'Minions: The Rise of Gru' director explains how Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and the 1970s influenced the film

"Minions: The Rise of Gru" may be filled with familiar faces of, uh, adorable yellow creatures, but it takes them back to the 1970s, when Gru (still voiced by Steve Carell) was a supervillain in the training and the Minions sought to fit into its burgeoning world.

The latest installment in the popular franchise from Universal and Illumination was directed by Kyle Balda, himself a veteran of the Minions world and a kid of the 70s. researching the colors, music, architecture, clothing and hairstyles of the mid-1970s for the film, which follows elementary school student Gru as he applies to join the Vicious 6, a team of super- naughty. , but of course, events, with the help of the Minions, go wrong.

The feature has a fun reference to 70s kung fu movies, something Balda loves. Much of the action takes place in San Francisco and the city's famous Chinatown, with the venerable Michelle Yeoh playing a key role as martial arts master Chow, who trains three of the Minions in battle. p>

Master Chow (Michelle Yeoh) leads the Minions in their training in San Francisco. Enlightenment entertainment and universal images

Jackie Chan is one of the biggest influences in the training and fight scenes. “Jackie Chan on every level because his movies have such a good mix of action and really high-stakes comedy. That's kind of a big influence for Minions,” Balda says. In past movies, Charlie Chaplin and Peters Sellers influenced the animators of the Minions because with them, "everything is based on pantomime" with them.

“And Jackie Chan is just brilliant at bringing acting and comedy into the action,” says Balda. "One of the clearest nods [to kung fu movies], I would say, is more to Stephen Chow and things like 'Shaolin Soccer' and 'Kung Fu Hustle', which you can really see with Master Chow. His character is really rooted in that kind of comedy. There's also a bit of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

But one of the biggest stars of the time, Bruce Lee, was also a big influence. "The Minions even dressed up as him when they went to save Gru," Balda says.

The Minions pay homage to Bruce Lee in their yellow costumes.

Balda and the animation team opted for the more colorful and puffy 70s in their designs, forgoing the beige and avocado tones ubiquitous in tasteful kitchens and clothing of the era. The animation team has carefully researched the 1970s using books, archives, YouTube and other internet sources.

"Often it was difficult to choose between certain options. For example, there was an alternate version of the opening credits that ended like the "Brady Bunch", with the characters in that tic tac toe [ grid.] But then we went with the James Bond-style opening."

Balda says, “Brad Abelson, who was the co-director of the movie, did a lot of research in terms of comedic punch and that kind of stuff to find references that would really connect with people of our generation.”

Balda and the animators worked through their own memories of the cultural touchstones of the time, including a Tupperware party hosted by Gru's mother (voiced by Julie Andrews) and a screening of...