The Incredibles
Super strength can’t carry a family.
The Incredibles (2004)
Production
Budget
$92 000 000
Revenue
$631 442 092
Director
Scenario
Composer
Producer
John Walker
Actors
Craig T. Nelson
Bob Parr / Mr. Incredible (voice)
Holly Hunter
Helen Parr / Elastigirl (voice)
Sarah Vowell
Violet Parr (voice)
Spencer Fox
Dashiell 'Dash' Parr (voice)
Jason Lee
Buddy Pine / Syndrome (voice)
Samuel L. Jackson
Lucius Best / Frozone (voice)
Elizabeth Peña
Mirage (voice)
Eli Fucile
Jack-Jack Parr (voice)
Short description
The Incredibles follows Bob Parr, a former superhero who has settled into ordinary suburban life with his wife Helen and their three children. Years after leaving costumed crimefighting behind, Bob works a dull office job and keeps his old identity hidden, while Helen raises their children, two of whom have powers of their own. When a confidential assignment draws Bob back into action, the family is pulled into a conflict that forces them to reconsider the quiet life they have built.
The film was directed and written by Brad Bird, released in 2004 as his second feature after The Iron Giant and before Jack-Jack Attack, Ratatouille and later titles. Craig T. Nelson voices Bob, with Holly Hunter as Helen, Sarah Vowell and Spencer Fox as their children, and Jason Lee and Samuel L. Jackson in supporting roles. Produced by John Walker for Pixar and Walt Disney Pictures, it runs 115 minutes and cost about 92 million dollars, returning roughly 631 million dollars worldwide.
On IMDb it holds 8 out of 10 from about 894,000 votes, and on TMDB 7.7 out of 10 from around 19,000 votes, placing it among the more widely seen animated films of its era. A critics' rating of 8.7 out of 10 from 248 reviews sits above both audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- Elastigirl's plane call sign, "India-Golf-Niner-Niner" or "IG99", is a reference to the cartoon "The Iron Giant" (1999), which was also directed by Brad Bird.
- To give Dash's voice a realistic and exciting sound, Brad Bird made actor Spencer Fox run laps around the studio and speak with a breathless voice.
- Initially, John Barry was supposed to write music for the film in the style of James Bond films. However, he left the project after composing several demo tracks that were used in the film's trailers.
- On one of the buildings, you can notice the logo of Lozano Records, which is a reference to Alberto Lozano.
- When Mr. Incredible first meets Buddy, he can't remember his name and runs through several, including Brodie. Jason Lee, who voiced Syndrome, played the comic book enthusiast Brodie Bruce in "Mallrats" (1995).
- Initially, Voyage Bomb was supposed to be called Bomb Perignon. However, the manufacturer of the famous champagne brand did not allow the use of its trademark, resulting in the name being changed.
- The final scene of the cartoon, where the villain emerges from underground, is a reference to the Fantastic Four's first enemy, the Mole Man.
- Syndrome's special zero-point energy beam is based on the real concept of zero-point fluctuations, first demonstrated in 1948 and an integral part of Stephen Hawking's theory that black holes eventually disappear.
- This is the only feature-length cartoon from the studio in which the "Pizza Planet" van does not appear.
- The scene where Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) goes for a glass of water while being held at gunpoint by a law enforcement officer parodies a scene from "Die Hard with a Vengeance," in which Jackson's character, Zeus, also goes to make a phone call while under duress.
- Mr. Incredible was originally supposed to be named Bob Smith.
- The superheroine Elastigirl's name was taken from the Doom Patrol comics, which were published from 1963 to 1968. In the comic, the heroine could change the size of her body.
- The working title of the cartoon was Tights.
- Sarah Vowell frequently participates in the "This American Life" program on National Public Radio. She has never voiced cartoons. However, after hearing her voice on the radio, Brad Bird decided her voice would be perfect for Violet. To convince her to participate in the cartoon, Pixar animators animated one of the episodes featuring Sarah from "This American Life" and sent her a recording.
- The cartoon became the first Pixar project to receive a PG rating. Previously, all of the studio's projects were released without age restrictions.
- During dinner, at one point Violet's hair covers her left eye, although a minute earlier it covered her right eye.
- The character Syndrome was modeled after director Brad Bird.
- There are 35 explosions, 189 button presses, and approximately 640 shots fired in the cartoon.
- Brad Bird suggested giving the youngest member of the family a nickname based on the moniker he and his wife had given one of their sons – Jack-Jack.
- The short film "Jack-Jack Attacks" shows a moment in Jack-Jack's life when he is left alone with the babysitter hired by Violet and Dash. The events of the film take place while Dash, Violet, and their mother are flying to rescue Bob.
- The main characters of the cartoon live in Metroville, which is a combination of Metropolis and Smallville – the cities where Superman resides and where he grew up, respectively.
- The musical theme from the film "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969), composed by John Barry, was used in the preview for the cartoon. The version heard in the first trailer of the cartoon was taken from the album "Bond: Back in Action". The second trailer features a remix of a song by David Arnold and "The Propellerheads" from the 1997 albums "Shaken and Stirred — The David Arnold James Bond Project" and "Decksanddrumsandrockandroll", as well as the track "The Planet Plan" by "United Future Organization" from the album "3rd Perspective".
- The code to Edna's laboratory is 6395742.
- In the car chase scene at the beginning of the cartoon, the license plate of the police car – KR 54 – is exactly the same as in "Car 54, Where Are You?" (1961).
- Helen asks Snug to get a plane. Snug is a good friend of Helen's who was also Elastigirl’s pilot. Initially, Snug was supposed to fly with Helen and die during the missile attack. However, the animators were able to convince Brad Bird that it would be unwise to spend significant money and time on a character who would only be on screen for a couple of minutes. Therefore, in the cartoon, Helen flies the plane herself. However, the shot of Helen looking at the plane wreckage sinking into the ocean was made before the script change, which explains Helen’s intense and sad gaze.
- The name of the school principal that Shastik attends is John Walker, which is a reference to the cartoon's producer, John Walker.
- Mr. Incredible's prison cell is located on level A1, in building 13, or A113. This is a reference to the California Institute of the Arts, where many Pixar studio animators studied.
- Brad Bird's son, Nicholas Bird, voiced the little boy on the tricycle. His character's name is Rusty, but it can only be found in the end credits.
- The island where Syndrome established his base is called Nomanisan Island.
- Mr. Sansweet, who sued Mr. Incredible, is a reference to Steve Sansweet, a colleague of George Lucas who primarily runs a fan club and collects memorabilia for the company.
- Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston voiced their own caricatures in the cartoon.
- Syndrome's plan is called "Project Kronos". This is a reference to the film "Kronos" (1957), which tells the story of a giant robot that came from space.
- The gait of the character Syndrome was copied from one of the applicants trying to get a job at Pixar.
- The family of superheroes is reminiscent of "The Fantastic Four": Mr. Incredible resembles The Thing, Elastigirl — Mr. Fantastic and Plastic Man, Violet — Invisible Woman, and Jack-Jack Parr's abilities are similar to those of the Human Torch, as well as Colossus from "X-Men". Dash Parr's abilities are reminiscent of The Flash and Pietro Maximoff (Quicksilver), while Lucius Best resembles Iceman.
- The first advertisement dedicated to "The Incredibles" did not contain a single frame from the actual cartoon. The advertisement was edited 18 months before the film's release.
- The Omnidroid, Edna Mode, Rick Dicker, Dinaparr, Stratoshock, Thunderhead, and Meta-Man are present at Bob and Helen's wedding. The last four characters also appear in Edna's "no capes" monologue.
- Lily Tomlin was supposed to voice Edna Mode, but she declined the offer: after hearing Brad Bird's voice acting, she asked, "Why do you need me? The role has already been voiced."
- Mr. Incredible's sports car license plate number is LR 0415. LR stands for Lou Romano. 0415 represents his birthday – April 15th.
- According to Brad Bird, the cartoon is partly based on the comics of Jim Steranko.
- In the original script, Syndrome only appeared at the beginning of the film and was not the main villain.
- The main villain was initially supposed to be named Xerek.
- In the opening scene, the radio reports that bank robbers are driving along San Pablo Boulevard. This is a real street in Emeryville, California, near the Pixar studio. Most of the street names on the computer map showing Mr. Incredible the best route for pursuit are also real streets in Emeryville.
- The unusual architecture in the cartoon is inspired by the distinctive style of space futurism of the 1950s.
- According to the Superhero Syndrome database, Elastigirl's last appearance was on November 13, 1955.
- The computer monitors on the Island of Syndrome are practically identical to the monitors from the film "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968).
- Brad Bird came up with the idea for the cartoon back in the early 1990s.
- The villain Underminer appears only at the end, when he declares war on joy and happiness.
- For the first time in a Pixar project, all the characters are human.
- Edna created a suit for Jack-Jack that could withstand extremely high temperatures. This coincides with the baby's ability to turn into a flame, which Edna was unaware of at the time the suit was created.
- Jason Lee voiced his character (Buddy/Syndrome) in four days, while Craig T. Nelson (Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible) spent about two years on voice acting.
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