The Minions 2: Once Upon a Time Gru hits theaters on Wednesday. The film takes place in the 70s. Discover all the references to the Illumination feature film.
7 years after the first film dedicated to the solo adventures of the minions, the famous yellow men returned to the cinema.
Minions 2: Once Upon a Time Gru takes place in 1976. Gru grew up in the suburbs, surrounded by bell-bottom jeans and flowing hair. He hatches a Machiavellian plan to integrate a group of super villains known as the Vicious 6.
He is assisted in his task by minions, his little companions who are just as restless and loyal. Together, they deploy a treasure trove of ingenuity to build their first lair, experiment with their first weapon, and embark on their first mission.
When the Vicious 6 release their leader, the legendary Will Carnage, Gru auditions to join the team. The least we can say is that the interview goes awry when Gru reveals their superiority and suddenly turns out to be their sworn enemy. Forced to escape, he has no choice but to turn to Will Carnage himself to find a way out, an encounter that will allow him to discover that even super villains need friends sometimes.
“Once Upon a Time Gru” takes place in the 70s and has many references to the pop culture of the seventies: be it movies, music or clothes. The characters of the film have costumes and hairstyles typical of that era.
Director Kyle Balda explains:I grew up in the 70s, it’s a very intimate time for me and so nostalgic: TV, music, cars, haircuts, flared jeans, everything was a bit psychedelic. Pop colors, glitter, disco…
The Vivid 6
It was a very rich period visually, that’s for sure. I was a groovy kid at the time, and it was so exciting to dive into old TV shows to find music and fashion to inspire us..”
“My name is Bond, Minion Bond”
The world of Minions, always very colorful, blends perfectly with the psychedelic atmosphere that reigned in the 70s. From the opening credits you are immersed in the heart of the hippie years. The opening of the film definitely refers to the James Bond credits with the silhouettes of the minions prominently featured on the title track. Bach Bach by Nancy Sinatra.
The film director comments: “JI watched a lot of James Bond at the time and loved the opening scenes in the opening credits where the silhouettes stood out in the shadow of the Nancy Sinatra tune. We were completely inspired by these titles and wanted the public to know from the very first picture that the film would be a true declaration of love for those years..”
This period of history was truly a goldmine for the creative team.
Another cinephile wink, Gru decides to go to the movies to see Steven Spielberg’s Jaws. Released in theaters in June 1975, the film was restricted to children under 12. Gru is only 11 and a half years old, so he tricks himself into attending a screening of this film that has become a great classic.
Yellow Belt for Minions
But Minions 2 gives a special place to the kung fu movies that were popular at the time, even if that means being a bit anachronistic…
The suit the minions wore during their fight against the Vicious 6 is definitely a nod to Bruce Lee’s costume from The Game of Death. The 1972 film was not released until 1978 (Robert Close finished the film after Bruce Lee’s sudden death in 1973), which is 2 years after 1976, the year in which Minions 2 was set.
In addition to the visual references, the featurette shows the minions taking martial arts lessons with an expert and battling The Vicious 6 transformed into monsters thanks to a magical Chinese medallion.
Kyle Balda explains: “We watched a lot of movies that made me happy at the time. The first was Louis Chia-Lang’s The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978), which was full of gimmicks and which we reused in the film.
The biggest inspiration came from comic kung fu movies that we pay real homage to, like the legendary Jackie Chan’s Chinese Master in 1978, as well as Stephen Chow’s Crazy Kung Fu in 2004 and of course Shaolin Soccer. in 2001.”
Illumination Studio President Chris Meledandri adds, “TheIt’s unlike anything you’ve seen before, and it’s certainly unlike any of the previous films in the franchise. And this is completely intentional. It is very important to us that each of our films is special, new and offers an opportunity to explore new horizons every time.
And it’s not just in terms of character, story, plot, or humor. No, first and foremost the experience must be visceral, in terms of image or even sound. It is the work of imagination of hundreds of artists who are completely committed to their parts and represent the engines of creativity within the beautiful mechanics that allow us to make films of this quality.“.
Diana Ross and the Minions
The action of the film is highlighted by the soundtrack composed by Jack Antonoff. A true ode to the 70s, with disco tracks, soul classics and covers of some of the greatest hits of the era by contemporary artists.
Especially with recovery noisy city 1979 Lipps Inc. hit by st vincent, dance to the music From Sly and The Family Stone in 1967 by HER, INow Karma!John Lennon’s 70s version by Bleachers, a hit I was born to be alive By Patrick Hernandez Hong Kong rapper Jackson Wang or even goodbye love Carpenters 1972 by Phoebe Bridgers.
There are also title covers Bach Bach by Nancy Sinatra Fly like an eagle by Steve Miller Band or cover Cecilia From Simon & Garfunkel, by the Minions themselves.
Note also the presence Turn on the sunlightAn unprecedented collaboration between disco queen Diana Ross and Australian psychedelic musician Tame Impala for the final credits of the feature film.
“Turn Up the Sunshine” music video
Source: allocine
Emily Jhon is a product and service reviewer at Gossipify, known for her honest evaluations and thorough analysis. With a background in marketing and consumer research, she offers valuable insights to readers. She has been writing for Gossipify for several years and has a degree in Marketing and Consumer Research from the University of Oxford.
