Walt Disney Home Video presents

Holiday Celebration with Mickey & Pals (1932-51)

"Merry Christmas, Pluto!"- Mickey Mouse

Stars: Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto, Chip, Dale
MPAA Rating: Not RatedRun Time: 00h:54m:06s
Release Date: 2005-09-27
Genre: animation

Style Grade	Substance Grade	Image Transfer Grade	Audio Transfer Grade	Extras Grade
B+	B+	B-	B-	D-

 

DVD Review

How many shopping days left until Christmas? Seems like summer was just here, but the time is always right to visit with Mickey Mouse and his buddies—this DVD brings together a septet of winter-oriented stories, made during Walt's most glorious years. The picture quality is variable, but each of them remains a good seven or eight minutes of fun.

In the opening tale, it's Christmas Eve, and since he's in the holiday spirit, we get to see Mickey's Good Deed (1932), in which he sells Pluto to the overindulgent father of a greedy little Veruca Salt of a pig. (Poor Pluto must have species issues. What's it like to go from being a dog belonging to a mouse to one belonging to a pig?) Mickey uses the cash to give a proper Christmas to some impoverished little mice, and Pluto's new owner soon tires of him, along the dog to go scampering back to Mickey, while the little pig gets a good spanking. Next up, on the march are a pair of Peculiar Penguins (1934) who fall in love, go fishing, and then do their best to escape the clutches of an especially hungry shark.

Even a duck in a sailor suit has to make rent, so Donald is The Clock Watcher (1944), working wrapping presents at a department store during the holiday rush, his only company a disembodied voice coming through a loudspeaker. The gifts come fast and furious, making this Disney's version of Modern Times. Next, though he's no Saint Bernard, Pluto does his best as a Rescue Dog (1946), though a playful little seal keeps him from his appointed rounds. Always quick to anger, Donald is ready to throw down in Corn Chips (1950), when, after trying to get Chip and Dale to shovel the walk, he ends up in a battle with them for popcorn supremacy.

Then Pluto agrees to Lend a Paw (1951) to a poor little kitten, not realizing that he's invited a rival for Mickey's affection into his own home. And finally, Donald does battle with the chipmunks again, a couple of Toy Tinkers (1949) with their eyes on his Christmas candy. Back away from the gingerbread cookies, and nobody will get hurt. All in all, a spirited collection of animated shorts.

Rating for Style: B+
Rating for Substance: B+

 

Image Transfer

	One
Aspect Ratio	1.33:1 - Full Frame
Original Aspect Ratio	yes
Anamorphic	no

Image Transfer Review: The image quality is highly variable here—easily the best is Lend a Paw, which is well preserved and well saturated, while Toy Tinkers is faded and badly damaged.

Image Transfer Grade: B-
 

Audio Transfer

	Language	Remote Access
Mono	English, French	yes

Audio Transfer Review: As things move along chronologically, the audio quality improves—the 30s titles are pretty ragged, the 50s ones less so.

Audio Transfer Grade: B- 

Disc Extras

Animated menu with music
Scene Access with 7 cues and remote access
Subtitles/Captions in English with remote access
8 Other Trailer(s) featuring Tarzan (SE), Toy Story, Old Yeller (SE), Kermit's 50th Anniversary, Timeless Tales, The Lady and the Tramp, Chicken Little, Kronk's New Groove
Packaging: Amaray
Picture Disc
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: single

Extras Review: Just lots of trailers, along with Disney's Fast Play option, to keep the title on a perpetual loop.

Extras Grade: D-
 

Final Comments

A fine little stocking stuffer of a DVD, even if you're already wishing away the cold weather.

Jon Danziger 2005-10-19