Toy Story

John Lasseter, USA 1995, 82 minutes

Toy Story was deservedly one of the hit films of 1996, with a lot of fuss being made over the fact that it is the only entirely computergenerated animated feature ever made. Although this gives it a certain novelty value that probably contributed in no small way to the film's box office takings, this remains a truly wonderful story of what childrens' toys get up to while no-one is looking.

The plot is as follows: Shortly before he and `mom' are due to move house, young Andy has a birthday party. The collective contents of his toy box observe from a distance, all anxious to see if their owner is going to be given a new supertoy that will render them all obsolete. Leading this observer mission is Andy's longtime favourite toy, Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), a cowboy puppet. Their worst fears are confirmed when Andy is given a brand new, high-tech merchandising spin-off from a popular new TV series. Said toy is a `Space Ranger' called Buzz Lightyear (comedian Tim Allen from TV's `Home Improvements'), who boasts an impressive karate chop action, a laser beam, pop-out wings and a catchphrase: "To infinity and beyond!". In a fit of jealousy Woody causes Buzz to fall out of the bedroom window, antagonised by the way in which his former friends, especially the delectable Bo Peep, worship the newcomer. The outcast cowboy is then forced to rescue his rival, hindered by the fact that while most of Andy's playthings accept that they are toys and nothing more, Buzz believes himself to be a real live Space Ranger who has just crash-landed on an alien planet.

The cast of voices is superb. In addition to Hanks and Allen, the film features Laurie Metcalf (`Roseanne'), John Ratzenberger (`Cheers'), and R. Lee Ermey (the shit-kicking drill sergeant from Full Metal Jacket).

Director John Lasseter received a special achievement Oscar for Toy Story and it is not at all hard to see why; the film is visually stunning, from beginning to end. However, it is not just worth watching for the CGI. For a Disney film the whole affair is refreshingly schmaltz-free and incredibly dark, as the `PG' certificate issued by the BBFC testifies (a `U' is usually standard for Disney animations). In bad-kidnext-door Psycho Sid's bedroom, toys are routinely tortured, mutilated and destroyed. Toy Story is clearly not just aimed at the kids, having a script which is far superior to that of your average liveaction Hollywood movie. A lot of the humour is adult, going way over the youngsters' heads. How many sprogs under the age of ten would understand the Picasso or "laser envy" gags, or spot the excellent Exorcist reference?

Although you know from the outset that Woody and Buzz Lightyear will eventually forget their differences and band together in the face of adversity to make it home, it is still entertaining to watch the two of them bicker, argue and generally piss each other off, while stumbling through adventure after adventure.

Review by Matt Roberts
Taken from EUFS Programme 1997-98