The Toy Story You Never Saw

Toy Story 1 and 2 release on Blu-ray for the first time on April 6, and I’m thrilled to say they look spectacular. It’s hard to believe a computer animated film made over a decade ago can still look so fresh in high definition.

Of course, there are a bundle of extra features also on the Blu-ray edition. First, Disney has included all of the DVD extras from previous releases, and have added some fun new features -- mainly from the staff at Pixar. Some of my favorites are what the animators at Pixar do to decorate the ceilings of where they work, sleep deprivation stories, staff races through the building, and a nerdy cliffhanger: How Toys Story 2 was almost lost due to a failed hard drive. (Lesson to be learned: Backup everything all the time!)

But perhaps the most revealing extra feature of all (and of most interest to readers of Parent Previews is found on the Toy Story1 Blu-ray by Pixar creative chief John Lasseter. I won't give away all the details, except to say that anyone who doesn't think Hollywood is often guilty of putting a bit too much "edge" into family entertainment needs to view this extra feature. Titled "The Toy Story You Never Saw", it tells how the original Toy Story was on the verge of being a very different movie. Had it not been for the persistence of Lasseter and others at Pixar, this great piece of cinematic entertainment may have ended up being a failed, forgotten film.

So warm up the 'ol Blu-ray, grab some popcorn, and sit down for yet another Toy Story adventure. And, yes, I'm sure there will be more releases in the near future. With TS3 releasing to theaters in a couple of month, I'm predicting a 3D Blu-ray box set trio during the holiday season.

P.S. If you are interested in purchasing Toy Story 1 or Toy Story 2 on Blu-ray, please use these links and support Parent Previews:
Toy Story -- US Customers
Toy Story -- Canadian Customers