A Bug's Life

TheSequelOfDisney · Post by **TheSequelOfDisney** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 7:15 pm

Why do you really not hear about A Bug's Life? Everytime there is a commercial for a new Pixar movie, you don't here from the creators of A Bug's Life. Why is that? Was A Bug's Life not very good at the Box Office? For the commercials for Finding Nemo it said from the creators of Toy Story and Monster's, Inc., but never for A Bug's Life Can someone please explain why Pixar, to me, feels like A Bug's Life was a dissapointment, and that they don't praise it like their other movies?

here's a little something:

Post by **Luke** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 7:39 pm

It grossed less in North America than any other Pixar film. Now at the time, there were only 2, and it was $30 million shy of Toy Story (a difference it more than made up internationally), but it remains only the 6th highest-grossing of the 6 Pixar films as far as domestic returns are concerned. I would imagine it's also sold less home video copies than most if not all of the Pixar films. And it didn't get quite as unanimously praised as Toy Story and subsequent Pixar films have. (Though it was close, and it's still in the 90% range at that "Tomatoes" site.)

Still, its reputation as the least of Pixar's films is something I and many others would dispute. (I'd rank it among Pixar's better half.) I wouldn't put too much stock into worrying about its status - it was still a huge blockbuster and isn't going to be forgotten very soon. Think of it as the Chris Mullin of Pixar's Dream Team, if you will. It will still likely make the Hall of Fame, eventually. Besides, Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and Monsters, Inc. aren't being mentioned in many of the trailers for Cars either. They just go with what is freshest in people's minds. In Europe, A Bug's Life was a bigger success than Toy Story and would be more likely to be cited in ads there.

TheSequelOfDisney · Post by **TheSequelOfDisney** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 5:49 am

Okay, thanks luke! Wish I could put some dancing elephants. Why does Escapay have so many forms to use those?!?!?!?!

ichabod · Post by **ichabod** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 7:27 am

Actually if we all cast our minds back the first ever teaser for Cars did have 'from the maker's of A Bug's Life'.

MinnieMe · Post by **MinnieMe** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 10:28 am

TheSequelofDisney wrote:Okay, thanks luke! Wish I could put some dancing elephants. Why does Escapay have so many forms to use those?!?!?!?!

Jake Lipson · Post by **Jake Lipson** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 12:33 pm

The only reason the first trailer for Cars had A Bug's Life mentioned was because the music used during that portion of the trailer was Randy Newman's theme from A Bug's Life. I too hold that it deserves a whole lot more respect than it gets.

Also see my earlier thread on this from when Finding Nemo came out:
http://www.ultimatedisney.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=95.

Unfortunately it is as I feared; the movie's reputation doesn't seem to have been helped much by the DVD reissue as I had hoped it would.

Escapay · Post by **Escapay** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 4:41 pm

MinnieMe wrote:
TheSequelofDisney wrote:Okay, thanks luke! Wish I could put some dancing elephants. Why does Escapay have so many forms to use those?!?!?!?!

First elephant on loan to MinnieMe: $10

Second elephant on loan to MinnieMe: $25 (he's got tenure)

Selling four more elephants to MinnieMe: $40

TheSequelofDisney actually believing I've got a monopoly on them: Priceless

Escapay

TheSequelOfDisney · Post by **TheSequelOfDisney** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 4:46 pm

Escapay wrote:
MinnieMe wrote:

First elephant on loan to MinnieMe: $10
Second elephant on loan to MinnieMe: $25 (he's got tenure)
Selling four more elephants to MinnieMe: $40
TheSequelofDisney actually believing I've got a monopoly on them: Priceless

Escapay

Very funny!

Escapay · Post by **Escapay** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 5:10 pm

TheSequelofDisney wrote: Very funny!

I aim to please, or at least get a chuckle...

Escapay

MadonnasManOne · Post by **MadonnasManOne** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 10:12 pm

A Bug's Life was the first Pixar film that I ever saw. I absolutely LOVED it, and still do.

Of course, since then, every Pixar film has become a favorite of mine. They are the BEST, period!

Artlad · Post by **Artlad** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 9:10 pm

The only reason the first trailer for Cars had A Bug's Life mentioned was because the music used during that portion of the trailer was Randy Newman's theme from A Bug's Life. I too hold that it deserves a whole lot more respect than it gets.

I thought that the reason was because it was directed by John Lasseter. Since Cars is Lasseter's first film since Toy Story 2 I figured they were reminding us of the the ones Lasseter directed.

mvealf · Post by **mvealf** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 9:56 am

Jake Lipson wrote:The only reason the first trailer for Cars had A Bug's Life mentioned was because the music used during that portion of the trailer was Randy Newman's theme from A Bug's Life. I too hold that it deserves a whole lot more respect than it gets.

Speaking of A Bug's Life music, the Japanese trailer uses "Teenage Wasteland" from The Who as theme music. I never could figure that one out.

blackcauldron85 · Post by **blackcauldron85** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 6:34 am

Which professional actor was the original voice of Heimlich the caterpillar?
http://jimhillmedia.com/Editor_In_Chief ... illar.aspx

KubrickFan · Post by **KubrickFan** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 9:26 am

blackcauldron85 wrote:Which professional actor was the original voice of Heimlich the caterpillar?
http://jimhillmedia.com/Editor_In_Chief ... illar.aspx

Great, now I can't get the thought of Al Pacino being the voice of Hopper, or William H. Macy being Marlin out of my head. Sure, Kevin Spacey is exceptional as Hopper, but Al Pacino? That would be awesome. I also wonder why Macy didn't work out, since he's a great actor and can do the lovable (and not so lovable) loser in his sleep, probably.

blackcauldron85 · Post by **blackcauldron85** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 6:04 am

KubrickFan wrote: I also wonder why Macy didn't work out, since he's a great actor and can do the lovable (and not so lovable) loser in his sleep, probably.

(Maybe I should've put this in the Pixar thread and not the Bug's Life thread..?

)

http://jimhillmedia.com/Editor_In_Chief ... -nemo.aspx

Speaking of Marlin ... One of the other reasons that Disney's then-Chairman & CEO wasn't all that enthusiastic about "Finding Nemo" was the actor that Andrew initially hired to provide the voice of the Father clownfish. William H. Macy's vocal performance in this role just lacked ... something. Though this award-winning performer tried his damnest, he just couldn't make Marlin a character that you cared about. Which is why Stanton was eventually forced to recast this role.

And as for the actor that Andrew eventually did hire to play the Father clownfish, the "Finding Nemo" director had this to say about that performer:

Albert Brooks. He absolutely saved this picture. He is exactly what I needed this father character to be. You needed someone who was neurotic, over-protective but still appealing throughout. And that is one of Albert's gifts. That he can sort of play both. Usually it's such an off-putting thing. But he just makes it so winning.

But -- again -- the version of "Finding Nemo" that Michael Eisner saw didn't have Albert Brooks performing the voice of Marlin. But rather William H. Macy. Who's a very talented man but not the right guy if you're looking for the proper performer to voice an over-protective clownfish.

KubrickFan · Post by **KubrickFan** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 3:50 pm

blackcauldron85 wrote:
KubrickFan wrote: I also wonder why Macy didn't work out, since he's a great actor and can do the lovable (and not so lovable) loser in his sleep, probably.
(Maybe I should've put this in the Pixar thread and not the Bug's Life thread..? )

http://jimhillmedia.com/Editor_In_Chief ... -nemo.aspx

Speaking of Marlin ... One of the other reasons that Disney's then-Chairman & CEO wasn't all that enthusiastic about "Finding Nemo" was the actor that Andrew initially hired to provide the voice of the Father clownfish. William H. Macy's vocal performance in this role just lacked ... something. Though this award-winning performer tried his damnest, he just couldn't make Marlin a character that you cared about. Which is why Stanton was eventually forced to recast this role.

And as for the actor that Andrew eventually did hire to play the Father clownfish, the "Finding Nemo" director had this to say about that performer:

Albert Brooks. He absolutely saved this picture. He is exactly what I needed this father character to be. You needed someone who was neurotic, over-protective but still appealing throughout. And that is one of Albert's gifts. That he can sort of play both. Usually it's such an off-putting thing. But he just makes it so winning.

But -- again -- the version of "Finding Nemo" that Michael Eisner saw didn't have Albert Brooks performing the voice of Marlin. But rather William H. Macy. Who's a very talented man but not the right guy if you're looking for the proper performer to voice an over-protective clownfish.

Okay, it didn't work out. Too bad, but it happens a lot. Though I wonder if Jim Hill has actually seen bits of it with Macy, because if he doesn't think Macy can do overprotective, Hill needs to rewatch some movies, I think.

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