Classic Cartoon Favorites, Vol. 9 - Classic Holiday Stories (The Small One/Pluto's Christmas Tree/Mickey's Christmas Carol) (1983) Review

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(More customer reviews)VOLUME 9: CLASSIC HOLIDAY STORIES
THE SMALL ONE (special 1978): First Time on DVD! Not yet announced for any Disney Treasures releases so this may be it.
A young boy in ancient times brings his donkey to market. He meets a kindly man named Joseph who
brings the donkey to his wife, Mary.
PLUTO'S CHRISTMAS TREE (Mickey, Pluto Chip & Dale 1952): Previously released on the Mickey Mouse In Living Color Volume 2 Tin DVD.
Mickey and Pluto chop down a Christmas tree that is actually the home of Chip and Dale. Once inside
Mickey's house, Chip and Dale have a ball with their new Christmas tree home.
MICKEY'S CHRISTMAS CAROL (Mickey & the whole gang 1983): Previously released on the Mickey Mouse In Living Color Volume 2 Tin DVD.
Charles Dickens's famous story is retold with Mickey as Bob Cratchit, Uncle Scrooge as Ebenezer
Scrooge, Goofy as Jacob Marley's ghost, and Donald as nephew Fred.

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Celebrate the season with classic holiday stories full of humor and heart! In "The Small One," a young boy discovers the true spirit of the season when he gives his beloved donkey to a very special passenger on a very special night. Then, laughs light up the house when Pluto discovers Chip 'n' Dale living inside "Pluto's Christmas Tree." And in "Mickey's Christmas Carol," everybody’s favorite mouse and a host of other Disney characters present their delightful and uplifting adaptation of Dickens' beloved Christmas tale. Your whole family will love every minute of this classic collection of heartwarming holiday stories!~

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Walt Disney Treasures - Mickey Mouse in Living Color (1937) Review

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(More customer reviews)First the good:
This is by far the best compilation of Mickey shorts available to the public to date. Disney produced 87 Mickey shorts in the 30's - by far the most prolific period of Mickey Mouse Cartoons (there were only 120 made from 1928 to 1953). 27 of these shorts are contained on this disc, which constitutes more than half of the color Mickeys made. He was already a sensation before he went to color; these shorts firmly established him as an American icon. To the animation fan, it can be argued that this disc contains some of the best cartoon "acting" of the golden age of animation. By no means should a serious fan avoid this disc.
The not so good:
These shorts have not been remastered. I'm not even sure they come from the best available print. Some of these shorts have looked better on the "Ink and Paint Club." The cartoons in this package contain flaws that some could consider unacceptable, or at least annoying - colors going out of register (albeit probably not noticeable to the casual viewer), a few sound problems (rare, but a bit annoying), dust and dirt. Watch the "Brave Little Tailor" in the scene where Mickey kills the seven flies. The amount of film debris present is alarming - it almost looks like it's snowing. Some have said that the recent remastering of Snow White has resulted in an ultra-clean presentation that takes away from the period animation. Well...this disc certainly doesn't present THAT dilemma. It's not unacceptable as the good far outweighs the bad. But I would have thought Disney to spend a bit more time on presenting the best possible versions of these pieces.
Overall:
An absolute must for the animation collector. Concerning the comments about the mastering - it's highly unlikely that Disney will remaster these shorts in another package. Grab it while it's available as this is supposedly a limited release of 150,000 copies....

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A collection of twenty-six animated shorts in color starring everyone's favorite, Mickey Mouse, released between 1935 and 1938. Introduction by Leonard Maltin. Cartoons: The Band Concert, Mickey's Garden, Mickey's Fire Brigade, Pluto's Judgement Day, On Ice, Mickey's Polo Team, Orphan's Picnic, Mickey's Grand Opera, Thru the Mirror, Mickey's Rival, Moving Day, Alpine Climbers, Mickey's Circus, Mickey's Elephant, The Worm Turns, Magician Mickey, Moose Hunters, Mickey's Amateurs, Hawaiian Holiday, Clock Cleaners, Lonesome Ghosts, Boat Builders, Mickey's Trailer, The Whalers, Mickey's Parrot, Brave Little Tailor.

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Walt Disney Treasures - Mickey Mouse Club (1955) Review

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(More customer reviews)The contents of this set has been released.
This set will contain the first week of the Mickey Mouse Club - 5 one-hour shows shown 10/3 thru 10/7, 1955.

Disc 1 Program
Show #1 10/3/55 Monday

Newsreel #1
Fun With Music Day: The Friendly Farmers (and) The Shoe Song
Serial: What I Want To Be - Episode #1
Cartoon: Pueblo Pluto

Show #2 10/4/55 Tuesday

Sooty #8: TV Set
Guest Star Day: Wally Boag (comedian)
Serial: What I Want To Be - Episode #2
Cartoon: Mickey's Kangaroo

Show #3 10/5/55 Wednesday

Newsreel #3
Anything Can Happen Day: Gadget Band #1
Serial: What I Want To Be - Episode #3
Cartoon: Mickey's Service Station

Disc 1 Bonus
Leonard Maltin Introduction
The Leader of the Club (The Jimmie Dodd Tribute)
Disc 2 Program
Show #4 10/6/55 Thursday

Jiminy Cricket: I'm No Fool With A Bicycle (educational cartoon)
Circus Day: The DeWaynes (acrobats)
Serial: What I Want To Be - Episode #4
Cartoon: The Wise Little Hen

Show #5 10/7/55 Friday

Talent Roundup Day: Larry Ashurst (trumpeter) and Cubby O'Brien (Mouseketeer and drummer)
Serial: What I Want To Be - Episode #5
Cartoon: Two Gun Mickey
Disc 2 Bonus
Mouska-Memories (6 of the original Mouseketeers share their memories of the club - Sharon Baird, Bobby Burgess, Lonnie Burr, Doreen Tracey, Cubby O'Brien, and Karen Pendleton - I guess Annette was too ill to contribute to this)
The Mouseketeers Debut at Disneyland
Opening Sequences in Color (the original animated openings)
Still Frame Galleries

Sooty was an ill-tempered puppet from England.

The "What I Want To Be" serial was about a Mickey Mouse Club newsreel reporter (Alvy Moore) who picks two 10-year olds and takes them to the headquarters of Trans World Airlines in Kansas City, Missouri, where they learn how TWA trains its flight crews. These five episodes are part of a total of 10 episodes.

I like the idea of the first 5 shows being released as this set. However, being the very early shows, the entertainment value will be less than some of the better later shows. I have never seen the hourly shows - most of the shows I have seen have been the half-hour repeats shown on the Disney Channel in the mid to late 1980s.

But at the very minimum, these first five shows are very interesting to me historically - since they are the very first shows.

I will be glad to have this treasure set but would have preferred a set of the Mickey Mouse serials - such as Spin And Marty, The Hardy Boys, or Annette. Maybe these serials will be released in future treasure sets.

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"M-I-C-K-E-Y-M-O-U-S-E." Before the theme song's memorable spelling became an audio icon, before the series even aired, the Mickey Mouse Club was the most anticipated children's programming ever. This volume features the five episodes of week one of the black-and-white series that launched a television revolution. Also showcased in this volume is a wonderful tribute to the unforgettable Jimmie Dodd, the singer-actor who hosted the show. You'll also see recently discovered, never-before-seen color archival footage of the Mousketeers' very first appearance at the grand opening celebration of Disneyland. And you'll meet six original Mouseketeers in a reunion on the soundstage where they first got together in 1955. So, sit back and enjoy -- and you don't have to wait until 5:00.

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Classic Cartoon Favorites - Best Pals - Donald & Daisy (Vol. 11) (1950) Review

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(More customer reviews)Cartoon Classics VOLUME 11: BEST PALS DONALD AND DAISY
This release features four cartoons that have never been issued to DVD, but three are announced for this Dec.11 2007's "Disney Treasures: Chronological Donald volume 3" . All are classic Donald Duck cartoons worth getting this DVD for!
Regardless of the duplication, I thoroughly enjoyed watching this DVD. DONALD'S DIARY (which sounds like a cheater cartoon but isn't) is my favorite. It has a stylized, almost UPA, look but still uses full animation. Donald's nightmare of marriage is a good show closer to this Donald & Daisy set. Even though DONALD'S DIARY will probably not be on a Disney Treasures DVD set until 2008 or later, it looks restored.
My only complaint (aside from the repetition of cartoons from other DVD releases) is that 10 Daisy cartoons were produced, so why only include 8 in her DVD set? Remember, DVDs can hold up to 3 hours of program without losing quality to compression artifacting, Disney is giving us less than one hour here!
Here is what you do get:
MR. DUCK STEPS OUT (1940 - previously released on "Disney Treasures: Donald volume 1" DVD Tin AND the "Mickey & Minnie's Sweetheart Stories" DVD.)
Donald heads out to court Daisy, but his nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie find devious ways to sabotage Donald's big date.
CURED DUCK (1945 - previously released on "Disney Treasures: Donald volume 2" DVD Tin.)
Daisy, fed up with Donald's temper, makes Donald take lessons to cure it with the aid of an `insult machine.' Donald is cured, but when he laughs at Daisy's hat, it's Daisy who gets hot under the collar.
DONALD'S DOUBLE TROUBLE (1946 - previously released on "Disney Treasures: Donald volume 2" DVD Tin AND the "Mickey & Minnie's Sweetheart Stories" DVD.)
Donald meets his double and decides to use him to win back Daisy. But the trick backfires when the double falls in love with Daisy himself.
SLEEPY TIME DONALD (1947 - NEW TO DVD, but announced for this Dec.11 2007's "Disney Treasures: Chronological Donald volume 3")
Donald sleepwalks to Daisy's house, and Daisy is kind enough to steer him back to his own bed. Later, when Donald tells Daisy that she's the one walking in her sleep, the two get into a funny argument.
CRAZY OVER DAISY (1950 - NEW TO DVD, but announced for this Dec.11 2007's "Disney Treasures: Chronological Donald volume 3")
Chip `N Dale make mischievous trouble for Donald while he's riding his bike. Donald tries to get even, but is frustrated when Daisy takes the chipmunks' side.
DONALD'S DREAM VOICE (1948 - NEW TO DVD, but announced for this Dec.11 2007's "Disney Treasures: Chronological Donald volume 3")
Donald wants to improve his speaking voice, and buys miraculous voice pills that increase his vocal range. Donald manages to lose all the pills, including his last one that accidentally drops into the mouth of a cow.
DONALD'S CRIME (1945 - previously released on "Disney Treasures: Donald volume 2" DVD Tin.)
Donald is broke, and when he gets a date with Daisy, he breaks into his nephews' piggy bank out of desperation. His conscience gets the best of him, however, and Donald finds a job to pay back Huey, Dewey and Louie.
DONALD'S DIARY - (1954 - NEW TO DVD! No announcements for other releases yet.)
Daisy almost succeeds in getting Donald to say "I do" and settle down in marriage. But Donald gets cold feet when he thinks about the worst that could happen to a married duck, and he runs away.

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Disney favorites Donald and Daisy experience the ups and downs of friendship in this new collection of eight laugh-out-loud classic shorts. With nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie frequently underfoot, Donald does his best to woo Daisy with some sweet-talking in "Donald's Dream Voice," fancy dance moves in "Mr. Duck Steps Out," and a dapper new demeanor in "Cured Duck," and "Donald's Double Trouble." Dive into fun and adventure with Donald, Daisy, and their best pals. You're sure to "quack up" at all their hilarious antics.

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Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Choo-Choo Express Review

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(More customer reviews)As the father of twin three year olds who are enamored with the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse series, this DVD seemed like a reasonable gift. The number of repeat viewings at our house has outnumbered those for Mom or Dad's DVDs, so I feel qualified to write a review.
PROS
The quality of the episodes shares the same strengths of the series in general. Bright, colorful computer generated graphics are used in conjunction with simple plots. Mickey and his friends are friendly, interesting characters that our little guys have enjoyed since their twos. There are a few bouncy songs, but adults probably won't find them cloying or otherwise Barney-esque.
The main feature obviously focuses on Mickey's train, which is a natural theme for toddlers. It seems to be a holiday-themed episode, given the presence of snow and cameos by two icons of the Christmas season. The main feature runs at twice the length of a typical episode. It is accompanied by an extra, unrelated episode featuring "Willy the Giant".
And speaking of big people, there is a new song from They Might Be Giants -- always a plus!
CONS
While the production values match the high quality of the rest of the series, this particular DVD entry is not as inspired as some of the others. Disney may describe this is a full length feature, but in reality it is two episodes strung together featuring Mickey's train. The "bonus" third episode has no connection to the main story, and could have been randomly selected from previously aired episodes.
As far as the value offered by this DVD, this does not measure up to previously-released discs from the series: Disney DVDs are not cheap, and this one does not offer as much bang for the buck. Some of the previous discs have offered four episodes from the series. At least one other disc also presented the "double episode plus one bonus episode" format, but presented a bonus episode that was a brand-new unaired episode, rather than one that regular viewers had probably seen already. The product gives a vibe of having been rushed to be put together for store shelves (virtual or otherwise) in time for Christmas.
Disney excels in marketing, and this episode seems a little more commercial than others. Specifically, the "Choo Choo Express" is also being sold as a toy train set.
SUMMARY
All said, my kids probably could care less about anything I've listed as a Con. They enjoyed the episode, and as I mentioned, they have requested multiple replays. My advice: if you want to buy only one or two "Clubhouse" DVDs, check out other entries before this one. Rather, go to the "Big Splash" or "Storybook Surprises" for more episodes per disc (four episodes each) or the "Adventures in Wonderland" (very creative and a more cohesive story).

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Join Mickey, Toodles and the Gang for this magical full-length adventure you ll enjoy year-round! Ride the amazing Clubhouse Train to the top of the mountain, and help load the cars full of incredible, never-melting, Easy-Freezey snow! Share in the excitement when you arrive back at the Clubhouse to ski and make snow angels ...in summer! Hop back on board and race to each station to pick up guests in time for the coolest snow party ever! It s always the season for fun when you ride on Mickey s Choo-Choo Express!

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