THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 25, 1995 TAG: 9511230082
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MAL VINCENT, ENTERTAINMENT WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 106 lines
THE CHARACTERS in ``Toy Story'' read like the Walt Disney creations we've come to expect.
Woody, a pull-string talking cowboy. Buzz Lightyear, the new-fangled space cadet. Ill-tempered Mr. Potato Head; Bo-Peep, a sexy porcelain lamp; wimpy Rex the dinosaur; Slinky Dog, and the wise-cracking piggy bank, Hamm. They come to life and chase down a real street with real cars whizzing around them.
But there's one difference: All are untouched by human hands. ``Toy Story'' is the first full-length movie made with computer animation, and there's never been anything that looks quite like it.
The plot is a variation on the old buddy flick. Woody has been the favorite toy until Buzz and his laser beam come along. When the newcomer falls out the window, the other toys blame Woody. To keep his self-respect, he goes after Buzz and, together, they make their way home.
Even on a flat screen, they have a 3-D look. Woody has 212 animation controls in his face alone.
Considering that ``Toy Story'' runs 77 minutes, it's a tall job ``Jurassic Park'' had a mere six minutes of computer-generated imagery; ``Casper'' had 40. Both drew raves for their special effects.
Until now, ``computer'' has been a dirty word to the Disney faithful, who held that if hand-drawn films gave way to less-costly computer technology, the sacrifice would be in heart and soul. Disney said it would never happen. Computers would only be used to save money on scenes involving inanimate objects, such as the ballroom scene in ``Beauty and the Beast.''
That was four years and 110,000 frames ago. Disney recently revealed its breakthrough at a screening in Santa Monica, Calif. It must have been a relief when the audience laughed for the first time - at the story, not the technology.
``After all, computers are created by people,'' said director John Lasseter. ``It is a tool, just like a paintbrush. It is true, though, that none of the characters, sets or even props have ever been touched with a human hand, a pencil or even a paintbrush.''
Lasseter, who worked in traditional cel animation on Disney's ``The Fox and the Hound,'' said there were probably more Ph.Ds on the ``Toy Story'' crew than any film in history.
``Up until a few years ago, they were the only ones who knew how to operate the softwear,'' he said. ``But the animators were the ones who supplied the characters, and their feeling.
``Animators, now, don't have to know how to draw. They have to know how to feel and tell a story. I have no idea how it all works, but I know how to tell a story.''
There's a reason the story is about toys, Lasseter said. Computers are better suited for square, slick-surfaced objects than at suggesting human skin tones and curves. Pixar, the leading company in computer animation, and a former wing of Lucasfilm, is Disney's partner.
Most of the film was done at the Pixar complex near San Francisco, a long way from Disney land.
Getting ``Toy Story'' into theaters took time - and not just because of the technology.
Originally, Woody was to be a Charlie McCarthy-type wooden dummy and his rival a musical wind-up toy. After considerable debate, it was decided that the wind-up toy was too old-fashioned. Enter Buzz Lightyear.
Woody is named after Woody Strode, a character actor who was in many John Ford Westerns. To get his movements, the animators studied footage of loose-limbed Ray Bolger, the Scarecrow in ``The Wizard of Oz.'' The first named considered for Buzz was Lunar Larry. That was too corny. Then someone thought of astronaut Buzz Aldrin.
In the first script, Woody was nasty. He was bitter about being relegated to second place. Buzz was even more of a do-gooder. Now, Woody is ``softer'' and Buzz more comedic. He believes he's a crusader for good. He doesn't know he's a toy.
There were other points of disagreement. Disney wanted songs in the movie. Pixar didn't. The compromise was to use three songs that would be a part of the story, but in the background. Randy Newman was hired to write and perform them.
Another decision was to use classic toys rather than new-fangled ones. ``Tron,'' Disney's 1982 attempt to use computer science, was a resounding flop because it looked almost obsolete by the time it was released. With ``Toy Story,'' the aim was to use familiar, timeless toys - Etch-A-Sketch, Barrel of Monkeys and green plastic soldiers.
``We wanted to be stylized, not realistic,'' Lasseter said. ``If we tried realism, we knew we'd fail. But there is realism, such as smudges on the wall and fingerprints on the toys. Details are very realistic.''
The result is a technical marvel that is also quite human.
``Toy Story'' is lively and fast enough to keep small children interested. They may be frightened by Sid, the neighborhood bully, and his dog, Scud, but theirs is only a brief scene.
It's also irreverent enough to keep adults interested. Mr. Potato Head complains bitterly when an infant rips off part of his head. ``It's clearly written on my box, `For age 3 and up.' I shouldn't have to put up with Princess Drool.''
Another time, an army of soldiers trying to help the heroes have to move awkwardly because their feet are joined by plastic molds.
Perhaps the wisest move was to hold the film to 77 minutes. It doesn't overstay its welcome.
This look will never replace ``real'' animation. There is nothing here to compare with the naturalism of ``Bambi'' or ``The Lion King.'' It is even questionable whether the film will takes its place alongside other Disney classics.
At the moment, ``Toy Story'' is a novelty, a highly entertaining one. It's likely to be a hit for the holiday season and maybe even longer. ILLUSTRATION: Color photos from Walt Disney Pictures
by CNB