In 1995, Toy Story changed the face of motion pictures forever. It was the first movie to be fully computer generated and made a mind-boggling 373.5 million on a budget of 30 million. While it obviously drew people in because of the new technology, what made it stick with people was the imaginative story, complex themes, and surprisingly dark moments. Who could forget that moment when Sid has his entire world torn apart because of Woody's plan of scaring the beejezus out of him? Or when it looked like all the toys were going to meet their end in Toy Story 3 inside the incinerator? Yeah, heavy stuff for a kids movie.
And that's just the stuff that was front and center in the movie. There are tons of other moments that are throw away pieces of dialogue or little easter eggs which only adults would understand. Or some children who have parents that don't monitor their internet activity, I suppose. Despite being made of plastic and cloth, plenty of these toys have romantic relationships and thus Pixar snuck in some jokes about it. Other times they can be crazy, showing that Pixar can be more intense in these movies than other kids moving given that these are toys and not human beings.
Whatever flavor these jokes take, most of them probably slipped under your radar and now is your chance to understand them. Here are 20 things you never noticed in the Toy Story franchise.
19 What Toys Do For Fun
As we see throughout the trilogy, the toys have a lot of time on their hands, considering that Andy has a life to live outside of time. They play cards, video games, hold plastic corrosion awareness meetings, and most likely, spend time with each other. Okay, well, maybe not all of them, but definitely Woody and his beau Bo Peep.
Right within the first few minutes of the original Toy Story, we see this little moment between these two children's toys.
Right after Andy played with them, Bo Peep wants to express her gratitude for how Woody "saved" her. She tells him that she could find someone else to watch the sheep tonight, also seductively telling him she's just a couple of blocks over.
18 Let Buzz Do What?
It's worth that despite the constant teasing and flirting between Woody and his "girlfriend" Bo Peep, we never actually see them kiss. Perhaps because the animators wouldn't know how to animate two toys kissing, or maybe it's weird for parents to explain the dynamics of toys being together, who knows.
Maybe Bo Peep left Toy Story to keep it PG.
The closest we get to seeing any physical affection onscreen is in the second movie. When Bo Peep brings Woody in for a smooch and Woody is reluctant to kiss her because Buzz is watching, Bo Peep says something interesting... let him watch. Woah there, now, Peep, that's quite weird of you. But who knows how far Bo Peep could have pushed this? How much does she let Buzz see?
17 Right In The Spuds
If we were doing a superhero style comparison of how powerful the toys in Toy Story were, I'd have to put Mr. Potato Head up there near the top of the list. I mean, he is essentially immortal as long if he can place the various parts of his body onto a different "husk," for a lack of a better term. However, just because he moves his consciousness around doesn't mean he is without weakness.
In Toy Story 3, Mr. Potato Head manages to become a Mexican version of himself by becoming Mr. Tortilla Head. His flat nature lets him sneak around more easily. But when a bird starts to come along and pick at him he has no choice but to cover up. He gets pecked in between the legs and he clutches that area like a man who got hit in the crotch. Ouch... I think.
16 Prospector's Casting Couch
The #MeToo movement going around in Hollywood and general culture at the moment is a long time coming. For too long, powerful men in business have taken advantage of women who just wanted to make an honest living and who deserve basic respect. Want proof of how long this abuse of power was a part of the culture? Just look at... Toy Story 2?
Never knew Harvey Weinstein was in this movie.
Yup. Before Marvel turned the end credits into its own event, Toy Story 2 featured a bunch of "bloopers" in its credits. One of these is Prospector Pete flirting with Barbie twins and offering them a part in Toy Story 3. The implications of the scene are obvious to adults, but for kids might fly under the radar. Seems Stinky Pete is a bigger menace than we thought.
15 Woody Keeping It PG
They may be best buddies nowadays, but in the original Toy Story Buzz Lightyear and Woody were anything but. Due to Woody's fragile ego, he just couldn't stand the thought of losing his place as Andy's favorite toy and tried to chop down Buzz any chance he could.
Plotting to push him out a window? Fine. Using a bad word? Too far, Woody!
During their initial meeting, things get extremely tense between the two when Woody's pals start fawning over the space ranger. When Buzz corrects Woody calling him a toy and asking to call him a space ranger, Woody tells him he'd call him something else but there are preschool toys present. Just your reminder that Woody is supposed to represent a grown cowboy from the Wild West. Easy to forget sometimes.
14 Slinky The Suck Up
One of Woody's dearest friends in the supporting cast would have to be the most flexible dog in the world, Slinky. Remember that in the original movie, Slinky and Bo Peep are the only ones who believe Woody when he says he didn't throw Buzz out the window. This could probably grow to be grating if you're any of the other toys. In the original movie, Mr. Potato Head lets the audience knows what he feels about it.
I bet Mr. Potato Head is the only toy who can do that.
During the meeting Woody is holding about Andy's birthday party, Mr. Potato Head takes off his mouth (something the other toys would probably be happy about) and plants them right on his derriere while Mr. Spell laughs. With all the stuff Woody pulls in this movie, we gotta agree with spud head on that one.
13 Buzz's Impressive Wingspan
Heading into Toy Story 3, nobody would have thought that Jessie and Buzz would become a couple. It seems though that it was a natural fit as Buzz's straight-laced compliments the more wild and energetic Jessie perfectly. But the duo was teased to have some chemistry back in the second, but kids may not have got it.
In their first real conversation, Buzz approaches her to compliment her on her looks and intelligence. Little did Buzz know that he would soon get a lot more impressed when Jessie helps out Andy's dog open the door in acrobatic fashion. Buzz stands astonished on Andy's bed and suddenly his wings pop out his back. Keep it in your jetpack, Buzz. Also, don't let anything leak on Andy's bed.
12 Bullseye's Just A Little Big
Despite not having a single line in the entire series, Woody's loyal horse Bullseye is one of the most adored characters in the franchise because he's just so darn cute. The animation done by Pixar here is excellent, but there is one moment of Bullseye in the second movie that as adults, you can look at and laugh harder than any kid could.
When Woody finally learns about his past, he starts to revel in it by reliving some of the television shows "he" starred in. He gets on his horse and is about to take off in the wind just before he falls off Bullseye, who loses his saddle. Bullseye then covers up his crotch area and slinks away. Given how large the nether regions of a horse are, Bullseye is going to need more than a couple of his legs to cover it up.
11 Put A Cork In It
Everybody remembers in high school the old pantsing prank, right? You sneak up behind somebody and pull their pants and run away? It's pretty embarrassing to get exposed like that in front of your buddies, eh? Well, a cartoon piggy bank experienced the same shame courtesy of a sidewalk.
This is why tape is superior to corks.
In Toy Story 2, when the gang is fleeing Andy's home in order to rescue their pal Woody, they are stealthily making their way to Al's Toy Barn before Hamm slips up and pops out all his money. He then tells people not to look before he puts his cork back in. Maybe if Hamm really didn't want people to look, he should consider wearing an undergarment next time.
10 Mr. Potato Head's Martial Problems
It's possible for the toys in Toy Story to find love no matter who they are. Whether you are a space ranger, a cowgirl or this rare creature called a human, you will never be alone. Having said that, I don't think we really needed to see Mr. Potato Head feeling lust for a Barbie doll.
In Toy Story 2, the toys enter Al's Toy Barn to find Woody but a Barbie doll treats them to a tour of the store in a car.
The toys are blown away by her and her friends, but Mr. Potato Head is in a bind as he mutters under his breath "I'm a married spud." Obviously this... potato has feelings for the "human" doll. I'm just... so confused.
9 Hook, Line, And Sinker
Okay, I will admit, some of the other entries on this list you may have got even as a kid. This one, however, was so subtle and clever that I actually stopped typing and gave a standing ovation to the faceless person who came up with this joke.
So, where do you put the money on this one?
In the original Toy Story, we see all of Sid's macabre creations through the perspective of Woody and Buzz. There are some sinister looking creatures like the Baby Spider, the Bughead Bodybuilder... but one of them that isn't really scary is a crane hook with human legs. Wait a minute... female human legs mixed with a hook? That's right. I gotta give credit to Pixar, they will create entire characters just to create a punchline. I love it.
8 Sneaking In
While the Barbies in Toy Story 2 are treated mainly as eye candy to the supporting cast, Toy Story 3 actually gives Barbie a decently sized role as the one who is instrumental in rescuing Buzz from the clutches of Lotso The Bear. They also snuck in a sorta swear in her first meeting with her boyfriend Ken.
When her owner Molly gave her up at the beginning of the movie, Barbie was extremely distraught. But meeting Ken livens up her spirits. It is love at first sight (I mean, they are made for each other) and when Ken compliments her leg warmers Barbie responds with "nice ascot." Lotso immediately breaks it up, probably fearing his movie will be turned PG13 and losing out on some profit. He is a shrewd bear, ya know.
7 Mr. Potato Head = Researcher
Toy Story 3's Sunnyside Daycare can be a great or horrible place for toys depending on what side of the aisle you're on. If you're in the Butterfly Room with the older kids, then toys think of it as paradise. If you're with the younger children in the Caterpillar Room... well...
This is the worst thing ever done to a Pixar character.
The younger kids don't exactly take care of Andy's old toys well, and the one who got the worst of it was Mr. Potato Head. He's brought into the sandbox where he is pushed into some Lincoln Logs, which are toy pieces of wood. Except that Hamm points out that he doesn't think they weren't Lincoln Logs. I'm not eating potatoes ever again, that's for sure.
6 Mr. Potato Head's Secret Life
Despite his crabby nature and smart mouth, the love Mr. Potato Head has for his wife Mrs. Potato Head is obvious to anyone who watches the films. They raise aliens together, they constantly show physical affection towards one another, and Mr. Potato Head gets extremely protective of his wife when somebody steals her body parts for some reasons.
In Toy Story 3, when the toys discover that Lotso is preventing them from leaving the daycare, Mrs. Potato Head gives that pudgy bear a mouthful as only Estelle Harris can until he rips her lips off. Her husband snaps and says that nobody takes his wife's mouth but him. I don't want to know anything more about what he does with her mouth, do you?
5 Space Ranger Time
Woody is a product of the Wild West. Not that he was actually made in that time period, but he is supposed to be emblematic of that era where drink ruled the land via saloons. That would explain how he knows to drop this insult to Buzz in the original Toy Story.
In the scene where Woody and Buzz meet each other for the first time, Buzz eventually brags about how he can fly around the room with his eyes closed. Woody responds by calling Buzz "Mr. Lite", implying that Buzz would have to be inebriated to do it. Now I'm just picturing Woody drinking with the other toys and getting into fights inside Andy's room. I know, I have issues. Please go and get me help.
4 Roleplaying Rex
Despite his bumbling nature, Rex is one of the sweetest characters in the entire Toy Story franchise. He has a heart of pure gold and even though he has a cowardly nature, he always pulls through for his pals. Also, did I mention he may have some weird habits?
In the closing moments of the original movie, the toys huddle around the walkie-talkie so the army commander can report what Andy is opening for Christmas. Mr.Potato Head hopes for a Mrs. Potato Head understandably, but Rex hopes for a plant-eating dinosaur so he can play the "dominant predator." As kids, you can see this just as Rex wanting to be strong for once. As adults, you can get what the writers were going for there.
3 Woody's College Experience
Knowing what college is like for a lot of people, you gotta expect that Andy is going to do some interesting stuff in his dorm. Luckily for Woody, he's going right along with him. But if Hamm has anything to say about it, Woody will be a straight arrow.
Amazing Robot Chicken didn't think of this when they were parodying Toy Story.
In the closing moments of Toy Story 3, Woody is set to go off to college with Andy, but the rest of the toys are going off to the attic. As he's saying his goodbyes to his friends, Slinky tells him to have fun in college before Hamm chimes in to say "not too much fun *wink*." Don't worry Hamm, Woody is a sheriff, after all, he can't do anything bad, right?
2 Mr. Potato Head's Fear
Mr. Potato Head is one of the toughest of Andy's toys, never afraid to smack talk and somebody who is in the thick of any conflict in the franchise. That said, there are moments where even Mr. Potato Head has some "pants to be darkened moments."
Unlike when we go to the bathroom, Mr.Potato Head can put the stuff right back in.
For those who don't know, "pants to be darkened" is a trope in fiction when a character gets so scared of something or someone that their pants are ruined because of bodily functions. Since they can't exactly show that in a children's movie, they instead choose to make it then when Mr. Potato Head sees all the suitcases at the airport in Toy Story 2, he loses all his spare parts.
1 Mr. Potato Head's Plot
If you've done some digging about the origins of Toy Story, then you'll know one of the original scripts of the movie was much darker than the final product with Woody being a sadistic monster that crushed the other toys. Well, remnants of this can still be seen in a pivotal part of the final product when Woody accidentally pushes Buzz out of the window.
When Andy re-enters his room to search for Buzz, the other toys are still pissed at Woody for what he's done. Mr. Potato Head lets his intentions be well known to Woody by drawing a noose on the Etch A Sketch. As a child, this might have flown over our heads, but now we know that Woody was about to have a public demise in front of his old friends. Darn Pixar, you evil.