Thursday, October 21, 2010

Del Toro's Secret DreamWorks Film Revealed...

With del Toro, Jeffrey has a big opportunity...



I really think Katz's House is going to start being greater competition with the Mouse...

And I'm not talking just box office. I'm talking quality. If Guillermo del Toro is going to be more involved in producing some of the upcoming releases then we may see a lot less fart jokes. The last two films that DreamWorks Animation has done are the best they've ever made, in my opinion. "Kung Fu Panda" is their best and only film that is equal to a film from the Lamp, "How to Train your Dragon" came close as well, but I still prefer Panda.

Now we've known from the press that del Toro was helping out on "Megamind" and working on "Trollhunters," but that he had a secret project he couldn't reveal. We now know what that project is.

"Alma."

For those that don't know or haven't yet clicked the link, the short was written and directed by Rodrigo Blaas, a former Pixar animator that did the film in his spare time. It's about a young girl that becomes facinated with a toy doll in the front display of a window and the enchantingly creepiness that follows. Blaas will direct and Guillermo will produce the film for the company. Rodrigo will also co-direct Trollhunters with del Toro. Another project by someone from Pixar or Disney that got away.

I wonder what other projects Guillermo del Toro was thinking up that might someday wind up as a DreamWork film instead of a Disney film...

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Last two? I'm pretty sure Shrek 4 was Dreamworks last film.

Anonymous said...

What do you mean "last two films"? Their last two were How to Train Your Dragon and Shrek Forever After, and there was still Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa and Monsters vs Aliens after Kung Fu Panda.

Shrek5 said...

That looks like a Pixar short, too bad Dreamworks is doing it, but I hope for the best, and they preserve the feel of the short, and not mess it up with fart jokes and star names. It's scary good like Coraline was.

Woodrow said...

I'm thinkin' this is all okay. As much as I enjoyed Pan's Labyrinth with a third act much superior to Coraline's (an otherwise excellent watch), the movie tended too much to the violent and grotesque for my taste. I'd take Tim Burton's Frankenweenie over Guillermo del Toro's Alma, at least in concept.

Honor Hunter said...

Let me clarify...

The last two I saw. I had no interest in seeing "Madagascar" or "Shrek."

Daniel said...

haha

Justin said...

That is one creepy little short. It kind of had a horror feel to it from the beginning.

Are you going to see Megamind?

jedited said...

I've said it before and I will say it again. As a father of 3 young children (the oldest is 8), Disney/Pixar has my trust (and the trust of millions more like me). Not just that they will make a quality film, but MORE importantly, they will make a family FRIENDLY film. Although Del Toro is probably a GREAT film-maker, looking at his past works, he would probably erode that trust.
Bob Iger (and Disney corporatly)understands this trust that is why they have shut-down, sold or pulled back on ALL of their non-family friendly offerings (ABC being the lone hold out).
Plus don't forget that in the top 25 US box office, there is one rated R movie (and it's faith based, Passion of the Christ) and 3 G rated movies, so family-friendly is more profitable anyway.

Honor Hunter said...

"Are you going to see Megamind?"

Absolutely...

I have a feeling it'll be a fun film. And don't forget that del Toro helped out on it.

I just hope he was able to cut any fart jokes...

;)

bsmith13 said...

We all have our own opinions, and I feel "Dragon" was far superior to "Panda".

Anonymous said...

Of course everyone has their own opinion. You have a right to be wrong. ;)

But I agree with Honor. KFP is all kinds of awesome!

StrictlySilently said...

As soon as I saw your picture I knew it was Alma.

I loved that. So I'm not sure about a feature on it. I hope they can do this well.

Del Toro and Blaas are both coups.

Sykes said...

This looks TERRIBLE!

Why doesn't DreamWorks just stick to making great films like Shrek and Madagascar and leave the sappy stuff cute crap to Disney?

And for what it's worth, I think Kung Fu Panda and Dragon were the worst films they've made. I think Bee Movie beats most Pixar films and Shark's Tale is my fav.

Hiring del Toro is such an idiotic move!

Anonymous said...

^^ I think someone is trying to pull some strings for an argument. Or the sarcasm was lost on me.

Either way, I have yet to truly LOVE a Dreamworks animated film. The first Shrek and Kung Fu Panda came the closest to enjoyment. But they had no where near the effect that Up, Wall-E, Finding Nemo etc has had on me.

Tinman said...

My question is, how in the hell could Kung Fu Panda be as good as a Pixar production?

Seriously, any movie that ever came out of the lamp is miles beyond in quality and storytelling than anything Katzland ever came up with.

Anonymous said...

Woodrow said...
"the movie tended too much to the violent and grotesque for my taste."

Queer...

"I'd take Tim Burton's Frankenweenie over Guillermo del Toro's Alma, at least in concept."

Del Toro is real FILMMMAKER.
Burton is a hack. He demonstrated it with his "Alice".

Cory Gross said...

"My question is, how in the hell could Kung Fu Panda be as good as a Pixar production?"

Because it follows the Pixar formula pretty closely.

The thing is, Pixar doesn't write movies. They insert nouns into a spreadsheet. Even the type of jokes are the same in every damn movie about things that are funny because they're just like us. They know how to play audiences, and they take that forumla to the bank.

If another studio figures the formula out, they can use it to. And lo, out comes Kung Fu Panda. If it had a Pixar brand in front of fit rather than a Dreamworks one, you would not have even noticed.

Sadly, in my opinion, the only really notable film Dreamworks has done is Prince of Egypt. I had high hopes after that, but they just devolved first into trying to to what Disney was doing and then, like every other studio, trying to do the Pixar formula.