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Rated: G
Starring: Brad Bird, Ed Catmull, Roy Disney, Michael Eisner, Steven Jobs
Directed by: Leslie Iwerks
The first in-depth look at the most influential animation studio of its
time, The Pixar Story goes behind the scenes of the groundbreaking
company that pioneered a new generation of animated feature films.
Iwerks uses never-before-seen footage from the Pixar library, along
with historic archival animation and first hand accounts by animators,
studio executives, directors, producers and voice performers to
chronicle the remarkable company that revolutionized an industry.
This documentary includes exclusive interviews with some of the key players
in the Pixar story including John Lasseter, Ed Catmull, Steve Jobs,
George Lucas, Michael Eisner, Bob Iger, Tom Hanks, Billy Crystal, Tim
Allen, Brad Bird and more.
In 1984, animator John Lasseter was actually fired from his job at Disney once he completed a project, to then join a quiet revolution in filmmaking taking
place in Northern California. A small group of imaginative artists and
computer scientists had joined forces to explore the possibilities of
computer generated animation in a project that would transform the art
form. Working with engineer Ed Catmull
and entrepreneur Steve Jobs, Lasseter finally had the muscle to bring his digital animation dreams to reality.
From early explorations such as Luxo Jr. to Pixar’s triumphant feature debut, Toy Story, they and their colleagues transformed the animation world. With unparalleled access to the people who shaped its history, The Pixar Story traces
the company’s initial struggles, early failures and ultimate successes
as it climbs the entertainment business ladder.
A joyful celebration of the art form in all its variety, the film also
takes audiences back to animation’s earliest successes, with rare
archival footage from classic features and short films.
Filmmaker Leslie Iwerks has documented the ongoing events at Pixar on
and off since 2001. “In a relatively short period of time, Pixar went
from a bootstrap enterprise run by some pretty daring risk takers to a
multi-billion dollar corporation that sets the standard for an entire
industry,” says Iwerks. “The film is in large part a tribute to their
tenacity and creativity, their unwillingness to give in when it seemed
impossible to win, and to continue their creative journey no matter how
difficult it became.”
This film is a must-see for anyone interested in the film business, no matter which aspect you are interested in. There is a ton of great footage, entertaining and informative interviews and a real sense of historical accomplishment against a mountain of odds in an unforgiving industry.
Final analysis: Anyone majoring in art, film, theatre, animation, computer science, etc. will appreciate this well put together movie. It is definitely an inspirational documentary for anyone struggling with their own visions.
This Reviewer's Rating:   4 / 5
This looks like an interesting production for my film studies. I am taking a documentary class this semester! |
