Toy Story 3: Deeper than you may think?

[Taneer]

A professor of mine, a little while back, showed us Toy Story 3 in class on a day when she was doing mid-term meetings, and the next day, she came back and made a few interesting points about the movie.

#1: Satire of Democracy vs. Dictatorship. Woody frequently calls meetings for everyone to come together and decide on things, while Lotso simply makes decisions and everyone has to obey them.

OR

#2: Satire of the Immigration system. When Woody and his friends all end up at Sunnyside, they're treated to a vision of all these beautiful sights, and the whole place looks really nice, but they end up being put in a seperate area with the smaller children who abuse and break them. Supposedly, this could be a reference to how, despite what some countries look like at first glance to new immigrants, the government frequently ends up treating immigrants poorly.

So, what do you say? Would you say these arguments have any credibility? Personally, I think they actually sound pretty reasonable.

 

[Rachel317]

These arguments aren't entirely new or...revolutionary. They're pretty obvious themes (not to kids, obviously) so yeah...your professor's right, but people were saying this a while ago, when it first came out.

It's also about isolation, acceptance, tolerance, death, rejection...yadda yadda. Pixar are EXCELLENT at being able to subtly address dark themes films like this. Pixar don't do kids films that adults enjoy, but films that adults will appreciate and enjoy whilst also catering to kids.

 

[spartan1077]

...I watched it and never really thought of anything this way. I don't think Pixar would subtely do that but if they did make it about the dictatorship of Lotso and the democracy of Woody then they are brilliant at hiding stuff. The second point I disagree with though. Sure, just because they are new they are thrown to the vultures(younger children) but once they are there for some time they get to be with the caring children. Do immigrants get that option?

 

[Distorted Stu]

I watched it and i found that the story was all about some kids toys not wanting to be abandoned in a childsplay area thing.

OT: You can look into any medium and find "hidden" meanings. Take Starship Troopers, a perfect example of the Iraq/Vetenam war.

 

[NeedAUserName]

I always looked at it in the view that its like retirement (sort of) and old age. With some toys not wanting to get shipped off to retirement homes, and some willing to go, and others having died between Toy Story 2 and 3 (Bo-Peep notably), but your professor does make a very good point.

 

[Lilani]

A professor of mine, a little while back, showed us Toy Story 3 in class on a day when she was doing mid-term meetings, and the next day, she came back and made a few interesting points about the movie.

#1: Satire of Democracy vs. Dictatorship. Woody frequently calls meetings for everyone to come together and decide on things, while Lotso simply makes decisions and everyone has to obey them.

OR

#2: Satire of the Immigration system. When Woody and his friends all end up at Sunnyside, they're treated to a vision of all these beautiful sights, and the whole place looks really nice, but they end up being put in a seperate area with the smaller children who abuse and break them. Supposedly, this could be a reference to how, despite what some countries look like at first glance to new immigrants, the government frequently ends up treating immigrants poorly.

So, what do you say? Would you say these arguments have any credibility? Personally, I think they actually sound pretty reasonable.

I listened to the director's commentary, and they said what they always wanted from the very beginning with this movie was to have Andy end up giving his toys to a little girl. That was the vision they had. Everything else was just the journey to get there.

So sure, you can analyze the shit out of it and come up with themes that regard dictatorship, fascism, vigilantism, the socioeconomic effect of giving toys away rather than selling them...but then again you can do that with any movie. Seriously. If you look at the Muppet Movie long enough you can dig up all sorts of stuff about how capitalism is a catalyst for greed and thus the center of corruption in America, stoking the fires for crimes such as kidnap and murder.

But, in reality, it was just intended to be a movie about the Muppets--the paragons of irreverence.

My point is sure, indulge those beliefs all you want, but in the end any film, book, video game, or any other sort of story means as much or as little as you will it to. The only absolute "standard" or "limit" given is the standard given by the story's creators.

 

[LightspeedJack]

Interesting ideas, indeed. There is also the obvious parrallels to Old Age/Death and the afterlife.

On an related note Lion King is Communist propaganda!

 

[Sneeze]

I can't say I noticed anything like that when watching it, it's a great film and I loved it but people sometimes tend to find meaning in things even the writers didn't intend.

 

[Nouw]

Very interesting indeed. I sub-consciously thought that but now that I read it... I see the truth!