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DVD Shopping Bag: Pixar's Up on Blu-ray
The Quest for What Works By
Robert T. Trate
November 10, 2009
Disney and Pixar’s UP (2009) arrives on Blu-ray and DVD
© Pixar/Bob Trate
While reviewing Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull on DVD (see review) I came across a lot of reasons as to why the film floundered. Now before you start commenting below bear with me. In the “Making of” feature about the film I saw Steven Spielberg and George Lucas reminiscing and drinking champagne more than actually doing any work. This was old hat to them and the only people that were both excited, thrilled and dedicated were those younger crew members that fully appreciated what Indiana Jones represents. Spielberg and Lucas let us down and didn’t deliver the Indiana Jones we all remembered. This revelation, on the DVD, opened up the idea that some where in all the commentary tracks and special features there may be a reason to why a film fails. If that is true perhaps the reason why a film succeeds could be there as well.
While watching Disney and Pixar’s UP in the theaters this summer I was blown away by how quickly they won over not only me but the audience. Within the first ten minutes we witness life with all of its ups and downs and became emotionally tied to the characters. How did that happen? How did this cartoon adventure make me sympathize with this old man and make me feel something? How can Pixar reach into our souls and find that immediate connection that makes the majority of their films instant classics?
The answers are clearly present in Up’s special features. Peter Docter and Bob Peterson, co-directors and writers, on UP clearly have an understanding on how to make movies and transport the audience to another time and place. Much like Walt Disney’s artists of old, Pixar completely submerses themselves in their work. Docter and Peterson take their entire production team to South America and visit the Tepui Mountains to get a sense of the world Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner) and Russell (Jordan Nagai) stumble upon. In watching “Adventure is Out There” anyone can clearly see how if this trip was not taken UP would not have been the adventure, for us, worth taking. The production crew took not only photographs and video but each had their own hand drawn interpretations of what they saw. There isn’t a gallery to look at on the Blu-ray but their art work is clearly seen first hand over their shoulders. Pixar sent their people to South America and in turn we are taken there as well.
A captivating setting is one thing but without captivating characters the story is nothing. Those first ten minutes of UP are better than anything the robots, superheroes and monsters of this summer could ever hope to accomplish in a dozen sequels. Amazingly enough it was not Pixar’s original idea. In a “Married Life” Peterson and Docter reveal their original intent and how that first screening of the storyboards went. The deafening silence revealed that maybe they should change something. After watching the rough storyboards they trimmed some of the violence and decided to play a more loving relationship between Elie (Elie Docter) and Carl. Docter explains his decisions and his inspirations for the scene. Personally after watching the first take of the first ten minutes one has to realize it’s not as good but its pretty damn close. Their tweaking only brought the audience closer to Carl and Elie. Pixar has that unique ability to work a scene until it is done right. If only the rest of Hollywood would follow suit.
Now Dug the Dog (voiced by Bob Peterson) clearly connected with everyone watching the film. Pixar wanted Dug to be real, as well as the entire pack of dogs. Instead of just watching their pets they brought in a dog behaviorist to educate their animators. The animators could now understand the simple as well as complex nuisances behind each tale wag and ear rise that a dog does. One could easily think this would be ridiculous but those dogs in the film are a true testament to their work.
Many people found the film to be a bit harsher than most of what Pixar has put out through the years. There was more than one instant that blood was actually seen on film. Many found the comeuppance of the film’s villain, Charles Muntz (Christopher Plummer), also disturbing. This is, after all, a film with Disney attached but Docter and Peterson run through the various endings for Charles Muntz, including one a la The Shining. They discovered that it is all about character and story not about what looks cool. Again they turn on a light and point out why their films strike a cord with the audience. They understand what good story telling is all about.
UP on Blu-ray is the perfect film to give anyone as a gift (currently on sale on Amazon for $19.99). There are so few movies that are perfect today and UP is definitely one of them. The film is packed with extra short films, including Partly Cloudy and a prequel for Dug. There is also a larger documentary about the film that breaks down the further lengths to which Pixar has gone to capture everything on screen. The best of which is learning that Docter conceived the whole story based on a sketch he drew of an old man selling balloons in 2004. If you are shy on getting the film because you haven’t transitioned over to Blu-ray yet, Disney is making it easier on you as they have included both the DVD and the Blu-ray in this four disc set. Take the adventure and get yourself and everyone you know UP for the holidays.
ACTION / ADVENTURE / KUNG FU/ THRILLERS / WESTERNS
Bad Guys ~ Quinton ", Rampage", Jackson, and Kate del Castillo
Disciples of Shaolin ~ Alexander Fu-Sheng, Chiang Tao, and Chi Kuan-chi
The Divine Weapon ~ Jae-yeong Jeong, Eun-jeong Han, Jun-ho Heo, and Sung-kee Ahn
Hard Candy [Blu-ray] ~ Sandra Oh, Patrick Wilson, Ellen Page, and John Gilbert
Heat [Blu-ray] ~ Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Val Kilmer
The Heartbreak Yakuza ~ Koichi Sato, Daisuke Shima, Rikiya Yasuoka, and Yuya Uchida
Hurt ~ Jackson Rathbone, Melora Walters, William Mapother, and Johanna E. Braddy
La Culata ~ Guillermo Ivan
The Line [Blu-ray] ~ Andy Garcia, Ray Liotta, Esai Morales, and Armand Assante
Lyrical Nanoha: The Complete Series (Viridian Collection) ~ Cristina Valenzuela
The Negotiator [Blu-ray] ~ Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey, David Morse, and Ron Rifkin
Only the Brave ~ Mark Dacascos, Guy Ecker, Jeff Fahey, and Jason Scott Lee
Pray the Devil Back to Hell ~ Leymah Gbowee
Pray for Hell ~ Alan Wone, Robert Blanche, Richard Topping, and Mike J. Prosser
Red Heat [Blu-ray] ~ Geza Balkay, Marjorie Bransfeld, Richard Bright, and Roger Callard
Street Players ~ Aurelio Bocanegra
ANIME
Devil Girl
Dragon Ball: Season Two ~ Justin Cook, Stephanie Nadolny, Tiffany Vollmer, and Sonny Strait
George Shrinks: Snowman's Land
Giant Robo -Complete (Thin Pack) ~ Kappei Yamaguchi
Huntik: Secret & Secrets Volume 2 - Legacy of the Argonauts ~ Yuri Lowenthal
Naruto: Shippuden - The Movie
Summer's Moon ~ Stephen McHattie
Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE: Season 1 (Viridian Collection) ~ Carrie Savage
Zebraman Special Edition ~ Akira Emoto
CARTOONS
Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Vol. 2 ~ Diedrich Bader, James Arnold Taylor, and Dee Bradley Baker
Cars Gift Set (Combo Pack with DVD) [Blu-ray]
Flight of the Conchords: The Complete First and Second Seasons w/CD ~ Jemaine Clement
Justice League: The Complete Series ~ George Newbern, Kevin Conroy, Carl Lumbly, and Phil LaMarr
Monsters, Inc. (4-Disc Edition) [Blu-ray] ~ Billy Crystal, John Goodman, and Bonnie Hunt
SpongeBob SquarePants: Truth or Square ~ Spongebob Squarepants
Up (Single Disc Widescreen)
UP (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition + Digital Copy)
Up - Limited Edition Luxo Jr. Collectible Lamp Pack [Blu-ray]
CLASSICS
All the Right Noises [Blu-ray] ~ Tom Bell
The General (1926) (Silent) [Blu-ray] ~ Buster Keaton
Herostratus [Blu-ray] ~ Mona Chin
Sunrise [Blu-ray] ~ George O'Brien
COMEDY AND LOVE Mania Style
Amelie [Blu-ray] ~ Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus, and Lorella Cravotta
Eagle vs. Shark [Blu-ray] ~ Joel Tobeck, Brian Sergent, Craig Hall, and Loren Horsley
Star Wreck ~ Samuli Torssonen
The Three Stooges Collection, Vol. 7: 1952-1954 ~ Moe Howard, Shemp Howard, and Larry Fine
HORROR
Dead Snow [Region 2] ~ Vegar Hoel
Dead Snow [Blu-ray]
The Faculty [Blu-ray] ~ Elijah Wood
Intruder ~ Christena Doggrell, Jack Reiling, Gary Ferrar, and Anthony J. Gallo
Livestock ~ Fiore Leo, Robert Hines, Johanna Gorton, and Michael Reardon
Near Dark [Blu-ray] ~ Lance Henriksen, Adrian Pasdar, Bill Paxton, and Jenny Wright
Scream [Blu-ray] ~ David Arquette, Drew Barrymore, Troy Bishop, and Linda Blair
SCIENCE FICTION / FANTASY
The Echo [Blu-ray] ~ Hrant Alianak, Jamie Bloch, Jesse Bradford, and Iza Calzado
The Echo
Godzilla [Blu-ray] ~ Matthew Broderick
Ink
Logan's Run [Blu-ray] ~ Michael York
Mimic [Blu-ray] ~ F. Murray Abraham, Josh Brolin, Charles S. Dutton, and Alix Koromzay
Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut ~ Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino, and Jay Brazeau
Watchmen: The Ultimate Cut [Blu-ray]
TV LAND
Dawson's Creek: The Complete Series ~ James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, and Joshua Jackson
JAG (Judge Advocate General): The Ninth Season ~ David James Elliott, Chuck Carrington, and John M. Jackson
Nash Bridges: The Third Season ~ Don Johnson, Cheech Marin, Jeff Perry, and Jaime Gomez
The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Complete Second Season ~ Elisabeth Sladen, Daniel Anthony, Tommy Knight, and Yasmin Paige
Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days
The Untouchables - Season Three, Vol. 2 ~ Robert Stack, Walter Winchell, Nicholas Georgiade, and Paul Picerni
The other PICK OF THE WEEK (outside of UP)
G.I. Joe A Real American Hero: Complete Collectors Set [The Complete Series] ~ Chris Latta, Michael Bell, Arthur Burghardt, and Frank Welker
Loaded with over 36 hours of content, this 17-disc collector’s set of G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero contains all 95 episodes including the final episodes that have never been available on DVD until now, brand-new bonus features celebrating G.I. JOE’s rich history, a special collectible book, an exclusive 1-GB “Dog Tag” Flash Drive (USB 2.0) with G.I. JOE silent comics, and special Arashikage and Cobra Rub-on tattoos. All collected in a specially designed deluxe footlocker case. Yo Joe!
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this has (still) got to be the best damned movie of the year
Pixar's got it -- they understand you don't just slap something together which is determined by marketing, toys, and how vast of a population can get into the theater....
Pixar actually cares...and will bust their balls to do it right. (as seen in Toy Story 2 which was meant to be a direct to video release)
you did see the Pixar documentary, right movie lord? about how it formed and all that? if you haven't....then you're not the movie lord :)