A Bug's Life 460442 226143611 2008-07-17T00:41:39Z Pejorative.majeure 1766566 /* References to other Pixar films */ {{Infobox Film | name = A Bug's Life | image =bugslifeposter.jpg | director = [[John Lasseter]]<br>[[Andrew Stanton]] | producer = [[Darla K. Anderson]]<br>[[John Lasseter]] | writer = '''Story:'''<br>[[Joe Ranft]]<br>'''Additional Story:'''<br>Gefwee Boedoe<br>Jason Katz<br>[[Jorgen Klubien]]<br>Robert Lence<br>David Reynolds '''Screenplay:'''<br>[[Andrew Stanton]]<br>Don McEnery<br>[[Bob Shaw (screenwriter)|Bob Shaw]] | starring =[[Hayden Panettiere]]<br>[[Dave Foley]]<br>[[Kevin Spacey]]<br>[[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]]<br>[[Denis Leary]]<br>[[Phyllis Diller]]<br>[[Joe Ranft]]<br>[[David Hyde Pierce]]<br>[[Brad Garrett]]<br>[[Richard Kind]]<br>[[Bonnie Hunt]]<br>[[Jonathan Harris]]<br>[[Madeline Kahn]]<br>[[Roddy McDowall]]<br>[[Michael McShane]]<br>[[John Ratzenberger]]<br>[[Ashley Tisdale]] | music =[[Randy Newman]] | cinematography = [[Sharon Calahan]] | editing = [[Lee Unkrich]] | distributor = [[Walt Disney Pictures]] | released = [[November 25]], [[1998]] (U.S.)<br>[[December 26]], [[1998]] (AUS)<br>[[February 5]], [[1999]] (UK) | runtime = 96 min. | language = [[English language|English]] | budget = $45 million |gross = '''Worldwide''': <br>$363.3 million | preceded by = | followed by = | amg_id = 1:174122 | imdb_id = 0120623 }} '''''A Bug's Life''''' is a [[1998]] [[computer animated]] [[film]] produced by [[Pixar|Pixar Animation Studios]] and released by [[Buena Vista Distribution]] in the [[United States]] on [[November 25]], [[1998]], in [[Australia]] on December, [[1998]] and in the [[United Kingdom]] on [[February 5]], [[1999]]. ''A Bug's Life'' was the second [[Walt Disney Pictures|Disney]] / [[Pixar]] feature film. It tells the tale of an oddball individualist [[ant]] who hires what he thinks are "warrior bugs" (actually circus performers) to fight off greedy [[grasshopper]]s. The film was directed by [[John Lasseter]]. The story of ''A Bug's Life'' is a parody of [[Aesop|Aesop's]] fable of ''[[The Ant and the Grasshopper]]''. It is similar to the comedy ''[[Three Amigos|¡Three Amigos!]]'', which is about out-of-work actors defending a town while thinking they're merely giving a performance. It also gives an obvious nod to [[Akira Kurosawa|Akira Kurosawa's]] ''[[Seven Samurai]]'' (as well as its [[cinema of the United States|Hollywood]] remake, ''[[The Magnificent Seven]]''), which is about [[Japan]]ese villagers hiring a rag-tag group of swordsmen to fight off rampaging bandits. Reviews for ''A Bug's Life'' were overwhelmingly positive at the time of the film's release, and it has remained popular since. ==Plot== Flik ([[Dave Foley]]) is an [[oddball]], an [[individualist]], and a would-be inventor among a [[colony]] of [[ant]]s that is being oppressed by a [[Mafia]]-like gang of [[grasshopper]]s. The grasshoppers arrive once a season to [[extort]] food from the ants, supposedly in return for protection from "bigger bugs". While working with an invention by which to pick [[grain]] more efficiently, Flik accidentally destroys the annual offering that the ants were collecting to appease the grasshoppers. In exchange for a temporary reprieve from the grasshoppers, the ants are given until the end of autumn to produce an offering of twice the usual amount. Later, while he is being admonished by the royal council of the colony, Flik proposes a plan to recruit "warrior bugs" to fight off the grasshoppers. When the council agrees to his proposal, Flik actually believes they have accepted the merits of his plan, whereas the council actually sees it as a convenient way of simply keeping Flik from wreaking any more [[havoc]] on their food-gathering activities. Flik finds his way to the "city"; an [[insect]]s' metropolis built of discarded boxes and vessels, where he mistakes a group of recently-fired [[circus]] performers, whose act had collapsed into [[chaos]], for the warrior bugs he seeks. The bug [[troupe]], meanwhile, mistake Flik for a talent agent who wants to engage their act, and agree to travel with him back to Ant Island. Both Flik and the circus troupe soon become aware of their respective mistakes. However, the rest of the ant colony had become convinced that these newcomers are indeed the warriors for which they had hoped when the circus bugs help Flik pull off a daring rescue of Dot ([[Hayden Panettiere]]) (a young "princess" ant of the colony, who [[idol]]izes Flik) and a wounded Francis ([[Denis Leary]]) (a [[ladybug]] performer of the circus bug troupe) from a hungry [[bird]]. Caught between the [[opportunity]] to change his fortunes within the colony and the [[knowledge]] that the bug troupe are not who they appeared to be, Flik advocates building a fake bird to scare away Hopper ([[Kevin Spacey]]), the leader of the grasshoppers, who is deeply afraid of bug-eating birds. The ants unite behind Flik's plan until the circus' ringmaster, P.T. Flea ([[John Ratzenberger]]), arrives to retrieve his performers, thereby blowing Flik's cover. As punishment for deceiving the colony, Atta ([[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]]) (the older sister of Dot and soon-to-be queen of the colony) banishes Flik, who sadly joins the circus. Having spent an enormous amount of time pursuing Flik's plan, the ants try desperately to gather enough food for a new offering, but due to the rapidly-approaching winter season, they cannot find enough food to meet the quota. When the grasshoppers return, they are angered by the meager offering. Dot overhears Hopper's plan to kill the queen after receiving the full offering. She therefore goes after Flik; having found him, she convinces him and the circus bugs to return and put the bird plan into action. It nearly works; when a confused P.T. inadvertently incinerates the bird, Hopper realizes he has been tricked and takes out his [[anger]] on Flik. After absorbing a beating from Hopper's dog-like thug Thumper ([[David L. Lander]]), Flik declares, in response to Hopper's claims of species superiority, "Ants don't serve grasshoppers! It's ''you'' who need ''us''! We're a lot stronger than you say we are ... and you know it, don't you?" . Because Hopper knows, and fears, the ants' superior strength &mdash; the suppression of any cause of this fear being the true reason for his return &mdash; he threatens to crush Flik. However, the ant colony collectively realizes that they vastly outnumber the grasshoppers; therefore the ants all rise up in a wave of fury and chase the grasshoppers out forever. Hopper, alone and reduced to a bare minimum of rational thought, desperately tries to take [[revenge]] on Flik. A pursuit scene follows, where Hopper attempts to steal Flik and kill him while Atta and the circus performers try to retrieve him. The performers are left behind, claiming only one of Hopper's [[Antenna (biology)|antennae]] as a prize, while Atta and many bugs rescue Flik. Moments later, Flik lures Hopper into the nest of the bird from whom Dot was rescued, whereupon the bird feeds Hopper to her chicks. Later, the colony adopts Flik's harvesting machine and bids farewell to the circus performers, who depart from the island. ==Cast== '''[[Dave Foley]]''' as '''Flik''', an inventive [[ant]] who is desperate to make a difference to his colony's way of life, but tends to make things worse in the process. His inventions include a [[telescope]] created by wrapping a blade of grass around a [[dew]]drop; an automatic harvester; several items of traveller's gear; and the bird-shaped aircraft used to terrify the grasshoppers. He is suggested to have a soft spot for Princess Atta. '''[[David Hyde Pierce]]''' as '''Slim''', a [[phasmatodea|walking stick insect]] and a clown in P.T. Flea's circus troupe. It appears that he is unhappy with his position at the circus troupe, as his boss constantly casts him as a prop instead of a [[Fictional character|character]], with such castings such as a broom, a pole, a stick, and a splinter. He is shown to be best friends with Heimlich and Francis, and often treats other bugs with respect in contrast to Francis' aggressive nature. It is also implied that he could share a friendship with Rosie as they seem to stand next to each other a lot and often look to each other for help. Unlike most stick insects, Slim does not have wings and cannot fly. Because of this, Francis usually carries him from location to location. '''[[Joe Ranft]]''' as '''Heimlich''', a green [[caterpillar]] with a German accent and a clown in P.T. Flea's circus troupe. He is gluttonous and always seems to be eating. During a performance, he even offers to help finish a spectator's '[[candy corn]]'. He's one of Flik's best friends. He later calls the flies 'Poo-Poo Heads', when Francis is arguing with them. At one point, he remarks that he dreams of being a beautiful butterfly. At the end of the film, he sprouts a pair of tiny wings, but remains flightless due to his [[obesity]]. Whilst a caterpillar, Heimlich is carried by the rhinoceros beetle, Dim, for transport. At the end of the movie, Heimlich shouts "Auf weidersehen!" (German for "Goodbye!") '''[[Denis Leary]]''' as '''Francis''', an aggressive [[ladybug]] and a clown in P.T. Flea's circus troupe. Francis is frustrated by constantly being mistaken for a female; an obvious pun on the name of his species. Francis' aggressive nature makes others cry, particularly maggots. Because it is he who played the most obvious part in Princess Dot's rescue, he becomes 'den-mother' to the scout-like organization of young ants called the "Blueberry Troop". As counselor to this organization, Francis becomes very fond of his charges. Francis seems to have a strong friendship with Slim and Heimlich. While transporting over long distances, Francis carries Slim. '''[[Kevin Spacey]]''' as '''Hopper''', the main antagonist of ''A Bug's Life''. Hopper is a feared [[grasshopper]] who is blind in one eye due to a scratch caused by a recent encounter with a [[blue jay]]. He leads a large gang of grasshoppers, who hold a [[Mafia]]-like control over the ants. Hopper is cunning, bad-tempered, and tyrannical. Whereas most of the grasshoppers consider the ants harmless, Hopper is aware that the ants outnumber them, and therefore plots to kill the queen ant to frighten them into submission. His catchphrase "Let's ride!" is uttered when the grasshoppers are about to take flight ''en masse''. '''[[Julia Louis-Dreyfus]]''' as '''Princess Atta''', the older princess ant of the royal family and heir to the throne. She is nervous about her new responsibilities and fears what the rest of the colony might think about her. During the film, it is shown that she has a small crush on Flik, although initially she does not show much appreciation for him. Her appreciation changes for the better after the ants build the bird. The Queen eventually gives up her crown at the end of the film to Atta, whereupon Atta gives up her own crown to her younger sister Dot. '''[[Hayden Panettiere]]''' as '''Dot''', the younger princess ant of the royal family. She idolises Flik and hates being small. She starts the movie unable to fly, but gradually learns to by the end. Dot acts as Flik's moral support, and he as hers. Dot fears the demented grasshopper Thumper, exposure to whom Hopper uses as a punishment. Dot ultimately terrifies Thumper with the help of the [[rhinoceros beetle]] Dim. '''[[Phyllis Diller]]''' as '''The Queen''' of the ant colony. She is an ancient ant, who is due to give up her crown to her eldest daughter Atta. She admonishes her younger daughter, Dot, for trying to fly before her time. She has a pet [[aphid]] called Aphy, whom she adores. She is also shown to have an intimate, possibly romantic relationship with another elder ant, Mr. Soil. '''[[Richard Kind]]''' as '''Molt''', Hopper's brother and self-proclaimed Vice President of the grasshopper gang. He is named 'Molt' for his exoskeleton's abnormal tendency to peel off. He is a loudmouth and provides a great deal of [[comic relief]]. Hopper detests his brothers' antics and is shown remarking that he promised their mother on her deathbed that he would not kill Molt, and would do so if he had not promised. At the end, Molt joins P.T. Flea's circus troupe, under the new name of Tiny. '''[[Roddy McDowall]]''' as '''Mister Soil''', a member of the Ant Island council. This role was Roddy McDowall's last before his death in [[1998]]. '''[[Edie McClurg]]''' as '''Doctor Flora''', the doctor of Ant Island. '''[[Jonathan Harris]]''' as '''Manny''', a [[praying mantis]] with an English accent and the magician of P.T. Flea's circus troupe. Manny is Gypsy's husband. His magic act involves the 'Chinese Cabinet of Metamorphosis', which is really the packaging of a Chinese Takeaway. His magic act is not appreciated well by the flies in the usual audience, but the grasshoppers take it seriously. Manny is aggressive towards Flik at the beginning of their acquaintance, but grows to like him. During the rescue of the Queen, Manny does his magic act and is almost strangled by Hopper when he refuses to give up the Queen's location. His personality is very melodramatic and dignified. '''[[Madeline Kahn]]''' as '''Gypsy''', a gypsy [[moth]] who has beautiful patterns on either side of her wings. She is Manny's wife as well as his 'lovely assistant' during his magic act. She gives the signal for Flik's fake bird plan to commence when the plan to rescue the Queen is in session. During this, Manny does his magic act, and Gypsy takes the place of the Queen as if to be a transformation in his Chinese Cabinet. '''[[Bonnie Hunt]]''' as '''Rosie''', a [[black widow spider]] who is maternal toward the rhinoceros beetle, Dim, and the younger ants of the colony. She has apparently had twelve husbands. She will sometimes be involved in whatever Slim, Francis, and Heimlich are doing. She seems to share a friendship with Slim, to whom she is seen in proximity. '''[[Michael McShane]]''' as '''Tuck and Roll''', [[twin]] [[pill bug]]s who speak a [[language]] other than English. It is unknown what this language is, but it is presumed to be Russian, as they are prone to a [[dance]] that is similar to a Russian dance. Tuck and Roll occasionally argue, but are usually the best of friends. They act as cannonballs in P.T. Flea's circus troupe. They like the sound of the phrase "You fired!" (of whose meaning they have no idea), and continuously repeat it throughout the film. '''[[John Ratzenberger]]''' as '''P.T. [[Flea]]''', the ringmaster of the circus troupe, who is unwilling to give refunds after his show has lasted two minutes. His ''finalé'' consists of an act called 'Flaming Death', in which he was almost incinerated. This caused him to fire his entire troupe, until a foot-long line of flies arrived outside the circus tent, wanting to see the 'Flaming Death' act again. He loves money. His name is based on the initials of circus owner [[Phineas Taylor Barnum]]. '''[[Brad Garrett]]''' as '''Dim''', a [[rhinoceros beetle]] who has a childlike, impressionable, but clear-sighted character. He is usually mothered by the black widow spider, Rosie. He is the largest insect of the circus troupe, and also the transport to Heimlich, Tuck, Roll, and Rosie. It is he who provokes the performers to revive Flik's belief in himself, when this has waned. ==References to other Pixar films== {{main|List of Pixar film references}} ==Music== {{main|A Bug's Life (soundtrack)}} ==Reception== {{Expand|date=July 2008}} This movie received a 91% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes. ===Box office=== ''A Bug's Life'' made approximately $162.7 million in its U.S. theatrical run, easily covering its estimated production costs of [[US dollar|$]]45 million. The film made $200,600,000 in foreign countries. The film made a worldwide gross of $363.3 million surpassing the competition from [[DreamWorks]]'s [[Antz]]. ==Video release== The [[DVD]] of the film is the first wholly-digital transfer of a feature film to a digital playback medium. No analog processes came between the creation of the computer images and their representation on the DVD. As well, the [[pan and scan]] or 'full screen' version of the video (on the DVD as well as [[VHS]] releases) has been '''reframed''' and '''restaged'''; rather than sacrifice image in some parts of the film, the frame has been extended or objects moved to fit the narrower [[Aspect ratio (image)|aspect ratio]]. Pixar continued this process on its later video releases. Also, the different characters (Flik, Dot, Francis, etc.) were on one (by themselves) cover of the video cover, considered a collectible in many cases. To show off its new DVD capabilities, a copy of the film was included with the Apple [[iMac DV]], which made its debut in 1999. A [[laserdisc]] version was also released in Japan by Pioneer, one of the last. The widescreen version of the film preserves its original [[aspect ratio]] of 2.35:1. ''A Bug's Life'' is the first fully [[computer animated]] feature to be filmed in this ratio. A set of "fluffs" and "[[outtakes]]" was included, in which various animated characters "blew" their dialog, or broke up laughing inappropriately. In one, Flik yells the line "To infinity, and beyond!", quoting [[Buzz Lightyear]] from an earlier Pixar film, [[Toy Story]]. Another "outtake" features Woody coming in with an upside down clap board. ==Trailers== One Pixar tradition is to create one trailer for each of their films that contains no footage from the actual unreleased film. The trailers for this film: * Flik and all the insects from the [[circus]] troupe gather onto a leaf right before Heimlich bites the end of it off, causing them to fall. ==Attached short film== {{main|Geri's Game}} Theatrical and video releases of this film include ''Geri's Game'', a Pixar short made in [[1997]], a year before this film was released. ==See also== *''[[Antz]]'' *[[List of A Bug's Life characters]] *[[A Bug's Life (video game)]] ==External links== * [http://www.pixar.com/featurefilms/abl/ Information at Pixar's site] * {{imdb title|id=0120623|title=A Bug's Life}} * {{bcdb title|id=7263|title=A Bug's Life}} * {{rotten-tomatoes|id=bugs_life|title=A Bug's Life}} * {{metacritic film|id=bugslife|title=A Bug's Life}} * {{mojo title|id=bugslife|title=A Bug's Life}} ==References== {{reflist}} {{ Box Office Leaders USA | before = [[The Rugrats Movie]] | date = November 29 | date2 = December 6 | year = 1998 | after = [[Star Trek: Insurrection]] }} {{start box}} {{succession box | before = [[Geri's Game]] | title = [[Pixar Animation Studios]] animated films | years = 1998 | after = [[Toy Story 2]] }} {{end box}} {{Pixar Animation Studios}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Bug's Life, A}} [[Category:1998 films]] [[Category:Pixar feature films]] [[Category:American films]] [[Category:Children's fantasy films]] [[Category:Computer-animated films]] [[Category:English-language films]] [[Category:Films featuring anthropomorphic characters]] [[Category:Films about insects]] [[ar:حياة حشرة]] [[ca:A Bug's Life]] [[cy:A Bug's Life]] [[da:Græs-rødderne]] [[de:Das große Krabbeln]] [[dv:އަ ބަގްސް ލައިފް]] [[el:Ζουζούνια (ταινία)]] [[es:Bichos]] [[fr:1001 Pattes]] [[it:A Bug's Life - Megaminimondo]] [[he:באג לייף]] [[hu:Egy bogár élete]] [[nl:Een Luizenleven]] [[ja:バグズ・ライフ]] [[no:Småkryp]] [[pl:Dawno temu w trawie]] [[pt:A Bug's Life]] [[simple:A Bug's Life]] [[fi:Ötökän elämää]]