Once upon a time there was...
Toy Story!
PostED ON 02.09.2015 AT 15:57PM
EVENT - Woody, the cowboy-like marionette and of course Buzz Lightyear, his astronaut-robot rival… the animated toys from the hugely famous Toy Story, Pixar's masterpiece, chose Lyon and the Lumière festival to mark their return to the big screen.
Twenty years after its release and its historical technical contribution to animation cinema, the film will be screened in a digital print, created exclusively for the Lumière festival.
Here's news that will likely delight fans of all ages: Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the whole gang of highly colorful characters, dreamed up in the early 1990s by John Lasseter for the masterpiece Toy Story (co-produced by American Disney and Pixar studios) is making its comeback to the big screen.
When Toy Story was released in movie theaters in the United States on November 19, 1995, a thunderbolt struck the world of animation. Entirely made of computer generated images - a major first at the time - John Lasseter's film had just pushed the technical boundaries of the genre and carved out an entirely new path. With original and innovative writing, the screenplay, packed with relentless film buff winks, Toy Story was an instant public and commercial success. During its run, the movie would earn some $362 million in revenue worldwide.
It must be said that John Lasseter was able to bring to life an enlightened idea: venture into a child's room and awaken the plethora of toys. Drawing on his own memories, the Pixar head honcho plunged the viewer into young Andy's room, teeming with toys. Here, in this colorful universe, Woody, Andy's favorite articulated buddy, lived happily in the company of his sidekicks: Mr. Potato Head, Slinky dog or Rex, among the other playthings.
Out of eyeshot, the happily raucous troop comes to life as soon as the boy laves his room. But the peaceful equilibrium, headed by toy-in-chief Woody, is turned upside down with the arrival of Buzz, an astronaut-robot Andy receives for his birthday. For Woody, Buzz poses a serious threat, as the humanoid with the smirk becomes Andy's new favorite pal. Several versions of the film were initially circulated at Pixar and Disney, including, originally, a Woody that was sometimes gloomy or sarcastic. Defining these first characteristics also led the studio management team to push Lasseter back to the drawing board. In total, the process of creating the film lasted four years.
Technically, the movie "required capabilities for the sole purpose of sharing with the viewer what had been an un-filmable adventure up to that point. It's a bit as if Woody and Buzz had waited until we were technically able to recount their crazy adventures," commented Lasseter. Toy Story would be notably awarded in 1996 with an honorary Oscar, presented to Lasseter for creating this pioneering first in the history of animation. Ever since, the film has graced the shelves of millions of children worldwide.
B.P.
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Toy Story, by John Lasseter (1995)
Wednesday, October 14 at 2:30pm at the Halle Tony Garnier.
Digitization of the French version of the feature film by Pixar was done especially for the Lumière festival 2015. Film distributed by Walt Disney.
Tickets: 6€, 4€ for children, snack included
