All The Shining References In The Toy Story Trilogy
The Toy Story films are timeless and delightful movies for kids of all ages, right? Correct. Do they also feature numerous references to the terrifying Stanley Kubrick horror flick The Shining? Er, also correct. Don’t believe us? Then you haven’t been watching closely enough.
The most obvious reference comes in 1995’s Toy Story, in the scene where Woody and Buzz are attempting to escape Sid’s house. If you glance at the carpet, you’ll notice it sports the same pattern as the one that adorns the floors of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining.
Fast forward to Toy Story 3 and the film is positively stuffed with nods to the Kubrick classic. The crazed monkey’s office where he overseas the Sunnyside Day Care Centre features both that Shining carpet pattern again and a 1970s intercom machine, mirroring the one featured in the Overlook Hotel’s manager’s office.
Mostly, though, there are a heck of a lot of references to Room 237, the room where Jack Nicholson makes out with that scary old lady. A security camera is labelled with Overlook237, a garbage truck’s license plate is RM237 and Trixie’s internet pal is named Velocistar237.
Likewise, is it just a coincidence that Woody and Buzz’s owner is named Andy – the same name as the protagonist of Child’s Play, another kid who owns a toy that comes to life? Considering the hidden nods to The Shining, this has got to be another bit of dark humour the filmmakers snuck in for their own amusement.