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Does Ang Lee’s ‘Life Of Pi’ Movie Share TMI on the CGI?
Monday, November 19, 2012 at 1:40PM 
Photo Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Based on Yann Martel’s novel of the same name, “Life Of Pi” starring Suraji Sharma is considered to be the next “Avatar” -- at least, according to TIME Magazine.
Academy Award winning director Ang Lee helms this 3D adventure-drama about a young boy who develops a connection with a fearsome Bengal Tiger after both of them survive a disaster at sea.
Does knowing that the computer-generated tiger featured this film was made to match a real one take away some of the magic of watching it for the first time? I wonder if it's unecessary for audiences to already know that the production team created a fake tiger modeled after the realistic movements and appearance of an actual tiger. Yes, that tidbit likely won’t matter once moviegoers are thrust into a world where everything seems real – thanks to 3D glasses that add to the excitement of genre films.
Photo courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film CorporationI’m not sure about the rest of you all, but when I go to the movies -- especially ones featuring animals or unimaginable stunts, it’s more fun to be able to at least consider the possibility that these elements were really present on sent, even if they were not. I'd rather know about all of the CGI tricks and tips after watching it.
The wow factor of having 15 artists in the Visual Effects department who worked solely on the fur for a CGI animal would be just as, if not more, fascinating to learn as part of a special features section when “Life Of Pi” is released on DVD.
People who already read the book probably won’t care either way but those of us who are being introduced to this fantasy adventure for the first time via its big screen adaptation could probably benefit from not knowing all of the intricate details that went into making the movie. It does, however, peak my curiosity -- how realistic will this tiger look? How well will the boy interact with the tiger? These are things that can only be found out by going to check out the movie and seeing for myself.
One thing's for sure -- I DO want to know whether this boy and his new tiger friend will forever remain castaways living on a boat in the sea or find a new home elsewhere. I’m also interested in finding out how the human in the story finds ways to communicate with a wild cat.
“Life Of Pi” opens nationwide on Wednesday, November 21st. Check your local theater listings for showtimes.
Have YOU read “Life Of Pi” by Yann Martel?
Do YOU think “Life Of Pi” will be the next “Avatar?”
Can YOU draw a tiger by hand or on a computer?
The media and images in this sponsored post are made possible by the distributors. All opinions are my own. The Monday Movie Meme will be posted later today.
Reader Comments (4)
I'm not sure it will be a huge hit since it hasn't been promoted and marketed well enough, but I personally loved the trailers so far and I love a combination of deep drama and amazing visuals.
I'll admit that some of the effects movie makers can do with CGI and other effects wizardry is pretty amazing and I enjoy the making of features that let us in on the secrets behind the effects. However, I have been getting a bit weary of many of the effects laden films. Some of them seem to exist mostly for the effects at the sacrifice of the story. I've been watching a lot more older films of late and appreciating the art of story telling and good dialog.
I hope film makers will keep exploring the field of special effects, but will start focusing on the details that make the film more memorable. Many films of late seem more like two hour trailers for some film that we never actually see.
Lee
I'm one of those people who really enjoys the extras on blu-rays. It's fascinating to see what goes into making movies, and how special effects are done. And this movie looks very interesting! Karin and I saw the preview at the theater this past weekend when we saw Skyfall (great Bond file, BTW!). I think I'll at least pick up the book. Will most likely wait for the blu-ray release for Life Of Pi.
I'd heard the tiger was CGI, but watching the film I found it hard to believe. The team did an excellent job. Only once or twice was there a moment when I thought it was CGI. As for the next Avatar? Two totally different movies.