By Bruce Dancis
Scripps Howard News

It’s almost axiomatic to say that Pixar movies are just as enjoyable for adults as they are for kids. But in the case of Pixar’s most recent hit, “Up,” out on Blu-ray and DVD this week (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, $39.99 two-disc DVD/$45.99 four-disc Blu-ray combo, rated PG), the animation studio may have made a film that’s even more pleasurable, and meaningful, for grown-ups than for children.

To be sure, “Up,” like its Oscar-winning predecessors from Pixar (“WALL-E,” “Ratatouille,” “The Incredibles” and “Finding Nemo”) has been a hit for all ages. Released at the end of May, “Up” is the third-highest-grossing film of the year so far, according to Box Office Mojo, taking in nearly $300 million at American movie theaters. And one of its protagonists is an 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer named Russell (voiced by Jordan Nagai).

Yet Russell turns out to be a secondary character in “Up,” a youthful force who helps set in motion the real star of the film, a crotchety 78-year old balloon salesman named Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner and drawn to resemble an old Spencer Tracy).

The movie, directed by Peter Docter and written by Docter and Bob Peterson, is actually about the life and unfulfilled dreams of Carl, who we first meet as a kid in the 1930s. Young Carl is entranced by the exploits of adventurer-explorer Charles Muntz (voiced by Christopher Plummer), who flies a dirigible and is famous for, among other things, his search for a rare, giant bird in Paradise Falls, located somewhere in South America. It’s Carl’s adventurous spirit that binds him to an even more daring girl his age named Ellie.

Carl attempts to fulfill a dream he and Ellie had always shared — to take a trip to Paradise Falls in search of the long-lost Muntz. The means of Carl’s travel is extraordinary — in one of the most beautiful sequences in Pixar films, he ties thousands of helium-filled balloons to his house, and he flies away. But there’s one big snag. Carl has a stowaway in his flying house — the not particularly resourceful Russell.

Making a senior citizen the star of “Up” is a departure for Pixar, and the film includes some clever humor about hearing aids, canes and handicapped-parking spaces. The creation of Carl is explored by Docter and Peterson in their affable and informative audio commentary on all versions of the film. Interestingly, Docter says that he was initially worried about the silent “Married Life” sequence, but that when it was shown to his colleagues in storybook format (included here) “people were moved to tears.” In “Geriatric Hero,” a short documentary available only on the Blu-ray edition, we learn how Pixar animators went to retirement homes to do research on how seniors move and talk.

As usual, bonus features on Pixar-Disney DVDs are both abundant and enjoyable. In addition to Docter and Peterson’s commentary, all editions include “Dug’s Special Mission,” a new short film about a fun-loving canine; “The Many Endings of Muntz,” a look at alternate endings; “Partly Cloudy,” a short film about storks and babies that was shown in theaters preceding “Up,” and “Adventure is Out There,” a documentary about the filmmakers’ journey to South America for research.

The Blu-ray edition’s four discs include three versions of the movie (Blu-ray, regular DVD and a digital copy), all of the above bonus features, plus short documentaries on the creation of the various characters.

“Up” is both a thrilling adventure story and an insightful look into love, loss and the human need for family. In his commentary, Docter sums up the main lesson Carl has learned from Ellie: “The meaningful adventures in life (are) the relationships we share with each other.”
That’s a profound thought for kids as well as grown-ups.