Why So Blu?

Comic-Con 2010: Tron Legacy Press Event

It was nearly 30 years ago when Disney released a science fiction film that altered the landscape of special effects.  Known simply as Tron, the film included the likes of the now Oscar winner Jeff Bridges.  The story was simple; a guy gets warped into a computer and has to find his way out.  Little does he know that perils await at every turn as a fully functional dictatorship exists in the virtual landscape.  Donned in CCM hockey helmets and futuristic uniforms accented with white tape, the film’s crew used this combination along with a creative lighting effect to give a luminescence to the actors and the world in which they roam. 

Come December, this world will once again come to life as Tron Legacy makes its way to theaters, just in time for the holiday season.  As the 2010 Comic-Con descended upon San Diego, so did the stars and filmmakers promoting their soon to be released projects.  Among the Tron Legacy panel were Jeff Bridges, reprising his role as Kevin Flynn along with Olivia Wilde (Turistas), Michael Sheen (Underworld / Frost-Nixon), and sci-fi newcomer Garrett Hedlund (Friday Night Lights) as Kevin Flynn’s son, Sam.  The cast and crew spoke candidly about their experiences on the set while filming and Why So Blu was there to ask Jeff Bridges about his thoughts on the sequel.

 WSB: It’s not commonplace for such a big gap for films in a franchise.  What was your reaction when this first came across to you that there was going to be a sequel? 

 Jeff Bridges:  Well, I had heard rumors of a sequel for many years and I kind of gave up on it.  And then all of a sudden this script showed up and Disney kind of had it on its backburners and they were not satisfied with the script, so they waited, and I’m so happy they did, because we got a good script and also they held out to find the right guy to be at the helm, and with Joe I think they really found a terrific, terrific leader.  Coming from an architect it’s always interesting where a director comes from, whether it’s a writer or an actor, and to have an architect at the helm of this one was terrific. 

He was really up to date with all the modern techniques that we have in special effects and everything, so he was a great leader and terrific with actors.  When we got all this packaged together and they presented it to me I said, “Whoa, this sounds like something I would love to do.”  Just like the first one, it tickled the kid in me, you know, being sucked inside a computer.  Blame it all on the new toys that we have available to us, that kind of cutting edge, being involved with something so cutting edge was very exciting to me.

What would be more fitting for a film of a tech-flavored landscape than to have a techno soundtrack?  That’s where veteran music group Daft Punk enters the scene.  Director Joseph Kosinski met with the group some time back over a pancake breakfast, getting familiar with their passion for the original Tron.  As this story breaks, Daft Punk is putting the finishing touches on the soundtrack for Tron Legacy.  Though the group is quite familiar with techno, the soundtrack will not be exclusively of that genre.  As Kosinski stated, “It’s a really incredible blend of electronic music, orchestral music, and really blurs the line between sound design and music in a really interesting way.”   Kosinski went on to say, “It’s really just an amazing kind of fusion of music and picture.” 

In regard to the way the film was shot and three-dimensional capabilities, Kosinski captured the story with cameras more up to date than what James Cameron used to shoot Avatar.  The benefit is a higher level of visual quality with greater capabilities.  The downside is how cumbersome such equipment is as it contributes an additional 10% to 20% of production time from what it would otherwise take with equipment of a smaller scale.  Still, these visual-capturing devices will generate that enhanced experience theater-goers will witness at the cinema, in both 2D and 3D.  Jeff Bridges jokingly offered his take on the future of 3D by saying, “Isn’t 3D without glasses coming up?  And then holograms, I guess that’s where it’s going…or maybe you just take a pill.  Tron the Pill.” 

If there is one thing for certain about the visuals of Tron Legacy, it’s that they will truly be unique; from the expansive cyber world where the story unfolds to the glowing garb that covers the actors.  Olivia Wilde stated that it was “absolutely amazing” to wear them of which co-star Michael Sheen cleverly added, “It was amazing to watch Olivia in them.” and co-star Olivia Wilde talked about what it was like to work in the new Tron suits that were a combination of neoprene interwoven with a type of flat lamp set within the suits.  Sheen mentioned how this symphonic hum would fill the air as a scene was ready to be shot while everyone’s suits were being turned on and lit up. 

December may still be a bit of time away, but this film will be on the minds of many until the year comes to a close.  Tron Legacy features a very talented cast, seamless special effects, a soundtrack from Daft Punk and a director on a mission.  After the excitement that fans showed over this movie in San Diego, you can bet Tron fever won’t be some type of computer virus, but rather the overflowing anticipation of a public eager to see this sequel.