Movies - Toy Story

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	Movies - Toy Story

Toy Story is a computer-generated imagery (CGI) animation film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Distribution in the United States on November 22, 1995, and the United Kingdom on 22 March 1996.

Toy Story was the first feature-length completely computer-animated movie released by Disney, and also the first completely computer-animated feature in history. At least one earlier attempt to create a computer animated feature had been tried before Toy Story, the announced movie The Works, which was never finished. Toy Story was also Pixar's first feature to be released in theaters. It grossed $191,796,000 in the United States, making it the 71st highest-grossing movie in U.S. box office history. The primary characters are toys in the room of the six-year-old boy Andy, and is mostly told from their point of view. Andy, his baby sister Molly and mother have smaller roles, as do the neighbor boy Sid, his dog Scud and sister Hannah.

Before Pixar's entry into the feature film-business with Toy Story, Pixar was known for developing the Pixar Image Computer.

Voice cast

Characters

The main toy characters:

Woody - an old-fashioned sheriff rag doll. He is Andy's favorite toy, with a special spot on the bed, and as such is the leader of the toys.
Buzz Lightyear - a Space Ranger from Star Command. A new plastic toy with electronic voice, spring loaded wings, laser (a blinking LED) and a rocket ship box. Buzz was a gift at Andy's birthday party.
Mr. Potato Head - a Mr. Potato Head doll by Hasbro, Inc. Your average Joe
Rex - a Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur toy with a lot of anxiety from an inferiority complex (afraid he is not scary enough).
Slinky Dog - a wiener dog with a slinky abdomen. Very loyal to Woody.
Hamm - a wise-cracking piggy bank.
Bo Peep - a shepherdess doll, Woody's romantic interest.
Sarge - a gung-ho commander of an army of plastic toy soldiers. Sarge and his troops frequently help out their fellow toys.

Human characters:

Andy - owner of Woody and the rest of the toys.
Sid - a boy who delights in torturing toys; he wears a black shirt with a human skull on the front.
Andy's Mom - typical "soccer mom".
Hannah - Sid's little sister. Often gets her toys snatched away and tortured by Sid.
Molly - Andy's baby sister.

Plot

The movie starts with a meeting among the toys to discuss Andy's family's upcoming move. At the end of the meeting it is announced that today is Andy's birthday party. This results in pandemonium from the other toys. Everyone is afraid they will be replaced. Woody, of course, remains calm since he is Andy's favorite and expects to never be replaced by another favorite toy.

Finally, to calm everyone Woody sends a reconnaissance group of little green toy Army soldiers using a baby monitor to scout the party. There are no new toys at the party until mom pulls out another box, but the soldiers are cut off and we don't hear what it is, only that the kids are coming upstairs. All the toys rush to their places before Andy returns.

When Andy arrives, Woody is brushed out of his place - the middle of the bed - and onto the floor to make space for the new toy. Once the kids leave to eat cake, Woody climbs back on the bed to see who this is that could have displaced him. The mystery toy is the famous Buzz Lightyear action figure.

A conflict between Woody and Buzz develops with Woody's jealousy that Buzz displaces him, and his irritation with the fact Buzz does not know he is a toy. This conflict results in Woody and Buzz ending up in a situation where the only way out is for them to work together.

Awards

Director John Lasseter received an Academy Special Achievement Award in 1996 for this film.

In 2005 the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. It is the most recently-made film to receive this honor.

Sequels

Toy Story 2
was released in 1999
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins
(spin-off movie to Toy Story)
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (spin-off TV show)
Toy Story 3
(production halted)

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