'' is a
1992 surreal
Black Comedy Film directed by
Barry Levinson . 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.
Kenneth Zevo (
Donald O'Connor ) had made of himself a surrealistic toy empire, that he, his two children, Leslie (
Robin Williams ) and Alsatia (
Joan Cusack ), and the factory employees were more than happy to live and work in. When Kenneth dies, much to his family's surprise, he leaves Zevo Toys to his military fanatic brother Lt. General Leland Zevo (
Michael Gambon ). Leland has no love for toys and is embittered in life never getting to have fought in any "great war". In time, with the aide of his adopted son Patrick (
LL Cool J ) he converts the factory to a militaristic operation at the loss of employees and the trust of Kenneth's children. Leland begins to manufacture military equipment disguised as toys which he brings in children to remotely pilot. It is clear the general has gotten out of hand even causing his son to switch sides. Led by Patrick and Leslie, Alsatia, Kenneth's trusted assistant Owen Owens (
Arthur Malet ), and Leslie's new girlfriend Gwen (
Robin Wright Penn ) form a resistance against General Leland. They infiltrate the facility and pit an army of Zevo's original wind-up tin toys against Leland's missile-launching monsters. Alsatia is shot during the battle, and it is revealed that she is in fact a robot made by Kenneth to give Leslie a sister, after the death of his mother. In the aftermath of a tumultuous battle, General Leland is defeated and Leslie, now fully prepared for the duty, inherits the factory, aided by Gwen and a repaired Alsatia.
#"Winter Reveries" (Excerpt from
Tchaikovsky 's "Symphony No. 1")
- 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"
- 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)
- Performed by Grace Jones
- Written by Hans Zimmer and Trevor Horn
#"The Closing of the Year/ Happy Worker (Reprise)"
A '', 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.
