Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Toy Story of Terror! Blu-ray Movie Review

Spooo-oooo-oooo-ky!

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown August 17, 2014

The Toy Story gang is back, and with enough mild frights and amusing delights to entertain grade-school horror junkies and parents alike. It isn't quite as sharp or quick-witted as the series' feature films, or even better than some of the best Toy Story animated shorts. (Small Fry tops my list.) But between familiar mainstays Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Rex and Mr. Potato Head, Toy Story 3 recruits Mr. Pricklepants and Trixie, and a stash of memorable new characters -- Combat Carl, Combat Carl Jr., Transitron, PEZ Cat, Pocketeer, Old Timer and a shape-shifting pile of LEGOs -- there's enough to writer/director Angus MacLane's Halloween television special to earn it a place in your annual holiday rotation. Add to that countless horror movie references (some obvious, some much harder to spot), big laughs and some nice little character beats, and you have an adventure worthy of its namesake.

When a flat tire strands Bonnie (Emily Hahn) and her mother (Lori Alan) at a small roadside motel for the night, Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), Rex (Wallace Shawn), Mr. Pricklepants (Timothy Dalton) and Trixie (Kristen Schaal) begin to disappear one by one; victims of a sinister, unseen beast that strikes from the shadows. Soon everyone has been taken except for Jessie, who meets Combat Carl (Carl Weathers), an injured soldier and survivalist who's witnessed his share of blood-curdling horrors since being separated from his owner Billy. Before long, though, Jessie and Carl find themselves captured too, prisoners of eBid seller Ron the Motel Manager (Stephen Tobolowsky) and his loyal pet iguana, Mr. Jones (Dee Bradley Baker). With some courage, know how and a bit of help from some new pals -- transforming Japanese robot Transitron (Peter Sohn) and paper-clip wielding Pocketeer (Ken Marino) among them -- it eventually comes down to Jessie to overcome her deepest fear and save the day. Erm... night. Of Terror!

Jessie's story of horror heroine empowerment is a solid one, if a touch predictable. Woody, Buzz and the TS crew hit all the right notes. And Mr. Pricklepants is a blast, proudly rattling off each genre cliché before it occurs. But it's the latest batch of Toy Story applicants that steal the show. Weathers' Combat Carl is a hilarious mash-up of 12" G.I. Joe dolls, the grunts from Predator and the edge-of-sanity soldiers from Apocalypse Now, and the casting is genius. Factor in Combat Carl Jr. -- his 3¾" action figure doppelgänger -- and brace for belly laughs. Transitron had my heart from the second he rose from packing peanuts to his quick escape, Pocketeer offers yet another fun spin on old toy lines, PEZ Cat (voiced by Kate McKinnon) stars in one of the special's biggest laugh-out-loud moments, and... LEGOs! Licensed LEGOs! The Pixar franchise is always at its best when dreaming up new eccentricities and hang-ups for old toys, and Toy Story of Terror has plenty to go around.

Toy Story of Terror! Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As you might expect from a Disney/Pixar release, Toy Story of Terror! looks fantastic in high definition. Backed by a precise and proficient 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation, color and contrast are striking (even when draped in darkness and shadow, as the special often is), black levels are satisfying and suitably ominous, and detail is spot on. Edges are crisp and naturally defined, without any ringing or aliasing to report, and every last fine texture is exceptionally well-resolved. (Several shots in the motel bathroom, where Jessie and Carl are captured by Mr. Jones, are almost photorealistic.) I also didn't notice any instances of significant macroblocking, aliasing or banding. Actually, I didn't catch sight of any banding whatsoever; no small feat when it comes to an animated release. I'd add the word "flawless" but I'm sure someone will see a blip of something somewhere. No matter. Toy Story of Terror! stands shoulder to shoulder with previous Toy Story releases. Enjoy.

Toy Story of Terror! Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Disney's DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track is excellent as well. Dialogue is clean, intelligible and convincingly grounded. The LFE channel is assertive and powerful, making the most of its opportunities. And the rear speakers are full of subtle touches that reference horror movie sound design as often and as the special references genre tropes and classics. Directionality is accurate and engaging, and even a bit spooky in its effectiveness (particularly in scenes involving Mr. Jones hunting and swiping the various characters), pans are transparent and the soundfield is surprisingly immersive for an animated television special. Dynamics are terrific too, making Toy Story of Terror! as easy on the ears as it is on the eyes.

Toy Story of Terror! Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary: Director Angus McLane, director of photography Ian Megibben and editor Axel Geddes breakdown the special, scene by referential scene, noting the easter eggs and classic film references tucked away in Toy Story of Terror! They also discuss the story and characters (paying particular attention to Jesse's arc as a horror heroine), the new heroes and villains they've introduced to the Toy Story universe, and just about every little tidbit and in-joke a fan could hope for.
• Team of Specialists (HD, 12 minutes): This day-in-the-life of MacLane soon gives way to a production featurette that covers the development of the special, the creation of new Toy Story characters, animation and effects, and the staff meetings his team holds to guide shots from the storyboard stage to editorial.
• Toy Story Toons (HD, 19 minutes): While "Hawaiian Vacation," "Small Fry" and "Partysaurus Rex" have already been released in high definition via previous Pixar Blu-ray releases, their inclusion here gives each short's filmmakers a chance to chime in thanks to a trio of optional audio commentaries.
• Vintage Toy Commercials (HD, 4 minutes): The special's hilarious vintage commercials -- "Old Timer," "Combat Carl" and "Transitron" -- can be played with Toy Story of Terror!, accessed individually from the Bonus Features menu, or viewed with director introductions.
• Deleted Scenes (HD, 7 minutes): Three unfinished deleted scenes are available -- "Pencil Topper Trilogy," "Travel Brochures" and "Road Trip Roulette" -- each with an optional introduction by Geddes.
• D23 Teaser (HD, 1 minute): A Toy Story of Terror! D23 promo.

Toy Story of Terror! Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Toy Story of Terror! might have had a more difficult road ahead if its pricepoint were higher. Fortunately, Disney seems to be aware of the fact that it's selling a 21-minute television special via a standalone release, and has seen fit to keep the cost at a reasonable level and load the Blu-ray release with extra content (well, as much as a TV special can really muster). The adventure itself is solid too, and the disc sports a striking video presentation and impressive DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track. Don't scoff at the runtime. Don't shrug off the premise. Toy Story of Terror! may not be the classic the feature films have proven to be, but it's fun, funny and fast on its feet, with a great blend of heart, comedy and teamwork, all with a dash of tense but harmless roadside-hotel horror perfectly primed for the kiddies.