Toy Story (1995)

December is Pixar month at EFSP! In the coming weeks, we will share our collection of postcards of the Pixar Animation Studios with you at EFSP in a series of posts that started two weeks ago. In Pixar's groundbreaking Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995), a cowboy doll is profoundly threatened and jealous when a new spaceman figure supplants him as the top toy in a boy's room. Toy Story was the first successful CGI full-length movie.


French postcard by Chromovogue, no. 7201-2. Image: Pixar / Disney / Hasbro. Film image of Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995).


Tinny. American postcard by Disney Enterprises / Pixar Animation Studios, 2005. Image: Pixar Animation Studios. Concept art by Jeff Pidgeon for Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995). From 'The Art of Pixar: 100 Collectible Postcards, published by Chronicle Books.


Woody. American postcard by Disney Enterprises / Pixar Animation Studios, 2005. Image: Pixar Animation Studios. Concept art by Bud Luckey for Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995). From 'The Art of Pixar: 100 Collectible Postcards, published by Chronicle Books.


Buzz Lightyear. American postcard by Disney Enterprises / Pixar Animation Studios, 2005. Image: Pixar Animation Studios. Concept art by Nilo Rodis for Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995). From 'The Art of Pixar: 100 Collectible Postcards, published by Chronicle Books.


Polish postcard by Z & Z, Sulejówek, no. 20 35. Image: Pixar / Disney / Hasbro. Film image of Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995).

A cowboy doll named "Woody"

Toy Story (1995) was produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was the first entirely computer-animated feature film, as well as the first feature film from Pixar.

Pixar's short film Tin Toy (1988) referenced already Lasseter's love of classic toys. It won the 1989 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, the first computer-generated film to do so. After that, Pixar was approached by Disney to produce a computer-animated feature film told from a small toy's perspective.

The protagonist of Tin Toy, a tin drummer called Tinny, was originally going to star in Toy Story. However, he turned out to be too immobile for a major film, so his appearance was changed to that of a space character.

In Toy Story (1995), a little boy named Andy loves to be in his room, playing with his toys, especially his cowboy doll named "Woody". But, what do the toys do when Andy is not with them? They come to life.

Woody believes that his life as a toy is good. However, he must worry about Andy's family moving, and what Woody does not know is about Andy's birthday party. Woody does not realise that Andy's mother gave him an action figure known as Buzz Lightyear, who does not believe that he is a toy and quickly becomes Andy's new favourite toy.

Woody, who is now consumed with jealousy, tries to get rid of Buzz. Then, both Woody and Buzz are lost. They must find a way to get back to Andy before he moves without them, but they will have to pass through a ruthless toy killer, Sid Phillips...


French postcard by Chromovogue, no. 7201-6. Image: Pixar / Disney / Hasbro. Film image of Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995).


Polish postcard by Z & Z, Sulejówek, no. 020 25. Image: Pixar / Disney. Film image of Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995).


French postcard by Chromovogue, no. 7201-5. Image: Pixar / Disney / Hasbro. Film image of Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995).


French postcard by Hasbro, Inc., no. 7201-1, 1995. Image: Pixar / Disney. Film image of Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995).


French postcard by Chromovogue, no. 7201-4. Image: Pixar / Disney / Hasbro. Film image of Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995).

Enormously successful and equally as enjoyable

Toy Story (John Lassiter, 1995) was a revelation in 1995 and a big hit for Disnney and Pixar. The film grossed $354 million worldwide against a budget of $30 million.

Hal Erickson at AllMovie: "Toy Story was the first feature-length film animated entirely by computer. If this seems to be a sterile, mechanical means of moviemaking, be assured that the film is as chock-full of heart and warmth as any Disney cartoon feature."

Toy Story was directed by John Lasseter and was written by Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen, and Alec Sokolow from a story by Lasseter, Stanton, Pete Docter, and Joe Ranft.

The computer-animated film won several awards. It was nominated for the Oscar for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, and a Special Achievement Award (for the creation of a feature-length computer-animated film). It was also nominated for the BAFTA for Best Special Visual Effects, and the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical.

And then there was the Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated theme song 'You've Got a Friend' by Randy Newman and Lyle Lovett and Oscar-nominated music by Randy Newman.

Three sequels would follow, Toy Story 2 (John Lasseter, Lee Unkrich, Ash Brannon, 1999), Toy Story 3 (Lee Unkrich, 2010), and Toy Story 4 (Josh Cooley, 2019), all enormously successful and equally as enjoyable.


American postcard by Disney Enterprises / Pixar Animation Studios, 2005. Image: Pixar Animation Studios. Film image of Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995). From 'The Art of Pixar: 100 Collectible Postcards, published by Chronicle Books.


American postcard by Disney Enterprises / Pixar Animation Studios, 2005. Image: Pixar Animation Studios. Concept art by Ralph Eggleston for Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995). From 'The Art of Pixar: 100 Collectible Postcards, published by Chronicle Books.


American postcard by Disney Enterprises / Pixar Animation Studios, 2005. Image: Pixar Animation Studios. Concept art by Ralph Eggleston for Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995). From 'The Art of Pixar: 100 Collectible Postcards, published by Chronicle Books.


American postcard by Disney Enterprises / Pixar Animation Studios, 2005. Image: Pixar Animation Studios. Concept art by Ralph Eggleston for Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995). From 'The Art of Pixar: 100 Collectible Postcards, published by Chronicle Books.


American postcard by Disney Enterprises / Pixar Animation Studios, 2005. Image: Pixar Animation Studios. Concept art by Ralph Eggleston for Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995). From 'The Art of Pixar: 100 Collectible Postcards, published by Chronicle Books.


American postcard by Disney Enterprises / Pixar Animation Studios, 2005. Image: Pixar Animation Studios. Concept art by Ralph Eggleston for Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995). From 'The Art of Pixar: 100 Collectible Postcards, published by Chronicle Books.


American postcard by Disney Enterprises / Pixar Animation Studios, 2005. Image: Pixar Animation Studios. Concept art by Bud Luckey for Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995). From 'The Art of Pixar: 100 Collectible Postcards, published by Chronicle Books.


American postcard by Disney Enterprises / Pixar Animation Studios, 2005. Image: Pixar Animation Studios. Concept art by Ralph Eggleston for Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995). From 'The Art of Pixar: 100 Collectible Postcards, published by Chronicle Books.


French postcard by Chromovogue, no. 7201-3. Image: Pixar / Disney / Hasbro. Film image of Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995).


Polish postcard by Z & Z, Sulejówek, no. 020 22. Image: Pixar / Disney / Hasbro. Film image of Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995).


French postcard by Chromovogue, no. 7201-6. Image: Pixar / Disney / Hasbro. Film image of Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995).


French postcard by Sonis, no. C. 620. Image: Pixar / Disney / Hasbro / Mattel / James Industries. Film poster for Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995).

Sources: Hal Erickson (AllMovie), Wikipedia (Dutch and English), and IMDb.