Jump to content

Wall-E Discussion


diskobolus

Recommended Posts

I thought I'd get the discussion going on Wall-E, which opens Friday. I just listened to the soundtrack by Thomas Newman and it was for sure an interesting listening experience. On the whole, he kind of takes his usual dissonant style and adds in some electronics to suggest both outer space as well as the robots themselves. There are snippets of electronic robot dialogue, which plays a large role in the film. It's a really interesting score, and I'm not quite sure what to make of it yet. People who don't like the action underscore he does (like the chase scenes in Nemo) that are kind of all over the place, will find the same thing here probably. Recently I've found that the first listen before seeing a film really doesn't do the score justice, which was the case with Crystal Skull. I can say that I wasn't blown away by the score. I kind of wanted something like the Nemo Egg Theme, which is on my short list for most beautiful themes written - but there wasn't anything like that, not that I can remember anyhow. None of the thematic elements really stuck on the first go. I'm sure the movie will be amazing though. Anyone else listened to this yet?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 62
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

the Film will open huge, and the soundtrack may be a success as well with the public.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nemo works much better in the film than as a stand alone listen. Part of the problem is the length of the cues.

I'm looking forward to seeing the film (Wall-E) Saturday and I have liked what I've heard from some of the soundclips.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I kind of wanted something like the Nemo Egg Theme, which is on my short list for most beautiful themes written

Is there a fully developed arrangement and performance of that theme available anywhere? I do not have the Finding Nemo score, but I seem to remember that the melody in question only popped up every now and then.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the score and while parts are quite striking, it doesn't seem to hang well together as a single entity. It's got the ubiquitous Newman groove-based licks, his quirky harmonies, and interesting (sort of) instrumentation. I haven't found a real heart to the score like I did with Finding Nemo however. He seems to be underscoring the humorous aspect of the character which I guess is what the director wanted. I miss the Tom Newman who scored Shawshank Redemption and even Road to Perdition.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the score and while parts are quite striking, it doesn't seem to hang well together as a single entity. It's got the ubiquitous Newman groove-based licks, his quirky harmonies, and interesting (sort of) instrumentation. I haven't found a real heart to the score like I did with Finding Nemo however. He seems to be underscoring the humorous aspect of the character which I guess is what the director wanted. I miss the Tom Newman who scored Shawshank Redemption and even Road to Perdition.

Agreed. I'm sure it will come alive once I've seen the film - it just doesn't quite form a coherent listening experience, but I think it is purely how Newman structures his albums. It does mean we tend to get close the the complete score though. Nemo for example has only 15 mins unreleased and I find the CD a superb listening experience.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Saw it with co-workers today, will see it with wife tomorrow.

Movie kicked f'in ass from here to Alpha Centauri. Pixar won't be able to top this one. No where to go but down from here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't even begin to know where to talk about this movie, here or the movie thread or the boxoffice thread.

I need time to think.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Movie kicked f'in ass from here to Alpha Centauri. Pixar won't be able to top this one. No where to go but down from here.

Really? That's kind of disheartening now that I think about it . . .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haven't listened to the score but dyingggg to see the movie. Wall-e is just freaking adorable!

Wall-e kinda reminds me of a robotic ET, the whole curious and shy outsider type thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been looking forward to this film since the first teaser and now that the first great reviews are coming in, I'm even more upset it's not in theatres here until the end of July! ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

End of July? I think we won't get it here until autumn. I wonder when the DVD is going to be out.

Movie kicked f'in ass from here to Alpha Centauri. Pixar won't be able to top this one. No where to go but down from here.

Really? That's kind of disheartening now that I think about it . . .

I've said that about most Pixar films since Monsters Inc.... :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me neither, but it's September 25th for Germany, so I imagine that's pretty much what we'll have to deal with here.

Stupid dubs. At least that's what I guess is the reason for those delays sometimes. And of course they don't release the undubbed version here before the official German release...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Opening here July 11th, as part of the local film Festival. I've already got my tickets to the huge outdoors screening.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Saw it with co-workers today, will see it with wife tomorrow.

Movie kicked f'in ass from here to Alpha Centauri. Pixar won't be able to top this one. No where to go but down from here.

I don't know, this is Pixar we're talking about -- don't count 'em out.

With the very mild exception of Cars, I've been wildly enthusiastic about all of their movies. I think The Incredibles is still my favorite, and Cars is definitely my least favorite. (Though in the case of Cars, it was still one of my favorite movies of the year, so don't think I'm knocking it.)

If Pixar's -- and Andrew (Nemo, WALL*E) Stanton's -- move into live-action with John Carter of Mars actually happens, we might want to be prepared to have our asses not just kicked but demolished.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I liked this a lot. Animation was incredible. It bogged down a little bit in the middle I thought but the initial scenes on earth were amazing in terms of the extent to which they humanized the robot and established such a unique feel to his world. The music was good - not particularly ambitious - but effective enough. The kind of film that left a lasting impression with me in a way that most animated films don't.

- Adam

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If this film isn't Pixar's best film then it's damn close.

A very funny and touching film. The animation was superb. I thought Thomas Newman's score was good and effective. Perhaps the film was giving us a glimpse of our future as we seem to become more dependent on having everything done at the touch of a button.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mark, I think its perhaps the best film I've seen this decade. As a non fan of Finding Nemo this is fins and tails better.

I loved it. Its not only worthy of Best Animated Film, its worthy of a Best Picture nod as well.

This is almost Beauty and the Beast quality.

The score was effective, and the animation, the cinematography were special.

There is a message, and I understand that some will have a problem with it, but to me its just the story, and yet still in the end mankind succeeds even with a little help from Wall-E and Eve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes this should be an automatic win for best animated film.

Does the academy have the balls to nominate it for best film?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not a chance. With the separate category, animated films can forget about a best picture nod.

I can't wait to see it. All the usual reasons for me expecting a Pixar film, this time with an added bonus of having my favorite cinemtographer consulting on the visuals.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

well its not like it ever happened before except for Beauty.

Its a shame too, as Disney is the only major studio without a Best Picture win, and this movie is better than anything this year, or last easily. I finally got around to being tortured into watching No Country for Old Men, ugh, like the LA Lakers this year, overrated. In a good year it wouldn't even have been nominated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I finally got around to being tortured into watching No Country for Old Men, ugh, like the LA Lakers this year, overrated. In a good year it wouldn't even have been nominated.

Sure it wouldn't have.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To say it's the best film of 2008 so far is not saying much. And I can't really relate to your comment about 2007, as it was a great year. I hope Wall-E is as good as the best of 2007.

In a good year it wouldn't even have been nominated.

Actually, in a bad year it wouldn't have been nominated. No room for such greatness in years that mediocrities such as Million Dollar Baby, Ray, Seabiscuit, Finding Neverland, The Cider House Rules, The Green Mile were nominated. No, a film as great as NCFOM could only be nominated in a great year, when it has a great film like There Will Be Blood to complement it, or decent films like Juno and Michael Clayton (Atonement was the resident mediocrity of 2007).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mark, I think its perhaps the best film I've seen this decade.

This is almost Beauty and the Beast quality.

:lol:

In that case, it would be the best movie of more than a decade.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To say it's the best film of 2008 so far is not saying much. And I can't really relate to your comment about 2007, as it was a great year. I hope Wall-E is as good as the best of 2007.
In a good year it wouldn't even have been nominated.

Actually, in a bad year it wouldn't have been nominated. No room for such greatness in years that mediocrities such as Million Dollar Baby, Ray, Seabiscuit, Finding Neverland, The Cider House Rules, The Green Mile were nominated. No, a film as great as NCFOM could only be nominated in a great year, when it has a great film like There Will Be Blood to complement it, or decent films like Juno and Michael Clayton (Atonement was the resident mediocrity of 2007).

you're so full of it,

Million dollar Baby, Finding Neverland, The Green Mile, and Ciderhouse Rules are all better than No Country for Old Men. Michael Clayton was not worthy but they had to have 5, same with Juno(better by 100000miles over knocked up).

Colin, I meant for a cartoon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Saw Wall-E last night and will probably see it a couple more times in the theater with different people so my thoughts may change. I had gigantic expectations being a Pixar fanboy and all that, and I thought it was really good overall. The interactions between Wall-E and Eve were out of this world amazing. I was near tears during several of their scenes and I was clutching my face agape for most of the movie. While the entire first half was drop dead gorgeous, I thought the second half was weak in comparison. The human storyline wasn't that convincing for me and kind of the combination of what actually happened to the people, plus the doomsday-esque themes developed, weren't that exciting for me, even though they were done well. These are really serious subjects that they portrayed in an over the top hyperreality - which they had to do to make it still "fun" and for kids - that are firmly grounded in reality through both visual techniques (like using live action for the present day, and transitioning that into the cartoony feel for the future) and narrative references concerning everything from wal-mart to the u.s. presidency, that will be obvious to the older audience. i guess just the fact that it was more serious made the second half less enjoyable. for me, the real standout was eve, who was amazing and i really enjoyed her character arc, which is much broader than wall-e's. she is the only one who makes a compelling choice in the climax.

a quick thought on the score after seeing the movie, i think the opening song for the title sequence is so perfect. the bnl jingle really brings out the gross consumerism, and of course the music from hello, dolly fit really well, though i was surprised we saw and heard that clip so so many times, at least 4. overall, i loved this movie... can't wait to see it again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Saw Wall-E last night and will probably see it a couple more times in the theater with different people so my thoughts may change. I had gigantic expectations being a Pixar fanboy and all that, and I thought it was really good overall. The interactions between Wall-E and Eve were out of this world amazing. I was near tears during several of their scenes and I was clutching my face agape for most of the movie. While the entire first half was drop dead gorgeous, I thought the second half was weak in comparison. The human storyline wasn't that convincing for me and kind of the combination of what actually happened to the people, plus the doomsday-esque themes developed, weren't that exciting for me, even though they were done well. These are really serious subjects that they portrayed in an over the top hyperreality - which they had to do to make it still "fun" and for kids - that are firmly grounded in reality through both visual techniques (like using live action for the present day, and transitioning that into the cartoony feel for the future) and narrative references concerning everything from wal-mart to the u.s. presidency, that will be obvious to the older audience. i guess just the fact that it was more serious made the second half less enjoyable. for me, the real standout was eve, who was amazing and i really enjoyed her character arc, which is much broader than wall-e's. she is the only one who makes a compelling choice in the climax.

a quick thought on the score after seeing the movie, i think the opening song for the title sequence is so perfect. the bnl jingle really brings out the gross consumerism, and of course the music from hello, dolly fit really well, though i was surprised we saw and heard that clip so so many times, at least 4. overall, i loved this movie... can't wait to see it again.

did you stay till the end of the credits, I love the B&L jingle at the end, it was a nice laugh as you walked out of the theatre

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah I did, that was kind of nice. I thought they'd change the tail slate for the Pixar luxo animation to be the one with Wall-E in it, but they didn't. Strange.

I just finished another listen of the soundtrack and I remembered that the end credits visual style was disappointing for me. I wanted to see beautiful renderings or some interesting 2d visual style, not pixellated computer icons...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh man, I need to see this movie so bad. I just know I'm gonna love it.

Just finished listening to the ost and it seems Newman has come up with another heartwarming and fun score along the lines of Finding Nemo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I saw this on Saturday, it is definitely one of Pixar's best - possibly THE best. I thought it would have been a killer ending if

Wall-e didn't remember Eve after she repaired him

, but its Disney/Pixar we're talking about so I knew they wouldn't end it that way. Still loved it though, maybe that will be an alternate ending on the DVD.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually I thought that's how the film would end.

I also want to give a thumbs up to the Pixar short before Wall-E with the intro done in a similiar style to some of the old MGM shorts.

Although it did feel like a Bugs Bunny/Warner Bros short but still well done.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First off, I showed up kinda late to the theater, so the only trailer I saw was for Bolt, the next Disney movie scheduled for November release. It looks promising. I had to correct myself in that it's not Pixar, it's Disney.

I enjoyed the Pixar short. I thought it was very reminiscent of a Bugs Bunny Looney Tunes cartoon, but still very funny. A true Bugs Bunny cartoon would've had a much different ending, however, as the antagonist would've been able to shrug off the accident with no fear of bodily harm to himself.

Wall-E is amazing and the first true must-see movie of the summer, if not of the year. The storytelling and pacing were superb in order to tell a story whose main characters can only say two or three words. It didn't need any more dialog than that. It's intelligent, it's cute, it's heart wrenching, it's tear jerking, it's all of that. It's much more than a child's story, it's near allegorical in its concept. Easily on par with Beauty and the Beast or Bambi in terms of story. Pixar's bar is very high.

I won't say much more than that, since our European friends must wait several more weeks to see this and won't appreciate reading through spoilers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Indeed. We have to wait until the 18th. Not fair at all, and the studios wonder why we download...

I don't usually take critics too seriously (the fact that I'm still planning to see The Happening should show that), but with a 9.3/10 with 5,000 votes on IMDB and 97% from 147 critics on RT this has got to be one kickass movie.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, I haven't seen it yet, but folks keep on comparing it with Beauty and the Beast, which is, in my mind, without a doubt THE best animated movie EVER made, and, to tell you the truth, I cannot think of a better live-action film either.

So far, no Pixar has even come close, even though most have been pretty good.

So, really, is this thing comparable to THE standard for animated (or live-action) story-telling? I'll see it, but can't say when. Maybe ya'll just don't have quite as high an opinion of Beauty and the Beast as I do. ROTFLMAO

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Saw it today and loved it. I thought the whole movie was so cute! During 9/10 of the movie i was either "aww-ing" or chuckling. I loved how they depicted futuristic society, I believe thats a strong look into the future.

Whoever suggested that alternate ending thing, i'm so glad it didnt happen because i was almost crying in the theater and if that happened i definitely would have cried...hysterically.

If any of you guys are planning on going on a movie date, this is the movie I suggest you take her to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

found it odd that if you slowed down the voice of Wall-E enough, you get Ben Burtt... that's the only thing that kinda... bothers me on some...deep.. deep... emotional level lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

speeding up your voice isn't sound design... its what the chipmunks are... lol

Although I admit I like the voice as used... but it still... in a deep dark place of my soul, makes me cringe..

I toyed aroudn with slowing it donw... if you slow down him talking to 1.6 to 1.8 times, you will get the original ben burtt voice... although othertimes I had to go as far as 2.1...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Saw the movie today, and I am still trying to process exactly what I thought of it.

But so far, I think it has packed the biggest emotional punch of any Pixar to date.

As far as Wall-e not remembering Eve, that would have been incredible if they had left it there. Then I really would have cried. I probably like it better this way (maybe...), but I would be very curious to see the emotional impact of an alternate ending.

I thnk the folks at Pixar just decided to write themselves into the biggest challenge they could find: A romance between two robots that the audience cares about. Needless to say, they delivered.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jeez... Do I just not like anything?

The film could have said something mature about humanity reaping the seeds it has sown, but as always we're given a Get Out of Jail Free card. Planet devastated? No problem; just hop aboard a spaceship with an infinite supply of food and water. Existence will be dull for a while, but we can just return to Earth after a few hundred years and effortlessly start anew. I would have liked an ending in which the Earth is ruined beyond repair. It wouldn't be the end for humanity, though. The captain could resolve to keep exploring space, hoping to one day find a new world to inhabit. I agree with the others that Wall-E should have lost his memory forever. The whole love story could have used some reworking. As is very, very often the case, it was the typical story of the alpha female falling for the hopeless, dejected male purely out of gratitude for his service to her. I'm really tired of this plot device.

That said, the opening sequences were very impressive. The animation was great. The score was certainly a good one. There were many points where I expected a certain musical styling and got something a little different. Newman didn't write a cliche.

I liked the live action sequences with Fred Willard; his incredibly false demeanor seemed to hint at the squalor humanity had gotten itself into. Unfortunately, none of other human actors had this darkness in their voices. They were all pretty decent and friendly sounding.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Guidelines.