ROTTEN TOMATOES: Brad Bird Gets a Golden Tomato

Brad Bird Gets a Golden Tomato

The Ratatouille director talks with RT.

by Steven Horn | January 25, 2008

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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.

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(1-20 of 46 posts) | Reply

jpotter writes:
on Jan 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.

(Reply to this)

minderbinder writes:
on Jan 25 2008 09:04 AM

Nice to see it get this recognition.

I haven't seen most of the nominated films yet, but Ratatouille was the best 2007 film I've seen so far.

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dahluzz writes:
on Jan 25 2008 09:21 AM

congrats brad. it's a crime ratatouille had to decide between the animated feature and potentially the best picture categories. Clearly it's one of the year's best films and animated movies in general should be treated with as much resppect as their live-action counterparts.

The academy really needs to alter its submission requirements so that a film does not have to automatically relinquish a shot at best picture in order to qualify for the more easily attainable animated feature nod. While the category was created with the best intentions, it currently treats animated fare as less worthy.

the fact that ratouille is up for original screenplay underscores bird's prioritization of story above all else and solidifies it as one of the year's top narratives. Considering it's one of the most accomplished movies of the year in terms of writing, technological innovation and audience satisfaction (not to mention box office receipts), Ratatouille should be able to compete with the big boys.

Maybe the best way to combine the various animation media is to go within a character's imagination. that way, it's expected that the style would change throughout the course of the film. maybe a re-imagining of the maze and the minataur or something, but set within the confines of a brain. i dunno, but if anyone can figure it out it's the bird.

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nathanpoitras writes:
on Jan 25 2008 09:40 AM

Nice work Mr.Bird, you da man! Ratatouille is Fantastic!

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vic40186 writes:
on Jan 25 2008 09:52 AM

Ratatouille is a masterpiece, I bought it the day it was released on DVD and I've watched it like 5 times more since then.

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kungfu_sage writes:
on Jan 25 2008 10:25 AM

I must say, I absolutely loved ratatouille, but the Incredibles is still my favorite Pixar film.

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rt_hire_me writes:
on Jan 25 2008 10:38 AM

Interesting what he says about time constraints. I assumed the Pixar pictures do so well because they take a lot of time to craft it just so, and that so many other films flop not because the makers aren't necessarily incompetent but because tight deadlines prevent creative people from taking the time they need to complete their vision. I never pictured the Pixar team racing against the clock and making compromises, but I guess we all do. I still wonder how Pixar can get it right so consistently where other filmakers seem content to spend zillions and spew undigested cactus vomit.

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Bob* writes:
on Jan 25 2008 12:37 PM

He doesn't deserve that price or any other price. He is not the REAL director of the movie.He just finished that work because the Pixar sorority stole that project from Jan Pinkava.

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Helmkat writes:
on Jan 25 2008 12:51 PM

Congrats! Honestly though this was not my favorite Pixar, in fact its at the very bottom. I understand all the metaphors etc. -but- all I saw was a Rat in the Kitchen.

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lilheclou writes:
on Jan 25 2008 12:58 PM

congrats mr bird a job well done

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sokiveta.com writes:
on Jan 25 2008 01:07 PM

Incredibles is still my favorite, too.

But Brad Bird is amazing. He's the only director who can make a movie that doesn't leave me thinking, "It was good, but I would have changed a few things ...."

No, when you watch one of his movies you think, "Wow, they told that story perfectly!"

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Chris Lang writes:
on Jan 25 2008 01:20 PM

Bob: So Pixar should have gone forward with the project anyway even through it wasn't working? Bird practically re-wrote the entire script, so saying he doesn't deserve it doesn't make much sense. You do realize a lot of Pixar's movies happen like this: they start over until they get it right.

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michaelwalker writes:
on Jan 25 2008 02:08 PM

In reply to this comment (#1520235)
A Crime? A bit overstated I must say

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sonnyliew writes:
on Jan 25 2008 03:15 PM

In reply to this comment (#1521300)
I was curious about Jan Pinkava's replacement by Bird on the story. Did some searching on the net, and it seems Pinkava's refusing to answer questions about it and has since left Pixar; beyond that no one seems to know much beyond vague talk about story problems.

Does anyone know what happened? Personally I'm curious to know what Pinkava's story was like - The final version of the movie was alright, but no great shakes - would Pinkava's version have been less commercial? less coherent? more intellectual?

Would be interesting to hear the story behind it all :)

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Willy105 writes:
on Jan 25 2008 04:35 PM

That movie was awesome.

Brad Bird is the best.

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simpsonslover writes:
on Jan 25 2008 05:08 PM

Great Movie, Sorry, I like simpsons movie better

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Bob* writes:
on Jan 25 2008 06:57 PM

In reply to this comment (#1521479)
wasn't working? well I think we'll never know.

Don't get me wrong, I do like Bird's films a lot, besides is probably the only american filmmaker that really sees animation as a medium and not a genre but the whole stpry is so fishy that really makes me doubt.

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~*Admiral Snowstorm*~ writes:
on Jan 25 2008 07:30 PM

Ratatouille has so far been the best movie I've seen so far this year. I haven't seen many 2007 releases, I'll admit it, but of the ones I have, Ratatouille is still my favorite. I got it as a Christmas present from my sister and have since watched it two or three times, and I'm feeling the urge to rewatch it again. I love the movie; it's so quintessentially well-done. Everything in it is topnotch. I'm glad Brad Bird won this award, because he truly deserves it. Yes, Pinkava started the story and worked on it, but Brad Bird is responsible for the Ratatouille we've been presented with, and thus, I have no problems with him receiving the Golden Tomato.

I'd honestly like to see Ratatouille win something alongside/in place of Best Animated Feature. Best Screenplay especially, because I adore the script. Best Animated is an award that most adults kind of overlook, because, let's face it, most of the contenders are usually children's films. This year we have Persepolis and Ratatouille, two films that are far more mature than the world has come to expect from the animated field, and yet, I doubt anyone who doesn't already recognize the worth of animation will notice. But if Ratatouille wins against live-action movies, movies that the adult movie-going public is familiar with, that might pique interest. And there can never be too many Pixar fans.

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sonnyliew writes:
on Jan 26 2008 01:39 AM

In reply to this comment (#1521479)
i did read that the director on toy story 2 was replaced midway; but that was because it was upgraded from a made-for-tv show into a feature length film, so they wanted an experienced director for it.

In the case of Ratatouille however, we have a story that oscar-winning (for "Geri's Game")Pinkava came up with and worked on for several years before it was taken away from him - which points to serious creative differences.

In that sense it would be interesting to know what happened - Pixar seen as the antithesis to Disney in many ways, but the lack of any substantial information on Pinkava's replacement suggests that it might not be a totally rosy picture behind the scenes :p

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sonnyliew writes:
on Jan 26 2008 01:49 AM

In reply to this comment (#1523131)
you mean you smell... a rat? :p

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