The Book of Life (2014)

Manolo, a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart, embarks on an adventure that spans three fantastic worlds where he must face his greatest fears.

Director:

Jorge R. Gutiérrez (as Jorge R. Gutierrez)

Writers:

Jorge R. Gutiérrez (as Jorge R. Gutierrez), Douglas Langdale (as Doug Langdale)

Stars:

Diego Luna, Zoe Saldana, Channing Tatum

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 2 wins & 27 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Diego Luna	...	Manolo (voice)
Zoe Saldana	...	Maria (voice)
Channing Tatum	...	Joaquin (voice)
Ron Perlman	...	Xibalba (voice)
Christina Applegate	...	Mary Beth (voice)
Ice Cube	...	Candle Maker (voice)
Kate del Castillo	...	La Muerte (voice)
Hector Elizondo	...	Carlos Sanchez (voice)
Danny Trejo	...	Skeleton Luis (voice)
Carlos Alazraqui	...	General Posada / Dali / Chuy (voice)
Ana de la Reguera	...	Skeleton Carmen (voice)
Emil-Bastien Bouffard	...	Young Manolo (voice)
Elias Garza	...	Young Joaquin (voice)
Genesis Ochoa	...	Young Maria (voice)
Plácido Domingo	...	Skeleton Jorge (voice)

Storyline

From producer Guillermo del Toro and director Jorge Gutierrez comes an animated comedy with a unique visual style. THE BOOK OF LIFE is the journey of Manolo, a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart. Before choosing which path to follow, he embarks on an incredible adventure that spans three fantastical worlds where he must face his greatest fears. Rich with a fresh take on pop music favorites, THE BOOK OF LIFE encourages us to celebrate the past while looking forward to the future.

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Plot Keywords:

bullfight | afterlife | love triangle | bullfighting | day of the dead | 

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Genres:

Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for mild action, rude humor, some thematic elements and brief scary images

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

17 October 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Day of the Dead

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$17,005,218 (USA) (17 October 2014)

Gross:

$50,150,619 (USA) (20 February 2015)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Reel FX Creative Studios, Twentieth Century Fox, Chatrone

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Diego Luna and Zoe Saldana also played love interests in The Terminal (2004).

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Goofs

Just before Manolo begins his first bullfight, his father, Carlos arms him with two swords on his back. However, when Manolo enters the ring and fights the bull, his swords disappear and his father later provides him another sword and prompting him to kill the bull.

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Quotes

Manolo: So, my father tells me you hate bull fighters.

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Connections

Referenced in Animation Lookback: Top 5 Best & Worst Animated Films of 2013 (2014)

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Soundtracks

La Negra
Written by Silvestre Vargas (as Silvestre Vargas Vazquez) and 'Rubén Fuentes (I)' (as Ruben Fuentes Gasson)
Performed by Mariachi Veracruz
Courtesy of Fonocal Records

User Reviews

Spectacular

24 October 2014 Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester This Morning - The Book of Life. An unusual animation from the stable of Jorge R Gutierrez. Joaquin, Maria and Manolo are best friends who are torn apart when Maria is sent to Europe to calm her wild ways. The two boys are both in love with her and when she returns, they compete for her affections unaware their lives are being controlled by the two Lords of the Underworlds, who have set a wager on the outcome of their love triangle. La Muerta is the mistress of the beautiful and vibrant Land of The Remembered, whilst Xibalba is the discontented ruler of the Land of The Forgotten. The characters were portrayed as wooden puppet style people, yet when they entered the Land of The Remembered they became exquisitely carved skeletons. The animation was amazing. Apart from all the characters in in three lands I found myself avidly watching the backgrounds. The colours were so vibrant and the details were so beautifully worked. This film was set around the Mexican Day of The Dead and the whole feel of it came across as one glorious fiesta. Another animation triumph and a spectacular musical score to match.