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In 2010, Pixar’s Toy Story 3 gave Andy’s favorite toys a fittingly misty-eyed send-off. But, for better or for worse, that wasn’t the end of the franchise. The beloved characters live on in Toy Story Toons, which appear from time to time before theatrical releases, and in the TV special, Toy Story of Terror.
This half-hour Halloween special follows the toys on an eerie adventure at a roadside motel. When Bonnie and her mom (voiced by Emily Hahn and Lori Alan) are forced to make an unexpected late-night stop in the middle of a long road trip, Mr. Pricklepants (Timothy Dalton) can’t help but notice that their story seems to be turning into a stereotypical horror movie. And when Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles) disappears, the rest of the toys set out to find him, only to fall prey to the monster that’s stalking the motel’s traveling toys. With very little time remaining before Bonnie and her mom continue on their journey, it’s up to Jessie (Joan Cusack) to save the day...er, night.
No matter how you may feel about the continuing, post-trilogy saga of the Toy Story toys, there’s just no denying that it’s nice to be able to reunite with them every once in a while. Fans have loved these characters—and new fans have continued to fall in love with them—for nearly two decades. And there’s definitely a reason for that. Each one of these lovable toys—from the original crew to newer additions—has a unique personality. And, as a group, they tend to find themselves in the most amusing (and clever adventures).
Toy Story of Terror may be just 22 minutes long, but this creepy made-for-TV special has all of the playful action and adventure that fans have come to expect from the franchise. At the same time, the animation is still detailed, and the comedy is still clever—and the regular cast is all here (instead of being replaced with cheaper sound-alikes).
This special also takes full advantage of the beloved characters and their back stories. Melodramatic Mr. Pricklepants gets to crank up the drama on an otherwise rather ordinary scenario, while Mr. Potato Head’s general cynicism helps to make the histrionic hedgehog’s predictions seem to come true. The other characters all take part in the adventure—but, instead of Woody and Buzz (Tom Hanks and Tim Allen), Jessie takes center stage this time around. And the story explores her fears and insecurities while helping her overcome them to save her friends.
Cramming heart, humor, and Halloween mayhem into just 22 minutes of TV time, Toy Story of Terror manages to build on the franchise without ruining the reputation of its unforgettable feature-length films. It doesn’t tell the same kind of heartstring-tugging tale that the features did, but fans of Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the toys will still enjoy embarking on this fun new Toy Story adventure.
Blu-ray Review:
The Toy Story of Terror Blu-ray release offers more than just the TV special; it also includes all three of the post-Toy Story 3 shorts. Other extras include deleted scenes, a commentary track, and a collection of vintage-looking commercials for some of the new toys featured in the special. If you want to make the viewing of this TV special feel more authentic, you can even choose to watch it with the vintage commercials inserted into the regular commercial breaks.
Or, for a behind-the-scenes look at the latest Toy Story adventure, there’s also a making-of feature, Team of Specialists, which follows director Angus MacLane on a typical work day at Pixar.
With its enjoyable adventure and its worthwhile extras, this Blu-ray release is a welcome addition to any Toy Story movie collection. If you’re still skeptical about the continuing Toy Story saga, this release might just win you over.
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