Joey Magidson
Elemental has had a hell of a rollercoaster ride. When it opened in theaters to a muted box office reception, there was a sense that Pixar had a misfire on their hands. Well, those naysayers spoke too soon, as the film began to find its audience in the subsequent weeks. What ended up as a financial success was capped off by an Academy Award nomination. As you might expect, it’s all been a lot for filmmaker Peter Sohn. I previously spoke to Sohn here in the lead up to the movie’s release. Now, with it nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar, I spoke to him again about the whole experience.
In my review of the film here, I had this to say about the filmmaking on display in Elemental by Sohn:
Director Peter Sohn brings a real personal aspect to this story. Sohn’s relationship to his parents informs the plot, with lovely results. The direction showcases strong pacing and a great sense of both humor and romance. The script, written by John Hoberg, Kat Likkel, Brenda Hsueh, and Sohn, is very clever. They also include a perfectly placed dirty joke towards the end that had me howling. Composer Thomas Newman contributes a wonderful score, truly surrounding the terrific visuals with some memorable music. Sohn and company put their all into this project and it really shows.
Below, you can hear my latest conversation with Sohn. I wanted to hear all about this experience, which Sohn admits he’s still right in the middle of. It’s pretty interesting to listen to a filmmaker work through emotions, especially with something as personal as Elemental. Plus, going back to our prior chat, Sohn is just a lovely man. So, we were able to get a lot in here. If you somehow missed his movie, now is a perfect time to give it a shot. Oscar took to it, and frankly, I think you will too…
Here now is my newest interview with Elemental filmmaker Peter Sohn. Enjoy:
Elemental is available to own now!
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