What a wonderful movie. We previewed this last Monday and we all loved the film. Beautiful family stories, gorgeous colors, and fantastic music. Possibly some teary eyes at the end, but I will never admit it!
And then I got invited to chat with co-director Adrian Molina. This man had incredible passion for “Coco,” it was such a delight to listen to him explain all the nuances of the film, and how they were able to make it as authentic as possible. Having researched Disney films for over five years, I knew that authenticity was of the utmost importance, I love listening to the stories of how deep the research goes for each detail in all of these wonderful movies!
The pitch for this movie started six years ago. There was interest in a film dealing with Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, a holiday celebrated across Spanish countries in one way or another. The story would center around families, ancestors, and memories.
The story grew slowly over the years and began to take shape using much of the real traditions of the holiday:
The Ofrenda is an altar built in the home with offerings to the departed ancestors, and pictures to remember them. This inspires families to share stories about the individuals who have passed on. There is a cemetery vigil, as also illustrated in the movie.
And the Marigold Bridge is based on the actual marigolds used to guide the spirits on their path:
I asked Mr. Molina what part of the research was his favorite. He shared that they had made several trips to Mexico, and that the most beautiful part of those trips was when they were invited into the homes of folks celebrating the holiday These families would share their traditions and memories with him. That personal connection helped to inspire many scenes in the movie. The warmth of the families, and their desire to share their lives with Mr. Molina, made him feel completely welcomed, and was very heartwarming!
The music in this movie is incredible, and some of the lyrics were written by Mr. Molina! I asked him what his favorite song was, and he started to “take the fifth” on that, claiming they were all his favorite, and then he admitted to liking “Proud Corazon” just a little more than the rest, that was one he wrote the lyrics for and remains special to him.
Lastly, in relation to the incredible authenticity that I spoke of earlier, Mr. Molina shared that they had Go-Pro cameras on the guitars while the musicians were playing, this was done so they could capture the most authentic imagery of guitar playing in the animation. Brilliant!
Mr. Molina shared how music inspired the movie, which in turn inspired more music, and the outcome is this beautiful movie opening on Wednesday, November 22. I urge everyone to see it, I already pre-ordered the Blu-ray disc!
Disclosure: We received tickets to see the movie. All opinions are always 100% honest and our own.
Kristin C says
I am really looking forward to seeing this movie. Pixar films are the best!