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Toy Story of Terror Blu-ray Review

By Rachel Cericola

The Film

"Combat Carl never gives up. Combat Carl finds a way."

When I was a kid, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown was an annual event. Who am I kidding? It still is today. That's just how great it is.

Since that TV special aired in 1966, very few have had created the same type of buzz and longevity. Pixar is hoping to remedy that with Toy Story of Terror. The latest Toy Story installment first debuted on ABC last Halloween and now it's making its Blu-ray debut. And before you start pooh-poohing the release date as another way to shift the holiday shopping season up ever-so-slightly, know that this is the type of special that can (and will) be enjoyed all year round.

That's because despite the scary overtones, Toy Story of Terror isn't technically a Halloween special. There are no costumes and no tricks. However, there are certainly plenty of treats to be had. Director Angus MacLane ("Small Fry") has created a feast for the eyes and ears, putting the franchise's quality storytelling capabilities and the same awesome animation into a 22-minute TV special.

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"Toy Story of Terror" includes Jessie, Buzz, Woody, and the rest of the Toy Story gang. Photo: Disney/Pixar.

Now about that story: Although Toy Story of Terror will come off as something fresh and unique for the kiddies, adults will be glued to picking out all of the nods to classic horror films. And that's a good thing. There's even a little Predator action in there. (Also a good thing!)

MacLane doesn't exactly try to hide that inspiration, either. Toy Story of Terror starts off with the crew indulging in a little horror film, only to soon find themselves in the middle of one. After a roadside blowout, Bonnie (voiced by Emily Hahn) and her mom (Lori Alan) settle on a night at the Sleep Well Motel, which is the perfect place for such a story to unfold. As the night progresses, so does the body count -- of missing toys, anyway. Jessie (Joan Cusack) does get a lot of the spotlight here, but Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), Rex (Wallace Shawn), Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), Mr. Pricklepants (Timothy Dalton) and several other characters all appear. Also, we get a few new toys to play with, including Combat Carl (the awesome Carl Weathers), Transitron (Peter Sohn), Old Timer (Christian Roman), and others.

Could anything be more frightening than losing a beloved toy? Well yes, losing a beloved Toy Story toy! Without giving away any spoilers, it's important to know that Toy Story of Terror isn't too terrifying. It has some intense moments, just like any other Toy Story movie. However, it delivers the same all-ages type of story, with unique twists, creative characters and gorgeous animation.

The Picture

Recently, I got the chance to interview director Angus MacLane, who told me that this special had a total of 20 animators. That's about half of what they'd use on a theatrical feature, but you'd never know if from this image. It's just as awesome as any of Pixar's theatrical films and shorts, with fine detail on display when it comes to the many characters, the raindrops, the motel carpet, spiderwebs, and more. And even though a lot of the film takes place at night in a creepy setting, there's no dimming down this creative cast. The color palette is just as impressive as well.

The Sound

Disney doesn't mess with Toy Story -- even a Toy Story TV special. The studio has given this short release a hearty DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track. All of the various voices sound wonderfully clear here, as does the thunderstorms, the sound effects, and the hair-raising soundtrack. It's probably the best (if not one of the best) soundtracks that I've heard come out of a TV show.

The Extras

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In case you're having second thoughts about buying a 22-minute TV special on Blu-ray, know that the special features make this a pretty nice purchase. First, Toy Story of Terror has its own commentary track, with director Angus MacLane, director of photography Ian Megibben and editor Axel Geddes. It's a really interesting track, mainly to hear them talk about the characters and the inspiration. MacLane also pops up again in a 12-minute making-of short. Otherwise, there are three deleted scenes (which are basically storyboards), a trio of hilarious "Vintage Toy Commercials," and three "Toy Story Toons." The latter is really the gem of the lot. It includes "Hawaiian Vacation," "Small Fry" and "Partysaurus Rex," all of which were previously released, both theatrically and on Blu-ray. If you already own them, it probably ruins the idea of having them, but it still makes for a nice collection.

Final Thoughts

Toy Story of Terror could have been an extra on any theatrical release -- or maybe even a perk to the inevitable update to the Toy Story box set. However, it's being released as a separate Blu-ray. You'll have to decide how important it is to have everything Toy Story in your collection. However, I can tell you that this mere 22 minutes is a lot more entertaining than a lot of full-length feature films. The awesome AV and the nice selection of extras also make Toy Story of Terror a must for any Pixar fan.

Product Details

  • Voice Actors: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Carl Weathers, Stephen Tobolowsky, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, Timothy Dalton, Kristen Schaal
  • Director: Angus MacLane
  • Audio/Languages: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (English), DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (English), Dolby Digital 5.1 (French, Spanish), Dolby Digital 2.0 (English), DVS 2.0 (English)
  • Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Rating: G
  • Studio: Disney
  • Blu-ray Disc Release Date: August 19, 2014
  • Run Time: 22 minutes
  • List Price: $35.99
  • Extras:
    • Toy Story Toons (with Optional Commentary):
      • Hawaiian Vacation
      • Small Fry
      • Partysaurus Rex
    • Team of Specialists
    • Deleted Scenes (with Optional Editor Intro)
    • D23 Teaser
    • Vintage Toy Commercials (with Optional Director Intro):
      • Old Timer
      • Combat Carl
      • Transitron
    • Sneak Peeks
    • Digital Copy

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