By Chris Betros

Arts & Culture Oct. 28, 2009 - 03:07AM JST ( 6 )

TOKYO —

Pixar Animation Studios has made 10 animated features, and every one of them has been a smash hit. The Disney subsidiary continues to raise the bar in the industry, and the latest film, “Up” (titled “Uncle Carl’s Flying Home” for Japan) is no exception. Yet, beyond the outstanding animation and vivid imagery, it is the storytelling that remains the driving factor, say the filmmakers.

Directors Pete Docter and Bob Peterson, producer Jonas Rivera and story supervisor Ronnie Del Carmen have been on the road since the film opened the Cannes Film Festival in may and it will close the Tokyo International Film Festival later this month. “It’s been a real fun ride,” said Docter, who also directed Pixar’s “Monsters, Inc” and wrote the story for “WALL-E” and the two “Toy Story” films. “The best thing about Pixar is that everybody has fun making these films. If you took an idea like this one for Up to another studio, they’d think you were insane. With every Pixar film, we try to do something different.”

“Up” tells the story of Carl Fredrickson, a cantankerous 78-year-old widower (voiced by Ed Asner), who inflates thousands of balloon to the top of his house so that he can set off on a journey to fulfill his lifelong dream of visiting the jungles of South America. But he finds himself reluctantly sharing his ride with a young stowaway named Russell. The film was created in 3D, so that you can almost touch the landscapes and skies.

“Until now, we made all Pixar films in 3D but they were never shown that way before,” said Rivera. “The potential for 3D is great but ultimately, audiences will decide if it is viable. For us, it is just another way to tell the story, which always comes first. These are films that just happen to be animated. We treat the screen as if it were a window.” Rivera added that “Up,” with its softer look and vibrant colors, is a “love letter” to older Disney films.

Co-director Peterson said it is unusual for any film, animated or otherwise, to have a 78-year-old protagonist. “But think of your grandparents and all the entertaining stories about their life that they used to tell you. I think every old person has a great story to tell.”

As story supervisor, Del Carmen said his biggest challenge was to convey the emotions of the characters in some key scenes where there is no dialogue. “With animation, that can be difficult to do. But the wonderful reaction to the film by audiences around the world so far shows that everyone gets it. I’m looking forward to the Japan premiere to observe Japanese audience’s reactions.”

While in Tokyo, the four filmmakers had an opportunity to judge the reactions of one Japanese celebrity – former pro wrestler Animal Hamaguchi. The 60-year-old said he had been inspired by Carl’s quest to fulfill his dream, and then broke into his cheerleading routine, much to the amusement of the Pixar visitors.

“Up” opens in Japan on Dec 5.