Product description
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Please note that this box set does not include Toy Story 3.
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Toy Story
There is greatness in film that can be discussed, dissected, and
talked about late into the night. Then there is genius that is
right in front of our faces--we smile at the spell it puts us
into and are refreshed, and nary a word needs to be spoken. This
kind of entertainment is what they used to call "movie magic,"
and there is loads of it in this irresistible computer animation
feature. Just a picture of these bright toys on the cover of Toy
Story looks intriguing, reawakening the kid in us. Filmmaker John
Lasseter's shorts (namely Knickknack and Tin Toy, which can be
found on the Pixar video Tiny Toy Stories) illustrate not only a
technical brilliance but also a great sense of humor--one in
which the pun is always intended. Lasseter thinks of himself as a
storyteller first and an animator second, much like another film
innovator, Walt Disney.
Lasseter's story is universal and magical: what do toys do when
they're not played with? Cowboy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks),
Andy's favorite bedroom toy, tries to calm the other toys (some
original, some classic) during a wrenching time of year--the
birthday party, when newer toys may replace them. Sure enough,
Space Ranger Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is the new toy that takes
over the throne. Buzz has a crucial flaw, though--he believes
he's the real Buzz Lightyear, not a toy. Bright and cheerful, Toy
Story is much more than a 90-minute commercial for the inevitable
bonanza of Woody and Buzz toys. Lasseter further scores with
perfect voice casting, including Don Rickles as Mr. Potato Head
and Wallace Shawn as a meek dinosaur. The director-animator won a
special O for "the development and inspired application of
techniques that have made possible the first feature-length
computer-animated film." In other words, the movie is great.
--Doug Thomas
Toy Story 2
John Lasseter and his gang of high-tech creators at Pixar create
another entertainment for the ages. Like the few great movie
sequels, Toy Story 2 comments on why the first one was so
wonderful while finding a fresh angle worthy of a new film. The
craze of toy collecting becomes the focus here, as we find out
Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) is not only a beloved toy to Andy but
also a rare doll from a popular '60s children's show. When a
greedy collector takes Woody, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) launches
a rescue mission with Andy's other toys. To say more would be a
crime because this is one of the most creative and smile-inducing
films since, well, the first Toy Story.
Although the toys look the same as in the 1994 feature, Pixar
shows how much technology has advanced: the human characters look
more human, backgrounds are superior, and two action sequences
that book-end the film are dazzling. And it's a hoot for kids and
adults. The film is packed with spoofs, easily accessible
in-jokes, and inspired voice casting (with newcomer Joan Cusack
especially a delight as Cowgirl Jessie). But as the Pixar canon
of films illustrates, the filmmakers are storytellers first.
Woody's heart-tugging predicament can easily be translated into
the eternal debate of living a good life versus living forever.
Toy Story 2 also achieved something in the U.S. two other
outstanding 1999 animated features (The Iron Giant, Princess
Mononoke) could not: it became a huge box-office hit. --Doug
Thomas
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Set Contains:
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Not only are the folks at Pixar smart, fun filmmakers, they
understand the promise of DVD. The Ultimate Toy Box is a
scrapbook of "ideas, art, and effort" behind the two landmark
films. Both films are presented in their original widescreen
(1.77:1) format with commentaries from director John Lasseter and
his fellow filmmakers, but the real treasure is the third disc of
background information from both movies. This includes the
history, story design, animation, music, and publicity of each
film. The first film's extras include material from an earlier
released laser disc as well as new features examining the
animation process. It clearly illustrates just how the film is
made, right down to looking over an animator's shoulder as he
works his program. The second film's extras include explanation
of how abandoned elements of the first film were picked up in the
sequel. There's also a fascinating look at how "Woody's Roundup,"
the faux '50s TV show, was created. Add hundreds of art stills,
dramatic 360-degree views of the "sets," interviews, a guide to
hidden jokes, original song demos, story reels, and early test
work, and you have one of the best--and entertaining--disc sets
ever made. --Doug Thomas
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