Ratatouille

[ShyViolet]

Mike Barrier on Ratatouille: Some interesting thoughts.


http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Commentar ... uille.html

[Remy]

I thought Ratatouille was so awesome!!!

[spaz]

it's both a perfect benefit and embarrassment. of course an only deserved benefit and rightly so to Brad Bird and Pixar's animation, art and shader departments , and an embarrassment to the silly Hawaiian shirt wearing story moron's in the Pixar brain trust. Bird is the only "movie" maker at Pixar.. and at Disney for that matter. time will prove this, if it already hasn't. Pixar used to make cartoon's until Ratatouille.


spaz

[ShyViolet]

Interesting, Spaz. I do think the Pixar Brain Trust is quite talented, but that they need new directions to go in. With Bird's influcence and the original films like Up and WALL-E, I think they're heading in the right direction.


While I also very much enjoyed the film, I can't help but think of the touches Bird wanted to add to it but was denied by the Brain Trust. (As a couple of articles posted earlier in this topic stated)

Like you said, Brad is very much a "movie" maker who likes to explore different directions. (such as the action/chase he wanted to put at the end of the film, which I think might have been great) Not so sure how the Brain Trust felt about all of his ideas.

If he gets a crack at another project of HIS OWN, I really hope he gets total freedom.

Barrier says it well here:

SPOILER

Ego is, in appearance, movement, and voice, stylized very much in the manner of the characters in The Incredibles, and that's all to the good. As in the earlier film, the stylization is wonderfully witty: the restaurant critic is no sybarite but is instead as dark and grim as a stereotypical cartoon undertaker. When Remy's ratatouille breaks through Ego's defenses and awakens his childhood memories, so that he once again takes real pleasure in what he eats, it's the funniest—and most affecting—moment in the film.

It's also a moment, one of the few, that feels wholly Brad Bird's. He didn't come up with the idea for Ratatouille but instead took charge of a foundering project that originated with Jan Pinkava (who has since left Pixar). Bird deserves a lot of credit, I'm sure, for rescuing Ratatouille and making of it a better film than anyone could have expected, but I hope he gets no more salvage assignments. He's at his best, as in The Incredibles, when the controlling ideas are all his.

[spaz]

sorry for the out burst anyhow, gang. it is just the ramblings of a washed up career and to many "Flouence" re-runs. i know what Bird had to go threw because i had to go threw it on a smaller scale, but more evil. his talent and the great "art" support he gets at Pixar saw him threw it. my anger and the terrible support i got from Disney sent me back to commercials. almost sound's like a lesson to be learned , eh ?

[spaz]

that should have read "Flourence". is was a spin off show from the "Jeffersons" which hilarious and probably where Seinfeld (whatever his bloody name is) get's all his stuff from.

[Ben]

Pixar used to make cartoon's until Ratatouille.

spaz

Wouldn't you say "until The Incredibles"?

Man, I wish I could get into a screening of Rat before the UK has to wait until freakin' October...AND I recently found out that it might be pushed back until NOVEMBER here.

That means I'm guessing we won't then get Enchanted until February '08.

[Jafar]

I'm dying to see this...Just today I got to know that its going to be in theatres here next month! Can't wait

Ben, if you cant wait for it any longer, you are most welcome to India

BTW, I was a little surprised to see it replace "Spirited Away" on IMDB greatest animated films chart within no time of its release. Spirited Away had held the top spot for the past many years, I believe.

[Kaszubas]

Man, I wish I could get into a screening of Rat before the UK has to wait until freakin' October...AND I recently found out that it might be pushed back until NOVEMBER here.

Why don't you take a little weekend trip through the Channel Tunnel? Your French neighbours will be able to enjoy Remy's adventures in less than two weeks:)

[Ben]

Actually...that's not such a crazy suggestion...

Knowing my luck, though, I'll end up in a French dub!

[droosan]

I'm actually planning on watching Ratatouille in french, when it comes out on DVD (the french dub track is usually included in R1 releases, for Canada) .. just to give the film that extra-authentic ambience.

[Ben]

Yes, that would be good fun, but not the way I want to see it the first time!

We usually get three tracks: English, French (for Canada as you say) and Spanish, for our friends south of the border.

I remember when The AristoCats came out on LD and Disney included a <I>Spanish</I> track for it, but no French one...!

[Kaszubas]

Actually...that's not such a crazy suggestion...

Knowing my luck, though, I'll end up in a French dub!

Well... Maybe it IS crazy, but honestly this IS a part of my summer plan
I'll spend a week in Paris in the middle of September and won't miss an occasion to see Ratatouille I was told that evening screenings are usually played with original voices so it would be nice not to wait 2 and the half more months till Polish release...

[Kinoo]

Ben if you come in Paris, there's a LOT of English screening in the UGC theatres starting from 6pm. That should not be a problem. Then after the movie you can make a Ratatouille Paris Tour ^^

[Meg]

Wow, now THAT would be a perfect place to see it! Sometimes I wish I lived in Europe.