Toy Story 1 & 2 Returning to Theaters in 3D!

t was announced today that the first two films in Pixar’s sole and signature franchise, Toy Story and Toy Story 2, are headed back to movie screens October 2nd, 2009 and February 12th, 2010, respectively, with a complete digital 3D makeover, called Disney Digital 3D to be exact. The films will be an audience primer for Disney-Pixar’s digital 3D Toy Story 3, which hits screens on June 18th, 2010. John Lasseter, director of the first two Toy films and a Pixar poobah, is supervising the 3D process on both, while director Lee Unkrick continues his work on the second sequel.

In 1995, Toy Story was probably the most eye-popping thing I’d ever seen at that young age, in a theater or otherwise. Well, it ranked with my first concert, Beck, but I remember looking at the screen and my brain couldn’t comprehend the smoothness of the characters on screen. It was like the future in Back to the Future 2 had finally arrived. That feeling came surprisingly close again last year watching Beowulf at midnight at IMAX, but not totally. And I guess kids will feel the same way (self-fitting sneaks and attacking 3D movie ads still on the way…) with Toy Story 3 in 3D.

But while the new movie is a whole ‘nother animal, I’m not sure if I’d like to see the original film again in theaters in 3D. It might be like putting two types of syrup on your pancakes. Maybe that’s the goofy, tie-dyed cousin of death, nostalgia, talking. I’m sure it will look amazing, and Pixar revolutionized filmmaking, so they deserve the long theatrical celebration and audience refresher. What do you think?

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