|
|
|
|
Toys
|
| |
|
| |
Toys is a 1992 surreal comedy film directed by Barry Levinson and starring Robin Williams, Michael Gambon, Joan Cusack, and Robin Wright. The film failed at the box office at the time of its release, despite its impressive cast and lavish filmmaking. Levinson was criticized for a lack of plot focus. Levinson was consequently nominated for, but did not win, a Razzie award for worst director, such was the magnitude of perceived directorial failure.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Toys' Start a new discussion about 'Toys' Answer questions from other users |
Encyclopedia
Toys is a 1992 surreal comedy film directed by Barry Levinson and starring Robin Williams, Michael Gambon, Joan Cusack, and Robin Wright. The film failed at the box office at the time of its release, despite its impressive cast and lavish filmmaking. Levinson was criticized for a lack of plot focus. Levinson was consequently nominated for, but did not win, a Razzie award for worst director, such was the magnitude of perceived directorial failure. Interestingly enough, the costume and art direction in set design led to it receiving nominations for the Oscars in those categories.
Despite its lack of success in theaters, Toys eventually gained somewhat of a cult following over the years that followed after its release to video and heavy television play, at least in part, due to its unique storyline and the many surreal aspects of the film, including the heavy use of Magritte-inspired imagery.
Magritte's art, particularly The Son of Man is obvious in its influence on the set design, and in part the costume design, of the film. The poster for the film distributed to movie theaters features Robin Williams in a red bowler hat against a blue, cloud-lined background. Golconda is also featured during a sequence where Robin Williams and Joan Cusack's characters perform in a music video sequence rife with surreal imagery, much of it Magritte-inspired.
Plot
In the middle of a sea of gently waving tall grass, the surreal toy factory known as Zevo Toys stands. Founded by Kenneth Zevo (Donald O'Connor), it is a place where he, his two children Leslie (Robin Williams) and Alsatia (Joan Cusack), and a multitude of happy employees lovingly develop and produce playthings for those who let joy and innocence prevail.
However, Kenneth Zevo does not have long to live due to a heart condition. What surprises many, is that instead of turning control of the factory over to Leslie as some would expect, Kenneth instead asks his militaristic brother, Lt. General Leland Zevo (Michael Gambon) to take control. On his deathbed, Kenneth confesses to trusted assistant Owen Owens (Arthur Malet), that his brother holds the key to Leslie growing up, stating that his son does not possess the responsibility to handle a company like Zevo Toys.
Soon after Kenneth's death, the General assumes control as his brother requested. However, he is like a fish out of water amid the very whimsical and strange customs of the childlike toy factory. It is only upon hearing that internal espionage by other toy companies has taken place, does his mind snap to alertness. The General soon brings his adopted son Patrick (LL Cool J) into the factory, to oversee a security upgrade. It is also upon this announcement, that the General tells of his plan to start a line of war toys for the factory.
After several months, Zevo Toys is under tight security, with the once cheerful employees now under close scrutiny by security personnel. The General has also become frustrated, that after 6 months of work, the designers at Zevo Toys have not come up with anything interesting for his war toys line. Leslie meanwhile, has discovered Gwen Tyler (Robin Wright), who works in the 'duplication' section of Zevo Toys.
Still upset about the slow process for his war toys idea, the General and Patrick go into town where they view toys by their competitors, as well as visit a video arcade. Later that night, the General hits on an epiphany-what if toy tanks and toy aircraft could be used for military purposes? Pilots would control the craft by radio control, with the cost implements leaving room for the streamlining of military spending.
Soon afterward, the General begins a top-secret project at the factory, taking away space and funding for other projects. Many of the factory's loyal employees are fired, and even Alsatia's department is shut down. Owen Owens explains to Leslie that it appears that children have been arriving at the factory, but no one knows where they are going to. Leslie tries to get the General to explain, but his questions are met with silence.
Upon obtaining a security card, Leslie gains access to the top secret rooms, to find children sitting at video game stations, that simulate the video cockpits of aerial war machines. Leslie reports to his friends and family what he has seen, but the General still won't admit just what his project is, except to say that if given two weeks, he'll be able to tell them more.
Shortly after the meeting, Patrick explains that some people from Washington D.C. have come to have a meeting as the General requested. Held in secrecy out in the countryside, the General tries to persuade the men of the cost-effectiveness of his 'war toys,' only to have them not fully embrace his bold vision. Furious, the General angrily strangles one of the men. It soon becomes apparent that the General has become mad with power, as later on that evening in his office at the factory, he drunkenly tries to kill an annoying fly in the room with his pistol and winds up shooting himself in the foot.
Patrick, after having a change of heart, decides to break ranks with his father. He reveals the General's plans to Leslie, Alsatia, Gwen and Owen. It is collectively decided that the General has gone too far and must be stopped. Breaking into the factory, they soon become separated, at which point the General lets loose with a faction of cute-but-deadly toys, before sending out his prototype Tommy Tanks, followed by helicopters. The General also lets loose a top-secret military weapon called the 'sea-swine,' that Leslie encountered earlier on.
Leslie eventually makes it to Zevo's office, and after a battle with the General, manages to destroy the control panel for the helicopters and tanks, but the 'sea-swine' remains active. In the aftermath, Alsatia is wounded, causing her head to fly off. It is then revealed that she was built to give Leslie a companion after the death of his mother. As the General tries to escape, he is attacked by the 'sea-swine.'
Some time afterward, Leslie assumes control of Zevo Toys, and returns it to its rightful state. Alsatia is repaired (though with a few glitches), and Gwen has now become Leslie's girlfriend. In the final moments of the film, Leslie, Alsatia, Patrick, Owen and Gwen pay a visit to Kenneth Zevo's grave. Patrick wishes them all well and leaves, seeming to disappear into the tall green grass surrounding the landscape.
Cast
Soundtrack
- "Winter Reveries" (Excerpt from Tchaikovsky's "Symphony No. 1")
- "The Closing of the Year" (Main Theme)
- Performed by the Musical Cast of Toys featuring Wendy & Lisa
- Written by Trevor Horn and Hans Zimmer
- Prior to its release received minor radio airplay as a winter holiday song
- "Ebudae"
- "The Happy Worker"
- "Alsatia's Lullaby"
- "Workers"
- Performed by The Musical Cast of Toys
- Written by Trevor Horn and Bruce Wooley
- Alternate version of "The Happy Worker"
- "Let Joy & Innocence Prevail" (Instrumental)
- "The General"
- "The Mirror Song"
- "Battle Introduction"
- Film dialogue performed by Robin Williams
- Written and performed by Hans Zimmer
- "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" (Into Battle Mix)
- "Let Joy & Innocence Prevail"
- "The Closing of the Year/ Happy Worker (Reprise)"
- Note - a short remix of Tori Amos' "The Happy Worker" plays within the film itself but was not included on the soundtrack. However, a prominently distributed bootleg copy of her 1987 album Y Kant Tori Read contains both of these songs as "bonus tracks," leading many to believe that the latter (titled "Workers" on the bootleg) was a legitimately released track.
Trailer
The film was publicized with a very innovative and memorable trailer, which featured Williams walking through a large undulating field of very green grass and breaking the fourth wall, talking to the audience. This trailer was parodied in on the TV show The Simpsons in the episode "Burns' Heir", substituting Mr. Burns for Williams.
Video Game
A video game based on the movie, Toys: Let the Toy Wars Begin!, was released in 1993 for the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis systems by Absolute Entertainment. The game is played from an overhead perspective, and involves you, as Leslie Zevo, attempting to destroy the elephant-head security cameras in the factory, cafeteria, and warehouse levels in order to shut down those defenses. Once you get to the Manhattan model, the game switches to a side-scrolling Gradius-style level, where you must fly all the way to the General's control center, shut down the production of the war toys, and save the good name of Zevo Toys.
External links
|
| |
|
|
