Movies

Toy Story Secrets Uncovered: 30 Years of Hidden Fakery Revealed

BBG News

Original movies don’t come much better than Toy Story.

Initially, Pixar’s debut production, which was completely computer-generated, swiftly turned into a timeless classic adored by many, as it breathed life into the apparently inanimate toys that populate a child’s room.

It became part of a select group of timeless Disney movies that managed to captivate both children and their parents, creating a shared excitement as they followed the escapades of Woody and Buzz.

The timeless masterpiece garnered an exceptional 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and even more exceptionally, was chosen for preservation in the Library of Congress.

It’s rare to come across someone who doesn’t enjoy Toy Story, even among those with criticisms about its storyline or technical aspects.

However, to celebrate the 30-year anniversary, we’ve uncovered that a widely loved children’s film is filled with inauthentic elements.

Instead of reading about the main character’s private, explicit outburst or the animation mistake in Toy Story that you can’t help but notice, how many hidden errors or oversights did you catch in Toy Story?

Familiar faces 

Considering the pioneering nature of their task, it’s important to extend understanding and allowance to Pixar’s team as they ventured into uncharted territory by creating an entire film using computers for the first time.

Equipped with top-tier talent throughout the industry, the creative process required 400 computer models, consumed approximately 800,000 machine hours, and produced 114,240 individual frames of animation in order to bring this remarkable piece to life.

Initially, humans may appear indistinguishable from one another. Despite Pixar’s efforts to mask this similarity, when you become aware of it, you can’t help but see it everywhere.

In the innovative realm of modern computer animation, most individuals are either Andy or Mrs. Davis (Andy’s mother), and alterations in character attire serve as a red herring.

Or:

In this cutting-edge world of computer-generated imagery, it’s usually between Andy and his mom, Mrs. Davis, who populate the scene, while adjustments to their outfits create a smokescreen.

For the initial CGI creators, crafting characters that resembled humans proved to be more challenging than developing toy designs. Consequently, the final products, such as Andy’s companions (the Pizza Planet regulars), his toys, and even the antagonist Sid, all share striking similarities in their appearances.

Blink and you’ll miss it

It’s time we take a closer look at the wide-eyed weirdness of the main characters’ faces.

Almost every aspect of Toy Story stands out, from the worn doorways to the rustling grass blades and the patterns of light and shadow cast by Venetian blinds in Andy’s room, all are meticulously detailed.

Without a doubt, every character in the film required numerous intricate movement instructions to animate them, and it took an impressive 723 control points just for Woody to become the brave protagonist that we’ve grown fond of.

However, certain tasks exceeded the limits of the technology three decades ago, even tasks as simple as blinking.

It may seem simple and quick for us (taking just 0.1 seconds), but incorporating this action into an animated film proved to be a laborious process. In the Toy Story series, each character can only blink one eye at a time, and some of these unusual facial expressions were noticeable even in close-up shots.

Another one you won’t thank us for pointing out. 

Time travelling toys 

I can’t help but be enthralled by this cinephile’s character; he’s a chilling villain who dismantles toys and reassembles them in a grotesque, Human Caterpillar-inspired fashion. His cruelty is an art form that leaves me both horrified and captivated.

One potential explanation for my frequent irritability could stem from the ineffectiveness of the clock in my bedroom when it comes to accurately displaying the time.

As Toy Story nears its thrilling conclusion, Woody and Buzz encounter the menacing toys created by the antagonist, a moment that left many childhood memories scarred.

Before this harrowing event, Woody tries to convince the space ranger, who is grappling with an existential dilemma after learning he isn’t genuine, to release him from a homemade prison.

Currently, the wall clock shows 6:25, but Sid’s alarm indicates 6:55. Strangely, just after the cowboy shuts the door quickly to avoid the kid’s dog Scud and encounters the scary toys, the time suddenly changes to 3:10.

Later on, when I found myself having a tense chat with Sid’s playthings, I couldn’t help but notice that the hands of the clock were pointing at an utterly inaccurate 10:00 mark, further fueling my obsession with timekeeping precision.

Even more frustrating for the adversary, he adjusts his alarm clock to a relatively reasonable 8:25 AM, yet it incessantly rings at 7:00 instead. Every antagonist has their own reasons.

A major plot ‘hole’

Back to Sid’s house – where the feuding toys end up after the villain steals them at Pizza Planet.

On a dismal day, Buzz came across an advertisement featuring himself on television, causing him to ponder about his understanding of reality.

At the moment, Woody finds himself pinned under a large blue milk crate, which is supported by a hefty toolbox from above.

To convince his opponent to release him, the cowboy instead argues that he is indispensable, stating he can’t accomplish anything without him and needs his assistance.

In reality, he didn’t (do something). The cracks in the box were just big enough for Woody to wriggle through and slip away from the villain’s chamber.

Instead, that would not be enjoyable and would prematurely conclude Toy Story at a time when things were getting most exciting.

Pulling the plug 

As it happens, it isn’t only the toys in Sid’s home that possess consciousness, but also the entire electric infrastructure of the premises does as well.

His room’s attention to detail is truly impressive, even extending to items like scattered toys, untouched books, and sunlight streaming in through the window.

However, one white plug socket appeared to exhibit independent behavior during bursts of activity, leaving many keen observers astounded.

The item is positioned beneath the window at an angle, aligning cleanly with the blind’s string near Sid’s ‘Megadork’ poster.

A short while later, yet again as the child throws a fit and raises the blind to aim a magnifying glass at Woody’s forehead, mysteriously, the power outlet disappears.

Monitor Mayhem

Parents with young kids found Toy Story endearing due to its touching theme, deeply developed characters, and an engrossing storyline that captivated movie enthusiasts from various age groups.

However, individuals expecting a realistic portrayal of raising a child felt let down right from the start, as it quickly became clear that the filmmakers possessed greater expertise in advanced animation than in parenting matters.

At Andy’s birthday party, the toys are left guessing which new action figure they might receive next, since they eagerly anticipate what their owner will unveil.

To get ahead of their competitors, the group devised an extensive surveillance operation where they deployed an army of green troops equipped with baby monitors to listen in on conversations.

The main issue seems to be that this rigid infantry unit appears to be unfamiliar with operating the device, as they’re placing the emitting end inside the party room instead of using it as a microphone.

Regardless of how things turned out, the situation ultimately became problematic since the monitor was turned off just when Buzz was unveiled as the surprise gift. However, it seems that the whole operation could have been prevented from taking place in the first place.

Buzz Light-Swear

In simple terms, Toy Story brought in an impressive $373 million (approximately £287 million) globally at the box office, making it the second highest earning film of 1995 and one of the most financially successful kids’ movies ever made.

Its success prompted a Special Achievement Academy Award and led to four money-churning spin-offs.

The significant profits from this venture wouldn’t have been achieved if not for the essential U/G rating on the film, indicating it was suitable for everyone to watch.

However, it seemed that our action figures might have had a character reminiscent of adult language (similar to “Buzz” from other versions), which ultimately led to a broader age rating (PG) rather than the more inclusive one.

Looking at a cardboard model of a spaceship, the ranger originally said “damn” in the script, but due to necessary alterations for a more favorable rating, his line was modified instead.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d rephrase it like this: In the final editing stage, the sound was added so that Buzz exclaims “blast”, but our trailblazing animators inadvertently overlooked adjusting the animation, resulting in Buzz seeming to mouth an earlier profanity. Oops, Buzz!

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2025-04-13 16:35

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