Toy Story (1995) ft. Allyson Duncan
- Thomas Duncan
- Mar 26
- 6 min read
Guest:
Allyson Techmeier
5x Club Member - My Fair Lady (1964), Mary Poppins (1964), 12 Years a Slave (2013), Batman Begins (2005), Casablanca (1943) Re-Revisit
Sister of Tom, Daughter of Dana
Cast:
John Lasseter, Director
Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen, Alec Sokolow, Writers
Randy Newman, Music
Tom Hanks as Woody
Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear
Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head
Jim Varney as Slinky Dog
Wallace Shawn as Rex
John Ratzenberger as Hamm
Annie Potts as Bo Peep
John Morris as Andy Davis
Erik von Detten as Sid Phillips
Laurie Metcalf as Mrs. Davis
R. Lee Ermey as Sergeant
Jeff Pidgeon as Aliens
Sarah Freeman as Hannah Phillips
Penn Jillette as the Buzz Lightyear TV commercial announcer
Mickie McGowan as Mrs. Phillips
Background:
Toy Story was wide released on November 22, 1995.
On a budget of $30 million, the film would be a surprise sensation grossing $394 million worldwide and placing 2nd at the Worldwide Box Office for 1995.
Critics loved the film with many highlighting the new animation technology, the casting, and the story among their reviews.
Toy Story would be nominated for 3 Academy Awards: Best Original Screenplay (the first animated film ever nominated in this category), Original Song (You've Got a Friend in Me), and Original Score (Newman).
While the Best Animated Feature category would not be created for several years, the film did receive a Special Achievement Oscar for its work with digital animation.
Toy Story also sold very well in home video sales and in merchandising. To Infinity and Beyond has become a very well known phrase the world over as well as the film inspiring 3 released sequels and an upcoming 4th in the near future.
Digital Animation has become the dominant form of animation since Toy Story's release with Pixar in particular going on to massive film success with many of its other films.
In 2005, Toy Story was selected by the United States Library of Congress to be preserved in the National Film Registry.
Toy Story currently holds a 100% among critics on RT, a 96 score on Metacritic, and a 4.1/5 on Letterboxd.
Plot Summary: Toy Story is an animated film about a group of toys that come to life when their owner, Andy, is not around. The story centers on Woody, a cowboy doll, and Buzz Lightyear, a space ranger action figure. When Buzz arrives and threatens Woody’s status as Andy's favorite toy, Woody is overcome with jealousy. However, after an accident, the two must work together after getting lost in the chaos of a move, leading to an unlikely friendship and a heartwarming adventure.
The film explores themes of friendship, identity, and the changing nature of relationships as children grow up. The story is heartwarming, humorous, and full of adventure, with memorable characters and groundbreaking animation that set a new standard for animated films.
Did You Know:
Sid Phillips is said to be inspired by a former Pixar employee of the same last name who was known to disassemble toys and use the parts to build bizarre creations.
Billy Crystal was originally offered the chance to voice Buzz Lightyear, but declined. After seeing the finished film, he said the decision was the biggest mistake of his career. Upon learning this, John Lasseter telephoned Billy's house to offer him the role of Mike Wazowski in Monsters, Inc. (2001). Billy's wife answered the telephone and said "John Lasseter wants to speak to you". Billy took the telephone from his wife and said "Yes".
The carpet in Sid's house has the same hexagonal pattern as the carpet in the Overlook Hotel from The Shining (1980).
What attracted Tom Hanks to the role of Woody was the fact that, during his childhood, he would always wonder if his toys were alive and moved around when nobody was in his room. What attracted Tim Allen to the role of Buzz Lightyear was the fact that, before him, they offered the role to his biggest influence, Chevy Chase, who turned it down.
When Sarge looks through his binoculars to spy on guests while he and the other army men investigate the birthday party, you'll notice that Andy's friends are actually the same character model of Andy, just with different skin tones, clothes, and accessories.
The toolbox on top of the milk crate that Woody is trapped in is a Binford, the same tool brand that Tim Allen used on his television show Home Improvement (1991).
The character of Andy is named for Andries "Andy" Van Dam, a Brown University professor and computer science and animation pioneer who taught many of the makers of this film.
Best Performance: Pixar (Studio)/John Lasseter (Director)/Tom Hanks (Woody)
Best Secondary Performance: Tom Hanks (Woody)/Tim Allen (Buzz)
Most Charismatic Award: Tim Allen (Buzz)/Don Rickles (Mr. Potato Head)/Annie Potts (Bo Peep)
Best Scene:
A New Toy
To Infinity and Beyond
Falling with Style
Buzz Realizes He's a Toy
Mrs. Nesbit
Escaping Scud and Sid
Catching Up
Favorite Scene: Escaping Scud and Sid/Catching Up
Most Indelible Moment: Escaping Scud and Sid/Catching Up/Buzz and Woody as Friends
In Memorium:
John Feinstein, 69, American Hall of Fame sportswriter (The Washington Post, The Sporting News) and author (A Season on the Brink)
Stanley R. Jaffe, 84, American film producer (Kramer vs. Kramer, Fatal Attraction, The Accused), Oscar winner (1980)
Best Lines/Funniest Lines:
Buzz: To infinity and beyond!
Woody: [voice box] There's a snake in my boot!
Woody: All right, that's enough! Look, we're all very impressed with Andy's new toy.
Buzz: Toy?
Woody: T-O-Y, Toy!
Buzz: Excuse me, I think the word you're searching for is "Space Ranger".
Woody: The word I'm searching for - I can't say, because there's preschool toys present.
Sergeant: [about the second present Andy opens] It's... it's bedsheets!
Mr. Potato Head: Who invited that kid?
Woody: [pause, then screams] YOU - ARE - A... *TOY*! You aren't the real Buzz Lightyear, you're... you're, you're an action figure!
[holds hand up to eyes indicating something small]
Woody: *You* are a child's *plaything*!
Buzz: You are a sad, strange little man, and you have my pity.
Buzz: [waves in military fashion] Farewell.
[Mr. Potato Head rearranges his facial features crazily]
Mr. Potato Head: Hey, Hamm. Look, I'm Picasso!
Hamm: I don't get it.
Mr. Potato Head: You uncultured swine! What're you lookin' at, ya hockey puck?
Mr. Potato Head: Hey, a laser! How come *you* don't have a laser, Woody?
Woody: It's not a laser! It's a...
[sighs in frustration]
Woody: It's a little light bulb that blinks.
Hamm: What's with him?
Mr. Potato Head: Laser envy.
Buzz: I don't believe that man's ever been to medical school!
Rex: What if Andy gets another dinosaur? A mean one? I just don't think I can take that kind of rejection!
Woody: Hey, Buzz! You're flying!
Buzz: This isn't flying, this is falling with style!
Woody: [while turning head around slowly] We toys can see EVERYTHING! So play nice!
Buzz: I am Buzz Lightyear; I come in peace.
Rex: [shaking Buzz's hand] Oh, I'm so glad you're not a dinosaur!
Buzz: I need to repair my turbo boosters. Are you still using fossil fuels, or have you discovered crystallic fusion?
Woody: Well, let's see, we got double-A's.
Woody: [thinks Buzz has gone crazy] I think you've had enough tea for today. Let's get you out of here, Buzz...
Rex: Great, now I have guilt.
All Aliens: The clawwwwwwwww!
Alien #1: The claw is our master.
Alien #2: The claw chooses who will go and who will stay.
The Stanley Rubric:
Legacy: 9.67
Impact/Significance: 9.83
Novelty: 9.67
Classic-ness: 8.17
Rewatchability: 7.17
Audience Score: 8.85 (85% Google, 92% RT)
Total: 53.36
Remaining Questions:
If people can hear the toys talking, how are the Army men reporting back without raising alarm for Andy and his mom?
Where's Andy's dad?
How slow is the moving truck going if a fireworks rocket and RC car can catch it?
What is Woody made of that he can get smashed by a tool box and have no issues?
How has Andy not lost items from or damaged Woody?
Wouldn't Buzz have broken more than just his arm off falling that far?
Why isn't Mr. Potato Head still a potato?
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