Toon Talk: Toy Story 2 Special Edition DVD - Jan 3, 2006

Toon Talk: Toy Story 2 Special Edition DVD
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Disc one includes the Audio Commentary by director John Lasseter, co-directors Ash Brannon and Lee Unkrich and co-writer Andrew Stanton, previously available on The Ultimate Toy Box.

The Top 10 Things We Learn From This Commentary:
  1. The opening credits-in-space sequence was inspired by the original Superman movie.
  2. Zurg’s planet in the opening sequence was actually the Ant Island riverbed model from A Bug’s Life, redone with floating rocks.
  3. In the “Woody’s nightmare�? scene, all the cards are the ace of spades, which is the death card in fortune-telling.
  4. Co-director Ash Brannon has the same license plate as Al’s: LZTYBRN.
  5. Jessie was inspired in part by Elly May Clampett of The Beverly Hillbillies; no wonder she loves them critters.
  6. One of the Barbies (all of whom were voiced by The Little Mermaid’s Jodi Benson) is doing the Ann-Margaret dance from Viva Las Vegas.
  7. Voice cameos: John Lasseter and Lee Unkrich are the Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots and Andrew Stanton is Zurg.
  8. The Zurg action figure’s “Zurg-Vision�? was inspired by the Six Million Dollar Man doll - one of my own treasured toys of childhood, by the way.
  9. The commentators mention that, pertaining to the scene where the two “Buzz Lightyears�? meet, they were going for a Freaky Friday homage, but I believe they were actually thinking of The Parent Trap with its identical protagonists.
  10. When the toys first arrive at the airport toward the end of the film, watch the patty-caking kids in the background and listen for an announcement for “Lasset Air�?.
BREAKING NEWS:
ORIGINAL TOY STORY NAMED TO NATIONAL FILM REGISTRY

Recently announced: Toy Story, Pixar's first feature film and the first all-computer animated feature, has been added to the National Film Registry of America. This was the first year that Toy Story was eligible.

Each year the Librarian of Congress, James Billington, advised by the National Film Preservation Board, selects up to twenty-five films that are culturally, historically or aesthetically significant to be added to the Registry. For each title named to the Registry, the Library of Congress works to ensure that the film is preserved for all time. This is Pixar's second film to be added to the Registry; the Oscar-winning short Tin Toy was added in 2003.

Of Toy Story, the NFR says: "This film changed animation's face … as the first full-length animated feature to be created entirely by artists using computer tools and technology."

Congratulations to the makers of Toy Story for this prestigious honor.

The bonus content of disc two begins with the “Toy Box�?, basically the kid-friendly features, beginning with the end-credit Outtakes, still just as funny. Who’s the Coolest Toy? is a light-hearted debate between Tim Allen, Tom Hanks and other cast members about whose character is the best. The Riders in the Sky Music Medley presents a music video montage of some of the songs from the Riders’ Grammy Award-winning spin-off album, “Woody’s Round-Up�?, including scenes filmed in what looks like the Diamond Horseshoe Revue in Disneyland. The new set-top game, Which Toy Are You?, offers Rex and Hamm narrating yet another personality profile activity (I’m Jessie: “spunky, excitable, with a big-heart … and yarn hair�?). There is also a gallery of “Autographed�? Pictures and clips from Ponkickies, a Japanese TV show that has to be seen to be believed … surreal.

Back to the main menu, The Making of ‘Toy Story 2’ is a quick overview that covers some of the same ground as the audio commentary. Deleted Scenes consists of two alternate versions of how Woody ended up in the yard sale and how Buzz and company crossed that street. Behind the Scenes offers the meat-and-potatoes stuff Pixar’s DVDs are known for, although at this point all this backstage information is getting a bit redundant; yes, they have a formula for success which works for their films, but it all gets a little old after the nth time we have to sit through yet another Production Tour or Production Progression. On the other hand, there are still plenty of unique peeks behind the curtain that are worth your while.

Following a John Lasseter Profile, we finally get what was sorely missing from the last Toy Story DVD, interviews with the voice talent, including newcomers Joan Cusack (Jessie), Kelsey Grammer (Stinky Pete) and Wayne Knight (Al), in Cast of Characters. Streaming galleries and 3-D turnarounds are available in Design: Characters, with such oddities as an early version of Jessie named “Senorita Cactus�? (!) and the evolving fashion do’s and don’ts of Al. Most fun is close-up looks at all the “Woody’s Round-Up�? merchandise created for the film.  More galleries and 3-D tours of the film’s locations can be found in Design: Sets. Be sure to check out the cleverly designed toys of Al’s Toy Barn, including the “French Impressionists�? Action Figures (such as Toulouse Lautrec, “Now with Absinthe!�?). Design: Color offers the color script for the film used by the lighting team.

In Story, you can see the late Joe Ranft’s original Story Pitch for the “Woody’s nightmare�? sequence (which was originally an idea for the first film, as was the “Buzz Lightyear of Star Command�? scene at the top of the film) and a Storyboard to Film Comparison of Jessie’s song; both of these utilize the angle button of your remote for different viewing options.

Production starts with two fun sections on Designing Woody’s Past (including actual physical props of such collectibles as Cowboy Crunchies cereal and the “Quick on the Draw�? card game) and Making “Woody’s Round-Up�?, the TV show. Contrary to what most people assume, the puppets were done with computer animation like the rest of the film and were not actual live action marionettes. Early Animation Tests show a talking Bullseye and a sassy-walking Jessie, plus Zurg versus the Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots. Wrapping it up is a section on Special Effects and peek at the International Version of Buzz’s all-American pep talk.

Music and Sound shows us Randy Newman Making the Songs, along with his singers, Sarah MacLachlan (“When She Loved Me�?), Riders in the Sky (the “Woody’s Round-Up�? theme song) and Robert Goulet, who changed “boy�? to “babe�? for his Vegas-y rendition of “You’ve Got a Friend in Me�?. Also included is the full version of the Riders’ “Woody’s Round-Up�? Music Video and Randy Newman’s audio only Demo Recording of Jessie’s song. Sound designer Gary Rydstrom takes us through the “crossing the road�? scene with various combinations of sound, dialogue and music, and then let’s you loose with your own Mixing Demo of the Buzz vs. Zurg elevator battle.

Wrapping things up, Publicity includes a Character Interview (complete with cheesy entertainment news reporter), Trailers (including the classic “2!�? aliens trailer), TV Spots (including one touting the addition of the outtakes one month after the film’s original release) and another streaming gallery of Poster art.

And finally, there are also at least two Easter Eggs hidden amongst the menus on disc two, so happy hunting.

Toon Talk Rating: A-