly relocated to a pleasure yacht voyaging amongst the stars. Wall*E has gained an unusual degree of artificial...
- 11/18/2008
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
There are some real heavy hitters on DVD this week, a sign that holiday shopping is just around the corner. You know, usually, you'll get one big DVD, and then a Aaa player or two and then down into the lower rungs of the minor league system. But this week, there are two $100 million flicks, one of them a $200 million movie, and it comes just two or three weeks too late to save Circuit City. Damn.
this position now is quite a feat. The studio has done a masterful job creating a niche and a need with Twilight, and gobbling up the sequels (which will have their own high-selling soundtracks) is an easy way to keep the money train on its tracks.
Wall-e
DVD sales will be muy importante to Wall-e, which cost Disney and Pixar $180 million. Though the year's best reviewed film is certainly profitable, the margins aren't where...
this position now is quite a feat. The studio has done a masterful job creating a niche and a need with Twilight, and gobbling up the sequels (which will have their own high-selling soundtracks) is an easy way to keep the money train on its tracks.
Wall-e
DVD sales will be muy importante to Wall-e, which cost Disney and Pixar $180 million. Though the year's best reviewed film is certainly profitable, the margins aren't where...
- 11/18/2008
- by Colin Boyd
- GetTheBigPicture.net
I am mildly surprised and impressed by the fact Disney and Pixar didn't feel as if they had to overwhelm consumers with an abundance of special features to get across how great a film Wall-e actually is. Sure, this is described as a 3-Disc release, which sounds like they have thrown everything but the kitchen sink at it, but when one of those discs is the digital copy of the film, another is dedicated to the film and the other for the features you end up with a satisfying release that will satisfy animated cinephiles, casual viewers and families with young children alike. Then again, I would recommend this title if it came with nothing but the film, because that's really all I care about and this is one great movie. Way back in June, I wrote an article headlined "For Your Consideration, 'Wall-e' for Best Picture". It was not...
- 11/18/2008
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
American Cinema Editors have announced 10 feature film nominations for the 58th annual ACE Eddie Awards, set for Feb. 16 at the Beverly Hilton.
Christopher Rouse for The Bourne Ultimatum, Jay Cassidy for Into the Wild, John Gilroy for Michael Clayton, Roderick Jaynes for No Country for Old Men and Dylan Tichenor for There Will Be Blood will compete for best edited dramatic feature.
Nominees for best edited feature, comedy or musical are Michael Tronick for Hairspray, Dana E. Glauberman for Juno, Craig Wood and Stephen Rivkin for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Darren Holmes for Ratatouille and Chris Lebenzon for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Two-thirds of the films that won Eddies during the past 15 years have also been best picture nominees.
Competing in the documentary category are Edgar Burcksen & Leonard Feinstein for Darfur Now, Leslie Iwerks & Stephen Myers for The Pixar Story and Geoffrey Richman, Chris Seward & Dan Swietlik for Sicko.
In television, the nominees for half-hour series are Ken Eluto for 30 Rock (The C Word episode), Shannon Mitchell for Californication (Hell-A Woman) and Grady Cooper for Curb Your Enthusiasm (The Bat Mitzvah). Contenders for their work on one-hour series for commercial TV are Norman Buckley for Chuck (Pilot), Malcolm Jamieson for Damages (Pilot) and Karen Stern for Law & Order: SVU (Paternity).
Stewart Schill for Dexter (It's Alive), David Siegel for Rome (De Patre Vostro) and Sidney Wolinsky for The Sopranos (Made in America) are nominated for one-hour series for non-commercial TV.
Christopher Rouse for The Bourne Ultimatum, Jay Cassidy for Into the Wild, John Gilroy for Michael Clayton, Roderick Jaynes for No Country for Old Men and Dylan Tichenor for There Will Be Blood will compete for best edited dramatic feature.
Nominees for best edited feature, comedy or musical are Michael Tronick for Hairspray, Dana E. Glauberman for Juno, Craig Wood and Stephen Rivkin for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Darren Holmes for Ratatouille and Chris Lebenzon for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
Two-thirds of the films that won Eddies during the past 15 years have also been best picture nominees.
Competing in the documentary category are Edgar Burcksen & Leonard Feinstein for Darfur Now, Leslie Iwerks & Stephen Myers for The Pixar Story and Geoffrey Richman, Chris Seward & Dan Swietlik for Sicko.
In television, the nominees for half-hour series are Ken Eluto for 30 Rock (The C Word episode), Shannon Mitchell for Californication (Hell-A Woman) and Grady Cooper for Curb Your Enthusiasm (The Bat Mitzvah). Contenders for their work on one-hour series for commercial TV are Norman Buckley for Chuck (Pilot), Malcolm Jamieson for Damages (Pilot) and Karen Stern for Law & Order: SVU (Paternity).
Stewart Schill for Dexter (It's Alive), David Siegel for Rome (De Patre Vostro) and Sidney Wolinsky for The Sopranos (Made in America) are nominated for one-hour series for non-commercial TV.
- 1/12/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The 23rd edition of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival will open with the world premiere of Universal's Definitely, Maybe.
The romantic comedy from writer-director Adam Brooks stars Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Derek Luke, Abigail Breslin, Elizabeth Banks and Rachel Weisz. It opens domestically Feb. 14.
The fest's closing night will feature the U.S. premiere of Giuseppe Tornatore's drama The Unknown Woman, starring Xenia Rappoport, Michele Placido and Claudia Gerini.
The Jan. 24-Feb. 3 festival will feature 215 films representing 49 countries and include 20 world premieres and 22 U.S. premieres.
Norman Jewison will participate as guest director. The festival has scheduled screenings of his classics In the Heat of the Night, The Thomas Crown Affair and Moonstruck. A conversation with Jewison will follow the screening of Moonstruck.
Another session will include a screening of The Pixar Story followed by a conversation with Brad Bird, director of Ratatouille and The Incredibles.
Among the honors, Virtuosos 2008 Awards will be presented to Casey Affleck, Marion Cotillard, James McAvoy, Ellen Page and Amy Ryan.
The romantic comedy from writer-director Adam Brooks stars Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Derek Luke, Abigail Breslin, Elizabeth Banks and Rachel Weisz. It opens domestically Feb. 14.
The fest's closing night will feature the U.S. premiere of Giuseppe Tornatore's drama The Unknown Woman, starring Xenia Rappoport, Michele Placido and Claudia Gerini.
The Jan. 24-Feb. 3 festival will feature 215 films representing 49 countries and include 20 world premieres and 22 U.S. premieres.
Norman Jewison will participate as guest director. The festival has scheduled screenings of his classics In the Heat of the Night, The Thomas Crown Affair and Moonstruck. A conversation with Jewison will follow the screening of Moonstruck.
Another session will include a screening of The Pixar Story followed by a conversation with Brad Bird, director of Ratatouille and The Incredibles.
Among the honors, Virtuosos 2008 Awards will be presented to Casey Affleck, Marion Cotillard, James McAvoy, Ellen Page and Amy Ryan.
Mill Valley Film Festival
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. -- The "overnight" success of Pixar Animation Studios has seemed like such a smooth rocket, going further and further into the frontier of computer animation with each new film, that Leslie Iwerks' documentary about that ride, The Pixar Story, is a jolting reminder of what a risky business venture it truly was. An unstable combination of sheer determination, unending struggle, initial failures and gut instinct, it took an almost karmic combination of talent and fortuitous events to get that baby off the ground. Many, many people participated, but the film rightly zeroes in on John Lasseter, Ed Catmull and their entrepreneurial godfather and backer, Steve Jobs, who all but willed the Pixar success into reality.
Having the run of the studios' archival footage, going back to before Pixar existed, and unparalleled access to just about everybody she needed to interview, Iwerks -- who previously made The Hand Behind the Mouse, a docu about her famous animator grandfather Ub Iwerks -- delivers an incisive and often inspiring story of a group of super talents for whom failure was not an option.
After its world premiere at the Mill Valley Film Festival, Iwerks says she means to qualify the film for Oscar consideration. She then hopes to secure a theatrical release. But its real value will undoubtedly be as a DVD with expanded footage of the interviews and behind-the-scenes peeks that didn't make it into the 86-minute feature. This film will be an invaluable resource for film and animation historians, as well as multitudes of Pixar fans, from here to infinity and beyond.
Iwerks counts herself among those fans. So her portrait, narrated by Stacy Keach, is admiring, not journalistic. Even so, the most hard-bitten investigator would be hard pressed not experience wonder at such a rousing story.
Computer animation has been around long before Pixar. Animators in Europe and North America were experimenting with this combination of art and science in shorts dating back to the '70s. Yet there was often a lack of warmth in the designs and representing humans, even cartoony ones, was a challenge. Features were out of the question.
Lasseter and Catmull were among the first to see the future so clearly. Lasseter came out of Cal Arts with training in Disney animation. He worked at Disneyland in Anaheim and eventually landed a job in Disney's Burbank studios. When TRON (1982), one of the first features to mix computer generated action with live-action, came out of Walt Disney Pictures, Lasseter pushed for and got a unit that experimented with 3D animation.
But such as the fear of the computer -- a fear that somehow the computer would replace humans rather than becoming a new tool for animators -- that Lasseter was actually fired by Disney when he completed his project.
He joined the computer division of Lucasfilms where he met Catmull, a computer scientist trained at the University of Utah, who helped develop digital image compositing technology.
In 1986, Jobs bought Lucasfilms' digital division and founded Pixar with Lasseter and Catmull as his key men.
After losing $1 million a year for five years, Jobs needed to see a return on his investment. So Pixar put Toy Story, the first feature-length computer animated film ever, into production.
"Some of us had never even worked on a movie," Lasseter notes.
Initially, Disney, which was to release Toy Story, imposed its ideas on the production to disastrous results. The first trial reel was awful, Roy Disney recalls.
Only when Pixar animators tore up those notes and went with gut instincts did the production take off. The worldwide gross of $350 million by Toy Story (1995) lead Jobs to Wall Street where he raised $132 million through an IPO. That put Pixar on a firm footing and lead to a string of hits.
The company has never experienced either a critical or boxoffice failure although the film makes clear that Toy Story 2, which had to start all over with nine months to go, was a close call.
What has made each film successful, Lasseter insists, is "not the idea but the people." The Pixar staff, working with new directors hired either from within the company, such as Andrew Stanton and Pete Docter, or in the case of Brad Bird from outside, has been up to the challenge to stretch the digital envelop as each new story drives the need for innovation.
After Disney, under its new chief executive Bob Iger, acquired Pixar in January 2006, Lasseter and Catmull were put in charge of reinvigorating the Burbank studio. They have given directors more creative control of their projects and will return to traditional animation techniques instead of relying solely computer animation, a reversal of a decision made by former CEO Michael Eisner only to do digital animation.
The film with its talking heads interviews does pile on the techy talk pretty heavily at times. But Iwerks more than makes up for this with home movies by the various Pixar pixies at work and play -- it often is hard to tell the difference -- and even Lasseter's own Student Academy Award-winning shorts. And the many interviewees from Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Billy Crystal to George Lucas and Pixar animators do extremely lucid jobs of explaining that technology in terms of the artistic impact on each film.
It took Iwerks six years to make this film since the Pixar story kept evolving even as she worked. One suspects a sequel, were she so inclined, might be even more fascinating.
THE PIXAR STORY
Leslie Iwerks Prods.
Credits:
Writer/director/producer: Leslie Iwerks
Narrator: Stacy Keach
Director of photography: Suki Medenevic
Music: Jeff Beal
Editors: Leslie Iwerks, Stephen Meyers
Running time -- 86 minutes
No MPAA rating...
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. -- The "overnight" success of Pixar Animation Studios has seemed like such a smooth rocket, going further and further into the frontier of computer animation with each new film, that Leslie Iwerks' documentary about that ride, The Pixar Story, is a jolting reminder of what a risky business venture it truly was. An unstable combination of sheer determination, unending struggle, initial failures and gut instinct, it took an almost karmic combination of talent and fortuitous events to get that baby off the ground. Many, many people participated, but the film rightly zeroes in on John Lasseter, Ed Catmull and their entrepreneurial godfather and backer, Steve Jobs, who all but willed the Pixar success into reality.
Having the run of the studios' archival footage, going back to before Pixar existed, and unparalleled access to just about everybody she needed to interview, Iwerks -- who previously made The Hand Behind the Mouse, a docu about her famous animator grandfather Ub Iwerks -- delivers an incisive and often inspiring story of a group of super talents for whom failure was not an option.
After its world premiere at the Mill Valley Film Festival, Iwerks says she means to qualify the film for Oscar consideration. She then hopes to secure a theatrical release. But its real value will undoubtedly be as a DVD with expanded footage of the interviews and behind-the-scenes peeks that didn't make it into the 86-minute feature. This film will be an invaluable resource for film and animation historians, as well as multitudes of Pixar fans, from here to infinity and beyond.
Iwerks counts herself among those fans. So her portrait, narrated by Stacy Keach, is admiring, not journalistic. Even so, the most hard-bitten investigator would be hard pressed not experience wonder at such a rousing story.
Computer animation has been around long before Pixar. Animators in Europe and North America were experimenting with this combination of art and science in shorts dating back to the '70s. Yet there was often a lack of warmth in the designs and representing humans, even cartoony ones, was a challenge. Features were out of the question.
Lasseter and Catmull were among the first to see the future so clearly. Lasseter came out of Cal Arts with training in Disney animation. He worked at Disneyland in Anaheim and eventually landed a job in Disney's Burbank studios. When TRON (1982), one of the first features to mix computer generated action with live-action, came out of Walt Disney Pictures, Lasseter pushed for and got a unit that experimented with 3D animation.
But such as the fear of the computer -- a fear that somehow the computer would replace humans rather than becoming a new tool for animators -- that Lasseter was actually fired by Disney when he completed his project.
He joined the computer division of Lucasfilms where he met Catmull, a computer scientist trained at the University of Utah, who helped develop digital image compositing technology.
In 1986, Jobs bought Lucasfilms' digital division and founded Pixar with Lasseter and Catmull as his key men.
After losing $1 million a year for five years, Jobs needed to see a return on his investment. So Pixar put Toy Story, the first feature-length computer animated film ever, into production.
"Some of us had never even worked on a movie," Lasseter notes.
Initially, Disney, which was to release Toy Story, imposed its ideas on the production to disastrous results. The first trial reel was awful, Roy Disney recalls.
Only when Pixar animators tore up those notes and went with gut instincts did the production take off. The worldwide gross of $350 million by Toy Story (1995) lead Jobs to Wall Street where he raised $132 million through an IPO. That put Pixar on a firm footing and lead to a string of hits.
The company has never experienced either a critical or boxoffice failure although the film makes clear that Toy Story 2, which had to start all over with nine months to go, was a close call.
What has made each film successful, Lasseter insists, is "not the idea but the people." The Pixar staff, working with new directors hired either from within the company, such as Andrew Stanton and Pete Docter, or in the case of Brad Bird from outside, has been up to the challenge to stretch the digital envelop as each new story drives the need for innovation.
After Disney, under its new chief executive Bob Iger, acquired Pixar in January 2006, Lasseter and Catmull were put in charge of reinvigorating the Burbank studio. They have given directors more creative control of their projects and will return to traditional animation techniques instead of relying solely computer animation, a reversal of a decision made by former CEO Michael Eisner only to do digital animation.
The film with its talking heads interviews does pile on the techy talk pretty heavily at times. But Iwerks more than makes up for this with home movies by the various Pixar pixies at work and play -- it often is hard to tell the difference -- and even Lasseter's own Student Academy Award-winning shorts. And the many interviewees from Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Billy Crystal to George Lucas and Pixar animators do extremely lucid jobs of explaining that technology in terms of the artistic impact on each film.
It took Iwerks six years to make this film since the Pixar story kept evolving even as she worked. One suspects a sequel, were she so inclined, might be even more fascinating.
THE PIXAR STORY
Leslie Iwerks Prods.
Credits:
Writer/director/producer: Leslie Iwerks
Narrator: Stacy Keach
Director of photography: Suki Medenevic
Music: Jeff Beal
Editors: Leslie Iwerks, Stephen Meyers
Running time -- 86 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 10/9/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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