The Incredibles hidden details: Edna's voice, Syndrome and the 60s look
The Incredibles hidden details start with Edna Mode, who is voiced by the film's director. Brad Bird took the role himself after other casting attempts fell through, and the result is one of Pixar's most quoted characters.
Released in November 2004, The Incredibles was Pixar's first film with an all-human cast, which forced the studio to build new tools for skin, hair and clothing. It won the Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Sound Editing.
Here are the production facts and small details most viewers miss.
The Incredibles hidden details: brad Bird is Edna Mode
Bird voiced Edna after several attempts to cast the part failed. Lily Tomlin was approached but turned it down. Bird's performance, clipped and fast, became so tied to the character that he returned for the sequel.
Syndrome was meant to die early
In early versions Syndrome was a minor character who died near the start of the story. The planned villain was someone called Xerek. The filmmakers liked Syndrome more and built the film around him. Bird has said the character was partly based on himself, a fan who wants to be part of something he admires.
The technology behind the humans
Making humans look right was harder than toys, bugs or fish.
- Violet's long hair, designed to hide her face, was one of the hardest effects and was only finished late in production.
- Hair had to move convincingly underwater and in wind, which pushed Pixar's simulation tools.
- A subsurface scattering technique let light pass slightly into the skin, giving the characters a softer, more lifelike look.
- Clothing had to stretch and fold over bodies, and superhero suits made that more visible.
A 1960s spy film in disguise
The film's retro-futuristic look is an homage to the 1960s comic books and spy films of Bird's childhood. Michael Giacchino, scoring his first Pixar film, recorded on analogue tape to match that era. John Barry, composer of many James Bond scores, was the first choice but declined to repeat his old sound.
Links to The Iron Giant and cut material
Bird developed the story after his first feature, The Iron Giant, struggled at the box office. He brought many of his Iron Giant collaborators to Pixar, and a number of 2D animators moved into computer animation for the film.
Some material changed along the way. An early scene that resembled the collapse of the World Trade Center was replaced. A pilot character named Snug was removed when John Lasseter suggested Helen should fly the plane herself, which gave her one of the film's best action scenes.
Jack-Jack Attack and release details
The short Jack-Jack Attack was made for the two-disc DVD released on March 15, 2005. It shows what happened while the babysitter Kari was looking after Jack-Jack during the main story, filling a gap the film only hints at.
The film premiered at the El Capitan Theatre on October 24, 2004, and opened in US cinemas on November 5. It was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay and Best Sound Mixing and won the Annie Award for Best Animated Feature.
Watch how the film moves from suburban comedy to spy thriller once Bob reaches Nomanisan. The colour, the music and even the camera work shift toward 1960s adventure films. Giacchino's analogue score is doing much of that work, and it is worth listening for how often it borrows the brassy sound of the era.
Questions people ask
Who voices Edna Mode?
Director Brad Bird.
Was Syndrome always the villain of The Incredibles?
No. He started as a minor character who died early; the filmmakers promoted him over a planned villain named Xerek.
Who composed The Incredibles score?
Michael Giacchino, in his first Pixar film.