We’re almost there, only two more days until Up premieres in US theatres. But for now, here are a bunch of Up-related stories (may contain spoilers… and squirrels) that may interest you:
The Life and Times of Pete Docter: Ok, so Pixar fans generally know that Pete Docter is the director of Up, Monsters, Inc. and Mike’s New Car and that he was also a crucial player in many Pixar productions. But what many people don’t know about Pixar’s 3rd ever animator is how he got to Pixar and what this Minnesota native’s life was like before. Find out all that and more with this fantastic 5-page extended biography featuring quotes from family and friends by The Star Tribune.
Bay Area References: As you probably know, Pixar Animation Studios is located right outside of the San Francisco Bay Area. SFGate is reporting that some references in this Pete Docter flick are in fact real life Bay Area locations. They include some of Pete and Jonas’ favorite places in the area. Read about the Fenton’s Creamery (a 114 year old ice cream parlor) and Merritt Bakery (home of the burger cake) in-jokes at their respective links.
Balloon Tech: One of the biggest technical challenges in the making of Up was simulating the thousands of overlapping balloons tethered to Carl’s house. Think about it, each balloon is on it’s own string and they all move randomly, sounds like a challenge to me! Want to learn more on how this technical and artistic marvel was tackled, then head on over to CNET where supervising technical director Steve May explains Up’s balloons in great detail!
Interviews, Interviews, Interviews: We know you like interviews. If more interviews is what you want, more interviews is what you’ll get! First off here’s About.com’s 3 page interview. Screen Crave and Cinematical also got in on the interview madness. NPR Radio has got a little under 30 minutes of audio with Pete Docter, listen in here. For more interviews, check out this earlier post. There’s also this interview with the newbie Jordan Nagai who shares stories from his experiences on Up. Interviews, interviews, interviews; I’ll be saying that A LOT more these next few days!
Fun Fact: Pete Docter animated Luxo, Jr. in the Pixar opening sequence!
Enjoy this continuation of the UP Round-Up series, a collection of Up related stories that didn’t quite make it into one post! May 29th, here we come!
Last modified: May 27, 2009
Although I do think the Wall Street Journal’s review has some valid points, I wouldn’t give the negative reviews too much attention, the other reviews are nothing but full of praise for the film. Exciting indeed.
Whoops I meant to post that comment on the Rotten Tomatoes post.
Hey Guys,
Just wondering… Is Pete Docter planning on coming to Australia to do a Q & A for Up (like Andrew Stanton did for Wall-E)? If so, when might that happen?