TOY STORY: THE LEGACY COLLECTION (2015)
Yup, it’s been 20 years since a certain pullstring cowboy doll named Woody and an astronaut action figure named Buzz Lightyear made millions of fans around the world lapping up the phrase “You’ve Got A Friend In Me”. Since June last year, Walt Disney Records has been releasing a series of soundtracks to mark the anniversaries of beloved Disney films. Here we have the two disc album coinciding with the 20th anniversary of Pixar’s first animated feature film, a buddy comedy movie which propelled the animation studio to fame.
This soundtrack is a must own for any self respecting Disney/ Pixar fan. It contains the movie’s complete original soundtrack, four demo recordings and three instrumental versions of the three songs played in the film.
On Disc One, a very generous 67 minutes of music await you. For those who have purchased the original release will be glad to hear the music score playing from start to finish, with the songs in the right places. Hearing “Opening” (the cue that plays during Pixar’s version of the Walt Disney Pictures logo) almost brought tears to this reviewer’s eyes. Soon after, listeners will be brought onto a journey with the anthropomorphic toys who pretend to be lifeless whenever humans are around, and spring to life when they have their owner’s bedroom to themselves.
Be it Woody summoning his fellow toys in “Staff Meeting Everybody!”, the Green Army Men showing comradeship in “A Good Soldier Never Leaves a Man Behind”, the exhilaration in seeing a soaring spaceman in “Buzz Flies”, the ominous dread in “Sid” or the wondrous awe in “The Claw”, the cues sure bring back some fond memories of the film. Never released before tracks like “Pizza Planet Rock” and “Buzz Lightyear Commercial” will make you sit up and listen, with the electronic sounds infused in the compositions.
Of course, it’s always welcoming to hear the triumphant “RC to the Rescue” and “To Infinity and Beyond”, tracks that remind fans how the friendship was sealed between Woody and Buzz.
You’ll get to hear the discarded “Plastic Spaceman” and “The Fool” on Disc Two, which runs at a duration of 21 minutes. Hearing composer Randy Newman “Thanking the Orchestra” is an apt way to close the soundtrack.
Another reason why you should get a copy of this soundtrack are the original artworks and illustrations featured in the exquisite booklet. There are also liner notes from director John Lasseter and Newman, giving fans further insights on how the music brought the film to life.
You have to admit, just seeing the album cover (courtesy of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ artist Lorelay Bove) does make you want to own a copy pf this commemorative soundtrack straightaway.
ALBUM RATING:
Recommended Track: (50) You've Got a Friend in Me (Lyle Lovett and Randy Newman) – Disc One
Review by John Li
