When I attended “Pixar In Concert” at Lincoln Center in NY a few weeks back, I was struck by how many memorable scores there are in the Pixar film catalog. The score that played just before intermission, arguably the most stunning piece of music in any Pixar film, was that from Pete Docter’s Up, the film that only needs mentioning to induce tears. The score went on to win an Oscar for composer Michael Giacchino, and has developed a life of its own. Docter and Giacchino are now reuniting once more, for Inside Out, which is due out next year!
Photographed by Brett Butterstein. ©Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Prior to a concert for Star Trek Into Darkness, a film which Giacchino also scored, the composer listed off the projects that he is working on (via Film Music Reporter). Included was Pixar’s Inside Out, a film that director Pete Docter conceived to show audiences how the mind works. Although there have been no indications of a potentially world-shattering storyline (a la the death of Ellie Fredricksen in Up), Pixar is rather good at hiding significant story details prior to its films’ theatrical releases. Giacchino does not need a tearjerking story to show off his incredible talent (the score for The Incredibles is another stand out), so his addition to the creative side of the film is fantastic.
Giacchino turned heads with his extraordinary work on the TV show, LOST (the music propelled that show to another level), before he jumped headfirst into Pixar with Brad Bird on The Incredibles and then collaborated with the director again on Ratatouille. Following his work on Up, he scored Cars 2, and even some of Pixar’s non-feature films, such as Enrico Casarosa’s La Luna and Angus MacLane’s Toy Story OF TERROR! Giacchino has developed a strong bond with the studio, and has even formed great friendships with a number of employees there. Given the amount of projects that are pitched to the in-demand composer these days, it is a testament to his respect for the studio and its talent that he continues to return frequently.
The synopsis for Inside Out, which Pixar recently updated on its official website is below:
From the tepuis of South America to a monster-filled metropolis, Academy Award®-winning director Pete Docter has taken audiences to unique and imaginative places. In 2015, he will take us to the most extraordinary location of all – inside the mind of an 11-year-old named Riley.
Growing up can be a bumpy road, and it’s no exception for Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life when her father starts a new job in San Francisco. Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions – Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith). The emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside Riley’s mind, where they help advise her through everyday life. As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters. Although Joy, Riley’s main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive, the emotions conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school.
Inside Out is headed to theaters on June 19, 2015!
