oy
Story is a 1995
American computer-animated comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and
released by Walt Disney Pictures. The
first installment in the Toy Story franchise, it was the first entirely computer-animated
feature film, as well as the first feature film from Pixar. The film was
directed by John Lasseter (in his
feature directorial debut), and
written by Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen, and Alec Sokolow from a story by Lasseter, Stanton, Pete Docter, and Joe Ranft. The film features music by Randy Newman, was produced by Bonnie Arnold and Ralph Guggenheim, and was executive-produced by Steve Jobs and Edwin Catmull. The film features the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Jim Varney, Annie Potts, R. Lee Ermey, John Morris, Laurie Metcalf, and Erik von Detten. Taking place in a world where toys come to
life when humans are not present, the plot focuses on the relationship between
an old-fashioned pull-string cowboy doll named Woody and a modern astronaut action figure, Buzz Lightyear, as they evolve from rivals competing for the
affections of their owner, Andy Davis, to friends who work together to be
reunited with Andy after being separated from him. Following the success of
their 1988 short film Tin Toy, Pixar was approached by Disney
to produce a computer-animated feature film told from a small toy's
perspective. Lasseter, Stanton, and Docter wrote early story treatments, which
were rejected by Disney, who wanted the film's tone to be "edgier".
After several disastrous story reels, production
was halted and the script was rewritten to better reflect the tone and theme
Pixar desired: "toys deeply want children to play with them, and ... this
desire drives their hopes, fears, and actions". The studio, then
consisting of a relatively small number of employees, produced the film under
only minor financial constraints. Toy Story premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in
Los Angeles, California, on November 19, 1995, and was released in theaters in
North America on November 22, 1995. It was the highest-grossing film during its
opening weekend, eventually grossing over $373 million
worldwide, making it the second highest-grossing film of 1995. The film received
critical acclaim, and holds a rare 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It was praised
for the technical innovation of the 3D animation, wit and thematic
sophistication of the screenplay, musical score, and vocal performances
(particularly Hanks and Allen); it is considered by many to be one of the best animated
films ever made. The film received three Academy Award nominations (Best
Original Screenplay (the first animated film to be nominated
for this award), Best
Original Song for "You've Got a Friend in Me",
and Best
Original Score) as well as winning a Special Achievement
Academy Award. In 2005, the United States Library of Congress selected
the film for preservation in the National Film Registry for
being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".The
success of Toy Story launched a multimedia franchise and a
series of three sequels, starting with Toy Story 2 (1999). A group of living toys, who
assume lifelessness around humans, are preparing to move into a new house with
their owner Andy Davis, his
sister Molly and their single mother.
The toys become uneasy when Andy has his birthday party a week early; to calm
them, Sheriff Woody, Andy's
favorite toy and their leader, sends Sarge and his green army men to spy on the gift opening
with a baby monitor. The other
toys (which include Mr. Potato Head, Slinky Dog, Rex the tyrannosaur, Hamm the piggy bank, and Bo Peep the porcelain doll) are relieved when Andy receives nothing that
could replace them. Andy then receives a last-minute surprise gift – a Buzz Lightyear action figure who believes he is a real space
ranger. Buzz impresses the other toys with his various features and becomes
Andy's new favorite, making Woody jealous. The day before the move, Andy's
family plans for a dinner at Pizza Planet, where Andy is allowed to bring along
only one toy. To ensure Andy chooses him and not Buzz, Woody tries to use
the radio-controlled car RC to
knock Buzz behind the desk, but accidentally knocks him out a window instead.
The other toys believe Woody deliberately tried to kill Buzz, but Andy arrives
and takes Woody before they can exact retribution. A vengeful Buzz stows away
in the car, and confronts Woody when the car stops at a gas station on the way
to Pizza Planet. The two fight, fall out of the car, and are left behind. After
a further argument, the two hitch a ride on a Pizza Planet delivery truck and
sneak into the restaurant. Buzz mistakenly believes a claw crane full of Little Green Men to
be a true rocket, and Woody climbs in after him. Andy's sadistic next-door neighbor Sid spots and
captures the two and takes them to his house, where they encounter his Bull Terrier Scud and
his much-abused "mutant" toys made from parts of other toys he has
destroyed. As Woody tries to find an escape route, Buzz is shocked by a TV
commercial that reveals he is indeed a toy. In denial, he
attempts to fly, but breaks his arm off and falls into despair. After Sid's
toys fix Buzz, Sid returns and tapes Buzz to a large rocket, planning to destroy him but a storm delays his plot.
He resolves to enact this the next morning. Woody helps Buzz realize that his
purpose is making Andy happy, restoring Buzz's resolve. Sid takes Buzz out to
launch him, but Woody rallies the mutant toys to frighten Sid into never
harming toys again, freeing Buzz. Woody and Buzz pursue Andy's moving truck,
but Scud sees them and gives chase, biting Woody. Buzz fights off Scud, while
Woody, freed, climbs into the truck and pushes RC out, using him to distract
Scud and rescue Buzz. The other toys, thinking Woody is now trying to get rid
of RC, toss Woody back into the street. Having escaped Scud, Buzz and Woody
pursue the truck on RC, and the other toys spot them coming and realize their
error. During the chase, RC's batteries run out, forcing Woody to ignite the
rocket still strapped to Buzz. As they launch towards the truck, they become
airborne, and Woody drops RC into the truck. Buzz opens his wings to sever the
tape just before the rocket explodes; he and Woody glide over the truck and
fall through the sunroof of Andy's car, landing safely beside Andy. At
Christmas, in the new house, Sarge and his men spy on the gift opening again
while the other toys wait. Mr. Potato Head is delighted when Molly gets a Mrs. Potato Head, and Woody and Buzz jokingly
ponder what gift could be "worse" than Buzz, only to nervously smile
at each other when Andy gets a dachshund puppy.