Brad Bird Gets a Golden Tomato
The Ratatouille director talks with RT.
It's no secret that
Ratatouille has been hailed by critics and movie-goers alike as one of the top movies of 2007. Writer/director Brad Bird, who took on the same duties for
The Incredibles, tackled the familiar, yet ever-daunting task of trying to continue Pixar's seemingly infallible Certified Fresh winning streak.Bird managed to outdo his previous critically acclaimed animated effort and Ratatouille has been crowned RT's Golden Tomato Award winner for Best Reviewed Film (Wide Release) of 2007.
On the heels of the film's five Academy Award nominations, Bird took some time out to speak with RT about the film, critics, modern animation, and his most recent mantle-worthy achievement -- The Golden Tomato Award.
You must be having a great morning.
Brad Bird: Yeah, fine morning!
5 Oscar nominations, not too shabby.
BB: Yeah, couldn't be happier!
However, we're here to talk about the Golden Tomatoes Awards at Rotten Tomatoes.
BB: Well, the Oscars pale [in comparison]. Actually, it's very gratifying because it has to with an overall acceptance of the film. [Rotten Tomatoes'] a wonderful site to go to and get the vibe on things. It's wonderful that it got this recognition. So it's very appreciated from everyone who worked on Ratatouille.
The difference between the two awards is that Ratatouille was a favorite of the critical community.
BB: Oh yeah, here's a film where a lot of people were worried that critics would misunderstand it and think that the critic was a "bad guy." He actually ends up being an enlightened character. I think that some people were concerned that critics would take it the wrong way and think that it was anti-critic. It really isn't.
It's about staying connected to what you love. The critic who becomes a critic because he is connected with what he loves, sort of loses his way a little bit and finds his way back from the most unexpected source that could ever bring him back. He has to review his own life and his place in it. Critics, most of them, got it in the spirit that it was meant and that was very gratifying.
When you first saw some of these reviews start trickling in, were you sitting around nervously checking the site to see what happened?
BB: We weren't sitting around because the film was opening in France and all over the world. It didn't open on the same day and it was kind of rolling out.
Probably wrong choice of words to say "sitting around."
BB: Yeah, it's more looking at it when we had a moment or getting an email saying, "It's at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes!" I knew that those moments were numbered. The minute somebody said that, I went well, "Okay, here it comes..."
"Grab a screenshot, quickly!!"
BB: Yeah! It's a wonderful site and it was a great pleasure to get that award.
jpotter on 01-25-2008 08:37 AM
for me, i think 'ratatouille' beats 'no country,' 'juno,' and 'sweeney todd' for best of the year. which i'm kind of surprised at, but i love the movie. of course, i haven't seen 'there will be blood' yet, so maybe i should hold my tongue.