DisneyExaminer

  • Home
  • About
  • Movies
  • Disney+
  • Theme Parks
  • Products
  • Editorials
  • Disneyland Tickets

Pixar’s “Soul” first look and How Jazz became the answer to the question of life

  • by Jordan Poblete
  • in Pixar
  • — 3 Nov, 2020

It goes without saying that 2020 has been a questionable year for living.

We’ve experienced tragedy and loss to varying degrees, and now have to live with the new resulting realities. COVID-19, injustices against Black people, notable people dying, and a tumultuous presidential election certainly weren’t things that Pixar’s chief creative officer and veteran director/writer Pete Docter was thinking about when he was dreaming up his next film.

“I had a moment shortly after finishing Monsters Inc. wondering if making animated movies was what I really wanted to do,” siad Docter.

That exploration of an existential question of what in life is worth it all living was the beginnings of Soul.

As one could imagine, trying to explain the meanings of life was quite the challenge, which ultimately led Docter into a movie that needed to have new life breathed into it. Thanks in partnership with famed writer Kemp Powers, they found the road that might lead to those larger-than-life questions in a curious place: jazz.

“One day, a friend sent me a video of Herbie Hancock describing how he plays jazz, and it just all clicked for me there,” Docter said.

In the video, Hancock said that with jazz music, you can play something that may be technically wrong, but often times you have someone to help you turn it around and make it sound better. According to him and Powers, that was often the commonality between anthropology studies and even religions.

“We’re all trying to do something that makes us feel valued and loved,” Docter said. “That’s the difficulty and yet rewarding beauty of what it’s like to have a soul.”

——

We’ll have much more on Pixar’s Soul in the coming weeks, so keep an eye here for more updates! The movie is due out on Christmas Day, December 25 exclusively on Disney+.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs–6c7Hn_A

print
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Related

Share

— Jordan Poblete

DisneyExaminer Founder + Publisher. Walt inspired Disneyland, Disneyland inspired DisneyExaminer. Catch me at Disneyland. Reach me at jordan@disneyexaminer.com or on Twitter @jordiepoblete

You may also like...

  • The Root Of The Woods [Into the Woods Press Day] 23 Dec, 2014
  • The cast and filmmakers think that “A Wrinkle In Time” is giving the world a worldview 28 Feb, 2018
  • “Inside Out” filmmakers honored at film festival dedicated to Autism awareness 25 Apr, 2017
  • BREAKING NEWS – DisneyExaminer Covering OFFICIAL Grand Opening of Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop! 4 Jun, 2012
  • Previous story While nothing will replace watching it live, “Hamilton” on Disney+ will do for now
  • Next story The Importance of Jazz aka Black Improvisational Music to Pixar’s “Soul”
  • Today is

  • Happening Now

    My Tweets
  • What’s Trending

    animation behind the scenes buena vista street business california adventure cars land christmas D23 expo DCA disney disney animation disney california adventure disney channel disney consumer products disneyexaminer disney interactive disneyland disneyland resort disney movie disney parks disney parks and resorts downtown disney exclusive food frozen FYI lucasfilm main street USA marvel marvel studios movie review new pixar review spoiler free star wars technology the force awakens walt disney walt disney animation studios walt disney company walt disney imagineering walt disney parks and resorts walt disney studios walt disney world
  • News Archive

  • Home
  • Walt Disney Studios
  • Pixar
  • Pixar’s “Soul” first look and How Jazz became the answer to the question of life
  • Hiya, Pal

    DisneyExaminer is a premier independent online magazine that takes a closer look at all things Disney.

    Founded and lovingly made in Orange County, California.

  • Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel

  • Search

  • Home
  • About
  • Movies
  • Disney+
  • Theme Parks
  • Products
  • Editorials
  • Disneyland Tickets

© 2008 - 2022 DisneyExaminer. All rights reserved.