Toy Story: the 25th Anniversary
The Blind Eternities forum
Posted on Feb. 19, 2020, 5:36 p.m. by DemonDragonJ
This year is the 25th anniversary of Toy Story, the first feature film from Pixar Studios and the first feature-length film to be made entirely with computer-generated graphics (CGI), although not the first all-CGI medium to be broadcast to the public; that honor belongs to Reboot, a Canadian animated series that is my favorite television series, ever.
The historical significance of Toy Story cannot be overstated, as it began a new era of animation and film making; for decades, animation had been done entirely by hand, and while computers had been used in a minor capacity, prior to that, this was the first time that a feature film had been produced entirely by computers. Needless to say, the influence of that film is still felt, today, since nearly all film studios have abandoned traditional animation in favor of CGI animation, about which I am sad.
Some CGI films certainly are amazing, but, in my opinion, far too many recent CGI films have been cheap and shoddy productions that lack true substance and are hollow and vapid, featuring bright colors, rapidly-moving plots, and characters who seem to have little control over their impulses and voices. The majority of my favorite films were made with traditional animation, so I do wish that at least some films would still be made with that style, today.
Returning to Toy Story, CGI has advanced in a most impressive manner since that film was released, so the original film may appear outdated by today’s standards, but it is important to recognize the milestone in film making that it represented, and the CGI is hardly the only aspect of the film that makes it so great. The animators at Pixar knew that simply being visually impressive alone would not make a film memorable, so they put great effort into the story and characters, as well. Woody feeling envious of Buzz’s popularity, and then Buzz experiencing an identity crisis, are two amazing plotlines, and definitely some of the best stories in recent cinematic history; I still feel a tremendous amount of sorrow when I see the scene in which Buzz sees the advertisement on television and then attempts to fly.
I recently purchased this movie on blu-ray, and I honestly cannot believe that I waited for so long to own it on home video, so I definitely shall watch it, at some point, in the near future. I also do hope that Pixar and Disney do something to commemorate this momentous anniversary, in some way, because a milestone such as this one should not be ignored.
What does everyone else say about this? What are your feelings about this year being the 25th anniversary of Toy Story?
DemonDragonJ says... #3
PhyrexianWombat, I definitely recommend that you watch it; the CGI is outdated, today, but the story is still as excellent as ever.
February 22, 2020 12:56 a.m.
PhyrexianWombat says... #4
It's certainly on my list of movies to watch someday
PhyrexianWombat says... #2
Always wanted to see it! Never did as a kid. I'll get around to it one of these days
February 20, 2020 10:49 p.m.