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Click above to purchase "Toy Story (Movie-Only)" at
amazon.com
Toy Story
(Movie-Only)
review by Zach B.
Rated G
Studio: Disney
Running Time: 81 minutes
With the Voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Wallace
Shawn, Jim Varney, Annie Potts
Directed by John Lasseter
Retail Price: $29.99
Features: "Tin Toy" Short
Specs: 1.77:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, English Dolby
Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1, English Subtitles,
Chapter Search, THX-Certified
I understand that some people want to own "Toy Story"
seperate and don't want "Toy Story 2" (they're both great
movies and I have to say if you don't want both, you're nuts
but it's all opinion). Still, what Disney is doing with this
movie-only edition is highway robbery. But more on that
later. Let's talk about the original phenom that started it
all, "Toy Story".
In Thanksgiving 1995, Pixar, a computer animation studio
known for such award winning and nominated shorts such as
"Tin Toy" (a somewhat basis for "Toy Story") and "Luxo Jr."
(I love all their shorts, but I can't resist the snowglobe
opus "KnickKnack"), put out not only the biggest film of the
year with a domestic gross of about 190 million dollars, but
an instant classic and different kind of animated film. The
film of course was "Toy Story", and invited us to meet a
cast of wonderful characters and admire detailed and
beautiful computer animation, which made this movie a whole
new kind of expierence for audiences everywhere.
"Toy Story" begins with Woody, the leader and favorite
toy of a young boy named Andy. The toys live their lives
together, coming alive and talking when their owner is not
around. However, something really shakes them when it's
Andy's birthday, and they all worry about new toys coming to
join them. Nothing major comes to pass, except when a really
cool new toy, Buzz Lightyear, joins them. Buzz has no
recollection of being toy, and actually thinks he is an
outerspace hero. The toys instantly take a shine to him, and
makes our cowboy friend Woody really jealous. Buzz then
becomes Andy's favorite toy, making Woody seem like a
distant second. So Woody attempts a scheme against Buzz
which backfires, and puts their whole fates in complete
jeporady. They go to the food/amusment park "Pizza Planet",
and both end up at Andy's neighbor's house, the mean Sid,
from there. Sid likes to torture toys, and the duo must get
out alive and make it back to Andy... hopefully before the
moving trucks drive away.
I was first on line to see the movie when it opened in
theaters, and since it's debut, "Toy Story" was an instant
classic for all ages. Randy Newman provided some good songs
and a beautiful musical score, while John Lassetter and his
Pixar team created a whole universe with an excellent story,
sharp dialogue and well developed characters. His vision
comes to full life here, and the A list voice cast is
sensational. Tom Hanks provides the voice of Woody, while
Tim Allen is the naive space ranger Buzz Lightyear. John
Ratsenberger from "Cheers", Don Rickles, Annie Potts, the
late Jim Varney and Wallace Shawn make up some more of the
cast.
So many of us were really, really impressed with "A Bug's
Life" and the wonderful digital to digital transfer, and
"Toy Story" uses this same transfer method. It is properly
framed at 1.77:1 anamorphic widescreen, what you get is
probably the cleanest, sharpest, dazzling picture to ever
grace the DVD format. Everything is simply perfect and dead
on. Blacks are solid, colors don't smear but are really
bright and colorful, detail is amazing. I can rave on and on
about this transfer. Simply put, it ranks as one of the best
transfers ever. You also may be happy to learn that these
are "properly framed" (as I mentioned). When the original
"Toy Story" was in theaters, it was presented in 1.85:1. The
aspect ratio was changed on the laserdisc and for this DVD,
so you are definently seeing more.
Just as impressive is the sound mix. A very creative
track. "Toy Story" is presented in 5.1 Dolby Digital, and
wow, you'll really feel like you are part of their world.
With Randy Newman's wonderful music, the whole Pizza Planet
scene and especially the finale, this mix doesn't let you
catch your breath.
Tin Toy is the Academy Award® winning Pixar
short which was sort of the basis for Toy Story (as we learn
in the supplement disc, the movie was originally supposed to
star this lead character). This short is a delight and
earned that Oscar®. The short is in widescreen no less,
so be sure to check it out.
Disney, Disney, Disney... here's where you go wrong.
While "Tin Toy" is a great short, thirty bucks definently
deserves more features. Perhaps the "Toy Story" stuff from
The
Ultimate Toy Box? Considering that Disney put out
a two
pack, for ten bucks more you can get a whole other movie
and the features there. Again, I understand some want to own
just the movie, but for this price against the two pack and
the three disc set, it seems like a rip. If you buy each
film seperate, a bit more than ten bucks more will you get
the box.
I heard Disney is stop making the two-pack, so get your
hands on that while you can. Great movie, incredible
presentation, but for thirty bucks and a little short,
you'll definently want more, especially against the other
sets that are out on the market (again, check out my
features sections how this single disc holds up against the
sets). Unless you have cash to blow, don't care about
features or other comparisons and stuff, "Toy Story" alone
is here for you...
 (4.5/5 - NOT included in
final score)
 (5/5)
(5/5)
 (.5/5)
 (2.5/5, NOT an average)
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