Toy Story

***Toy Story*** is a 1994 American computer-animated comedy film directed by John Lasseter (in his feature directorial debut), 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. It was written by Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen, Jeffrey Katzenberg 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, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, 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 of *Toy Story* focuses on a modern space cadet action figure, Buzz Lightyear and his fight against an old-fashioned pull-string cowboy doll named Woody who develops jealousy towards Buzz when he becomes their owner Andy's new favorite toy.

Following the success of *Tin Toy*, a short film that was released in 1988, Pixar was approached by Disney to produce a computer-animated feature film that was told from a small toy's perspective. Lasseter, Stanton, and Docter wrote early story treatments, which were rejected and revised by Disney, who wanted to give the film's tone a "cynical" twist.

*Toy Story* premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, California, United States, on June 9, 1994, and was released in theaters in North America on June 13 of that year. It was the highest-grossing film during its opening weekend, eventually grossing over $276 million worldwide, making it the second highest-grossing film of 1995. The film received generally positive acclaim, and holds a 82% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It was praised for the technical innovation of the 3D animation, screenplay, musical score, and vocal performances (particularly Hanks and Allen), but was criticized for its "dark" story. 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 "Jealousy Be Gone", and Best Original Score) as well as honoring a non-competitive Special Achievement Academy Award.

The success of *Toy Story* encouraged Disney and Pixar to launch a sequel titled *Toy Story 2* (1999), as well as a line of toys and merchandise. The film also had a theatrical 3D re-release in 2006 as a part of a double feature with the second film.

## Plot

In a world where toys come to life in the absence of humans, a group of toys is 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; pullstring cowboy doll 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 in hopes of calming the others. The other toys which include Mr. Potato Head, Slinky Dog, Rex (a toy dinosaur), Hamm (a piggy bank), and Bo Peep (a porcelain doll) are relieved when Andy receives nothing that could replace them. Andy then receives a last-minute surprise gift from his mother: A Buzz Lightyear action figure, who believes he is an actual space ranger. Buzz impresses the other toys with his various features, and becomes Andy's new favorite toy, making Woody jealous.

A day before the move, Andy's family plans for a dinner at Pizza Planet, where Andy is allowed to bring along only one toy. Buzz confidently wishes Woody good luck so that Andy can pick him and extends his hand to offer a handshake, but Woody grabs his hand and deliberately throws Buzz out a window. The toys, who are disgusted at Woody's attempt to kill Buzz, confront him. Woody tries to summon Slinky Dog to get the other toys off the bed, where Slinky tries to reason with Woody, causing him to insult Slinky even further. Sarge orders the other toys to throw Woody off the bed, but Slinky suggests to instead throw him outside a window in retaliation, which the other toys happily comply. An injured Woody manages to stumble on the ground beside the Davis' car, just before Andy finds him and takes him to Pizza Planet. A fearful but vengeful Buzz closely follows with an RC car.

Andy and his family arrive at Pizza Planet, with Andy bringing Woody inside, but manages to lose him minutes later after the toy slips out of his pocket while running towards a claw machine. Buzz, who is now furious, confronts Woody and fights him, before pushing him into the claw machine full of Little Green Men. Moments later, Andy finds Buzz on the ground much to his surprise, and takes him home, completely forgetting about Woody and leaving him behind. Andy's sadistic next-door neighbor, Sid Phillips, spots and wins Woody and takes him to his house, where he encounters his vicious Bull Terrier Scud and some "mutant" toys made from parts of other toys Sid has destroyed. Woody exacts a plan for revenge against Buzz and all the other toys, and convinces the mutant toys to join him to "retake" Andy's house, and help him kill Buzz.

While Woody and the mutant toys manage to overrun and frighten Sid and escape, Buzz returns to Andy's house 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 Andy's toys fix Buzz and comfort him, Woody returns, capturing all the toys who have "betrayed" him, and tapes Buzz to a rocket, but a thunderstorm forces him to delay the launch until the next morning. Overnight, the other toys help Buzz realize that his purpose is making Andy happy, restoring Buzz's resolve. Woody and the mutant-toys take Buzz out to launch him, but Rex convinces them that Woody is only just using them for his own gain, and is no better than Sid. After they all turn against Woody, much to his objections, he escapes and seeks refuge in a moving truck.

Buzz pursues Andy's moving truck and grabs Woody, but Scud sees him and gives chase, biting his leg. He manages to fight off Scud, while Woody, freed from Buzz's grasp, climbs into the truck and pushes RC out, using him to distract Buzz. The other toys, having managed their way into a different truck, use Buzz's discarded rocket to launch him off the side of the truck. Using a rope, Buzz glides over the truck and falls through the sunroof of Andy's car, landing safely beside Andy, with him paying no mind to Woody. Having been knocked off the truck due to the impact of Buzz's rocket, Woody falls onto the road and is abandoned.

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 Rex and Buzz jokingly ponder what gift could be "worse" than Buzz, only to nervously smile at each other when Andy gets a dachshund puppy.

The screen turns to dark for a few seconds, before Woody is seen stumbling across the snow, panting and visibly exhausted. He manages to find Andy's new house, and is seen staring at Rex and Buzz with a vengeful look.