Finding Dory, the film that takes us back under the sea and inside the Marine Life Institute is now available on digital and physical release. The film has been available in digital form since October 25, but as of November 15, you can get the Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray & DVD versions.
Fans of the film will most certainly be as excited as we were to dig into the behind-the-scenes extras – including 65 minutes of deleted scenes that show various directions in which the film was headed during production.
However, before you find yourself digging into those extra features be sure to watch the film itself again as Finding Dory is just as stunning to watch at home as it was in the theaters. From the brilliant details brought by multiple departments (animation, simulation, etc.) to the hauntingly beautiful score, this Digital & Blu-ray release is remarkable.
Bonus Features Review
Deleted Scenes (65:00)
The Finding Dory bonus features are plentiful, especially when it comes to the amount of deleted scenes included in the special features (with 65 minutes combining both Blu-ray and Digital).
The best part of having so many deleted scenes is you can watch the evolution of the film and basically see an entire alternate version – which is really cool! One of our favorite deleted scenes titled, ‘Little Tension in Clown Town’ (sample clip below) features Dory crossing the ocean using her own instincts with the squid having lines of dialogue (and it sure sounds like this may have been positioned as the original vocal slot for Pixar’s lucky charm, John Ratzenberger).
We should also note that all of the deleted scenes are animatics with the exception of ‘Sleep Swimming’ and part of ‘Starting Over’. It was mentioned during the director’s commentary that the ‘Sleep Swimming’ scene was originally placed in one of the film’s first teasers (and was even slotted in the original film), however, was the scene ultimately cut. For a complete list of deleted scenes click here.
Marine Life Interviews (2:00)
The Marine Life Interviews showcase a series of interviews with Hank, Bailey, Destiny, and Fluke/Rudder talking about Dory (who makes an appearance at the end). The style of the interviews mirrored the opening scene of The Incredibles as the film appears aged with moments out of focus.
The Octopus That Nearly Broke Pixar (9:00)
As the team has mentioned in multiple interviews, Hank was the most complicated character the studio has ever made.
In this incredible behind-the-scenes look 17 Pixarians which include, Lindsey Collins (Producer), Andrew Stanton (Director), Steven Clay Hunter (Animator), Jeremie Talbot (Character Sup), Trevor Jimenez (Story Artist), Hana Yoon (Story Manager), Angus MacLane and Jason Deamer (Character Art Dir), Mark Piretti (Character modeling and articulation lead), Kevin Singleton (Character Modeling and articulation lead), Michal Makarewicz (Dir Animator), Mark Hessler (Character Modeling and Articulation Lead), Greg Dykstra (Sculptor), Bret Parker (Animation Tools Lead), Erick Oh (Animator), James W Brown (Animation), Jonathan Hoffman (Character Shading Artist).
The team all share their love and frustration over bringing the grumpy septopus to life. The bonus feature showcases early renderings of Hank (with his love of hot sauce), numerous research trips, and the reason Hank only has 7 tentacles – which was quite the relief for the team! For more fun facts on Hank and the film be sure to check out our post ‘Getting Geeky with Finding Dory’.
What Were We Talking About? (4:30)
The Finding Dory team discussed the challenge of Dory’s short-term memory loss and the transition into her becoming the main character. The feature also further discusses the now-scrapped idea of Dory’s parents also having short-term memory loss.
Casual Carpool (4:00)
This silly video features Andrew Stanton (Director), Eugene Levy (Charlie), Albert Brooks (Marlin), and Ty Burell (Bailey) as they laugh and joke while driving around in a car and playfully forgetting to pick up Ed O’Neill (Hank).
Animation and Acting (7:00)
This bonus feature allows you to step inside the vocal booth and watch the actors’ expressive gestures as they bring their characters to life. In the short snippet below, Albert Brooks explains how the Finding Dory team does a magic trick to bring it all together.
Deep in the Kelp (3:30)
In this bonus feature, Disney Channel’s Jenna Ortega (Stuck in the Middle) takes us on a tour of the Monterey Bay Aquarium to show how the Finding Dory team did their research for the film – Ortega even gets up-close and personal with one of their resident octopus!
Creature Features (3:00)
The cast of “Finding Dory” share cool facts about the animals they voice in the film.
Director’s Commentary
The Director’s Commentary features:
- Andrew Stanton (Director)
- Lindsay Collins (Producer)
- Angus MacLane (Co-Director)
The trio touch on early technical challenges with the focus on the stingray migration scene and a discussion on how it was an early proving shot for the film. On a less technical note, the team noted how they came up with the location of the permanent aquarium for the transfer fish. Originally the team had thought Canada, however, Cleveland was the ultimate winner – not due to any personal connections, but only because it sounded funny and that it was a land-locked city. Our complete Director’s Commentary review will be coming soon.
Skating and Sketching with Jason Deamer (4:00)
“Failure is part of the process…” – Jason Deamer
One of our favorite artists at Pixar Animation Studios is Jason Deamer and in this bonus feature, we learn a little more about his background with the studio. Starting at the studio in 1997 as a furniture mover, Deamer sketched faces on his coffee cups (he still does today and posts on Instagram) which then allowed him to create and show his portfolio – forever transitioning his role within Pixar. Deamer showcases his artistic style and shows how real-life objects help him create the characters of the film – we only wish this bonus feature was longer!
Dory’s Theme (5:00)
We always are very interested in the development and scoring of the music for the film and we felt this feature was just getting started when it ended. This feature showed a brief look at the creation process with Thomas Newman (Composer) and Bill Bernstein (Music Editor). We enjoyed the great conversation about how Dory’s theme carried a joyful playfulness (much like Dory herself) in 5/4 timing and how the piano paired with an EWI (pronounced EE-Wee and stands for an Electronic Wind Instrument) created a deep sense of wonder.
Rough Day on the Reef (1:00)
Quirks with the computer – the feature highlights computer rendering errors (e.g., crazy otters, two ears on a person, characters with no color) and is just some quirky comic relief.
Finding Nemo – As Told by Emoji
This unique short video tells the story of Finding Dory through emojis and has been featured online and on the Disney Movies Anywhere app.
Fish Schticks (3:30)
A collection of toolbox animations, promo animations, and gags with the best ones involving Fluke and Rudder.
Living Aquariums Section
These four backgrounds are perfect to have in the background on for a gathering at your home – especially if you’re having a Nemo/Dory or underwater-themed party.
- Sea Grass – a look at the scene right before the stingray migration happens
- Open Ocean – a scene of fish swimming around (as if you’re looking into the Open Ocean exhibit)
- Stingrays – The Stingray scene including stingrays (of course)!
- Swim to the Surface – a dark look at the kelp forrest
Hidden Secrets of Finding Dory (3:00)
Who doesn’t love finding Easter Eggs in Pixar films? In this bonus feature, you’ll find where to spot the Pizza Planet Truck, A-113, and many more (see below)! For additional Finding Dory Easter Eggs be sure to check out our findings from the International trailers.
In the back hallways of the Marine Life Institute, you’ll notice photographs hanging on the wall. They are actual construction photos of the Steve Jobs Building at Pixar Animation Studios.
Did you notice the character Band-Aid on the Marine Life Institute truck driver? It’s no other than Lighting McQueen – a nod to the upcoming Cars 3 film.
Notice a familiar face in the field trip scene? Looks like Riley is en-“JOY”ing herself at the Marine Life Institute.
Not only can you spot on of the A-113’s from Finding Dory in this particular scene but the manufacturer of the Marine Life Institute’s truck is a nod to Sets Art Director, Don Shank.
WATCHING Finding Dory
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Pick up Finding Dory on Amazon or Apple TV, or watch it on Disney+.
