So, a preview for this came up before WALL-E where I live, and I’m really expecting a solid film here. I’m very excited for this.
I picked up the book and am currently reading it, which is making me even more interested. If it holds true to the book, I think Pixar fans are gonna like this one. The plot (from the chapters I’ve gotten through so far) feels like Ratatouille meets WALL-E meets fairy tale. Now, does that means it’s gonna be up to a PIXAR film in standards? I have no idea. Still, this looks good to me.
I read the book for a schoool project once, and it’s one of my favorites.
I’m hoping that it stays true to the book. The trailer made me giggle a bit, and the animation seems pretty solid. It’s on my definite “to watch” list, and I’ve set high expectations for it.
I read this one last year (I even got up really early so I could finish a project for school just I could sit reading it with the door shut to take advantage of doing that could make it look like I was actually working). I agree that Desperaux and to a considerablely lesser extent Roscuro (mainly the younger one) Reminded me alot of Remy
To be honest it didnt grab me. At first it looked like a mouse version of Dumbo (granted, I never heard of this story till I saw WALL-E and therefore I know nothing about the story). But i dont really have an interest in seeing it.
I too saw this preview before WALL-E. It was the only good preview out of the whole lot, and I’m expecting good things out of it. The morals, animation, story, acting, etc. all look great. I’m really looking forward to this one, and will definitely see it at some point unless the reviews are atrocious.
If the chef comment is an assumption of it ripping off Ratatouille, the first resource I came across with a publication date is 2004, well before Ratatouille was released.
I never accused the source material of ripping anyone off, it’s just that the little glimpse at the chef makes me think they are trying to associaste with Ratatouille. Now I don’t know if the book featured a chef, but rip-off or not, I’m hating the character design, and the story feels like “been there, done that”. So basically it’s not appealing to me.
Note: Ratatouille had been in development since at least 2003, so neither of the original stories are copies or wannabes of each other, it just seems that Universal is trying to cash in on the ground Rat. broke.
I’m looking forward to The Tale of Despereaux. I think it should be a fun, well done film. Never read the book though. I may pick up soon now that I have a break from school.
I don’t know much about this, but it looks like a pretty sweet film. The style and the setting look quite nice, a bit different from the norm. I doubt I’ll see it in the cinema or anything, but I might catch it on TV eventually.
I love-love-loved the book! Hearing of the movie encouraged me to read the book first (as Coraline did). It does remind me of Dumbo a little bit, but it’s just Deperaux’s design, that’s all. The movie interests me.
I saw the movie tonight. The Up trailer was in front of the movie so it was nice seeing that one the big screen!
I didn’t read the book so I don’t know how closely it follows it, but I really enjoyed the movie. The style was different than many animated films but it suited the movie well and was one of my favorite aspects of the film itself. Despereaux is a cute character who you can’t help but fall in love with. Personally, I didn’t think it was up to Pixar standards though. The animating and story were good, but I felt that there could’ve been more done to really push it.
I heard the book was great, but I’m not all that impressed with how the movie looks so far. The animation is kinda flat (would it kill them to have the hair move?) and I think it might go in a more Happily Never After direction, because they’re kinda making the movie a little more childish then the book seemed to be.
I read the book, The Tale of Desperaux, and it was one of my favorites. The movie looks stupid. It doesn’t look anything like the book. They’re ruining it.
I’ve read the book about two-three years ago, before I even knew they were making a film on it. Kate Dicamillo’s ‘narrator voice’ was charming and Timothy B. Ering’s illustrations were so adorable!
When I first saw the trailer, I kinda thought it looked ‘ugly’ in a way, probably because of the muted colour schemes and how they tried too hard to make it an ‘epic’ adventure. I didn’t even laugh or get excited throughout the entire trailer.
I hope the film proves my initial impressions wrong, however. At least the voice cast looks interesting. You’ve got Broderick, Hoffman, Watson and H. Macy, so you’ve got star appeal behind the voices. I’m crossing my fingers that the animation and screenplay will be as good too.
It premieres in Singapore only in March, three whole freakin’ months away!
I just got back from seeing Tale of Despereaux, and… wow. It was really, really good. I’ve never read the book and didn’t know what to expect… and what was delivered was a picture of the same care and classiness that you might expect from Pixar: a movie well-made, well acted, well animated, great score (by Bill Ross), excellent cast (especially Sigourney Weaver who was just fantastic as the narrator) – and story, story, story. I can’t tell you what a pleasant surprise it was to see such a well-made, traditional (Pixar) style animated movie. No fart jokes. No singing gargoyles. No “hip” pop-culture references. No bulging eyes. No wooly mammoths or fat pandas. In other words, a well-made movie all the way around. All the way around. The story is traditonal (in that it’s a fariy tale-type story with princesses and honor and such) but I came out of it wanting to see it again (which I probably will do at some point). It’s good for everyone, that occasionally (and this is definitely a good example) someone other than Pixar in the US can make a really well-made animated movie that doesn’t just cater to 5year-old boys. Usually it’s only been Pixar doing this (at least in the US). But tonight I was pleasantly (and happily) surprised.
If you like Pixar movies, then you probably like animated movies with substance. If so, this one’s worth seeing. Don’t see it with 500 screaming kids on a Saturday morning if you can help it, and don’t see it in a run-down theatre. It’s a nice widescreen (2.35) movie. Go see it in a good theatre with a good sound system, preferably late at night (I saw the 10pm-midnight screening). The audience (mostly all adults, with just a few kids… this was a late-night Sunday screening) actually clapped at the end, like a Pixar movie.
It’s a good sign that there’s at least a trickle of good animation besides Pixar now coming from the US/UK (not just Japan or France). Both “Tale”… and there was a preview for the new Henry Selick (“Nightmare Before Christmas”) movie “Coraline” that looks really good too. And from Pixar of course, there’s Up, coming out in May.
The movie looks stupid. It doesn’t look anything like the book. They’re ruining it. 
