Bee Movie - Lecture Notes

Overview

• Title: Bee Movie
• Release Date: October 25, 2007 (New York City), November 2, 2007 (United States)
• Produced by: DreamWorks Animation, Columbus 81 Productions
• Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
• Directors: Simon J. Smith, Steve Hickner
• Writers: Jerry Seinfeld, Spike Feresten, Barry Marder, Andy Robin
• Voice Cast: Jerry Seinfeld, Rene Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, John Goodman, Patrick Warburton, Chris Rock
• Music: Rupert Gregson-Williams
• Running Time: 91 minutes
• Language: English
• Budget: $150 million
• Box Office: $293.5 million

Plot Summary

• Main Character: Barry B. Benson, a honey bee, voiced by Jerry Seinfeld.
• Storyline:
  • Barry sues the human race after discovering humans exploit bees.
  • Forms a friendship with Vanessa Bloome, a human florist.
  • Barry's lawsuit ends exploitation but results in ecological imbalance.
  • Barry and Vanessa work to restore balance by saving flowers for pollination.

Reception

• Critics: Mixed reviews
  • Praised for humor and voice cast.
  • Criticized for plot and lack of originality.
• Review Scores:
  • Rotten Tomatoes: 49% approval rating
  • Metacritic: Score of 54/100
  • CinemaScore: Average grade of B+
• Cultural Impact: Gained a cult following via internet memes.

Accolades and Lawsuits

• Awards: Nominated for Annie Awards, Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature
• Legal Issues: Two lawsuits filed and dismissed

Cultural and Marketing Impact

• Memes and Popularity: Gained ironic meme status leading to reevaluation.
• Promotions: Featured in Brach's candy, McDonald's Happy Meals, and more.
• Home Media: Released on DVD and Blu-ray with various extras.

Development and Production

• Initiation: Steven Spielberg and Jerry Seinfeld collaboration.
• Setting: Chosen to be New York, the 'Tigris and Euphrates of comedy'.
• Promotion: Included live-action trailers featuring Spielberg.

Conclusion

• Cultural Relevance: Despite its initial mixed reviews, Bee Movie has found a place in pop culture, largely driven by its meme fame.
• Jerry Seinfeld's View: Finds the internet's embrace of Bee Movie surprising and welcoming, but has no plans for a sequel.