It was the year 1995 and Playstation had just been released. All around us technical innovations were astounding the young and old alike. Windows 95 brought the PC to the common man and Internet sites, that are today house hold names, were just purchasing their domain names.
From a world that was progressing faster than ever before came a movie that pushed the boundaries between imagination and reality: "Debby Does Dallas 4". That same year another movie came out … called Toy Story. What would its implications be on the movie industry? Why was this movie turning heads and filling theaters?
A cartoon never touched by the human hand.
The buzz was humming louder and louder every day … there was this movie coming out … made entirely on computers. Holy God. Just think about that concept. Even though no actual filming was done, no animator drew a line … no color artist added the final touches to this cartoon. Yes, this movie would be the first full-length feature of it’s kind. The idea had been tinkered with in the past … but this was a nationwide release, a big deal. Would it work or would it flop? Only time would tell.
The Plot
Andy is a six-year-old kid with a room full of toys and gadgets. He is a nice kid with a good heart … he is caring. What he doesn’t know is that when Andy is not in the room, the toys live out a life of their own, centered around maintaining their current status as Andy’s toys.
There are two times of major stress in the universe of Andy’s toy … Christmas and Andy’s birthday. Would Andy get a toy to <gulp> replace one of th… thhh… them?
Woody was Andy’s favorite toy, and this earned him both respect and silent resentment from the other toys. One fateful day, Andy’s birthday, a new toy is thrown into the mix that was too much for Woody to take. His name: Buzz Lightyear. Buzz was everything a growing boy could want; he could “fly” and had a laser. He had wings and a helmet. Very cool. Only problem was, Buzz didn’t realize that he was just a toy … he thought of himself as the “real” space hero Buzz from television commercials.
After a rivalry that puts both Buzz and Woody in grave danger, Buzz learns his true purpose in life and Woody learns to accept life and make the best of it. Roll with the punches. This is a story of a child’s love for his toy (an innocent love), friendship and living life to your fullest … being all you can be.
Evoke childhood memories
Remember playing with your toys when you were a little kid? They seemed alive didn’t they? Did you ever feel a little bit of guilt if you played with one toy a bit longer than another or vice versa? I think this movie takes that piece of us that still wants to believe our toys do come alive and magnifies it.
The simple joys of childhood are brought back to life with this movie … and don’t get me wrong; your kids will appreciate it to … but at another level. This mixed with the magic of computer animation make it all the more a ride rather than a movie.
Graphics count
Graphics eh? Like in a video game? Yes … but for the time that this movie was released the graphics were phenomenal. Even today animators would be hard-pressed to create such a beautiful artificial world. At times scenes look almost lifelike … and to think most people had 75mhz processors when this movie came out is unbelievable. The beauty and detail of this movie is almost too much for words… my Play Station 2 simply cannot compare.
The Cast
With big Hollywood names like Tim Allen, Tom Hanks and Woody Allen, how can you go wrong? The characters are voiced perfectly and complement the computer animation. I especially enjoyed the performance of Tim Allen who really gets into the whole space ranger idea. Tom Hanks was exceptional of course, playing Woody, but you have to appreciate the sheer energy Tim brought to the flick. Any other voice just wouldn’t have done the roll of Buzz justice.
The “extras” are what make it.
This movie is full of little one liners, bit roles and dynamic characters that will make you laugh ‘til it hurts and sit on the edge of your seat. Imagine one of those “claw” games where you insert a quarter and attempt to direct a claw to the prize of your choice. Now picture little green aliens who view the claw as a god who “chooses who is to go or stay”.
Other rolls like “Mr. Potato Head” or “green army men” will have you rolling in the isles … or living room as the case may be. The movie is filled with characters and situations that will appeal to the young and old alike.
Ok, I am obsessed with this movie … what else do you recommend?
Best of the TS Merchandise – My favorite piece of Toy Story merchandise is the oversized Alien dolls from the claw game. They say various lines from the movie as their heads glow in a cool, eerie way. Very cool collector’s item.
Best live action Toy Story – It will cost you. Disney world’s MGM Studios in Florida is the best place for your kids (or you:) to get a picture with Buzz or Woody or watch your favorite characters everyday in the parade.
The sequel – Toy Story 2 is now available on DVD or video. The movie features all of Toy Stories original characters laid out in a new and interesting plot. I was not as impressed with this movie but perhaps that is because I have aged a bit since the last release. It just didn’t carry the same magic for me. I would still recommend it however.
Overall –
Plot – 10/10
Vocals – 10/10
Graphics – 10/10
Music – 9/10 (Features Randy Newmon)
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