I have a lot of friends who love animation. They realize that animation isn’t just for kids, never was, never will be. For the most part these friends are separated by one tangible line, at least in terms of animation from the bygone eras. Warner Brothers or Walt Disney. Only a handful, like me can appreciate what they both had to offer, while most are decidedly one side or the other. I feel the most sorry for those friends, because both studios really did have much to offer and any time one of them releases certain Special Edition DVDs, the treasures they hold are often priceless. This time around, the treasures I speak of are those that are a part of the Walt Disney Treasures Collection. These are magnificent 2-disc sets that offer a veritable cornucopia of animation history. In the past, Disney has released 2 ‘waves’ of these sets. This month we see the release of ‘Wave Three’, which includes the titles, “Walt Disney on the Front Lines”, “The Chronological Donald”, Mickey Mouse in Living Color – Volume II”, and “Disney’s Tomorrowland.”

I hadn’t seen the original ‘waves’ so I really didn’t know what I was in store for when I opened up these newer releases. I was first struck by the packaging, each one featuring a ‘collector’s tin’ that holds the actual DVD cases. These silver tins are quite impressive (though a little hard to store on the shelf) and are embossed with the ‘Walt Disney Treasures’ logo. The front and back has the artwork from the inner DVD case printed directly on to them, which looks quite nice. Once inside, you can pull out the case where you’ll find the DVDs themselves.

Once I started really looking at what each of these sets had to offer I was literally struck speechless. Casual fans of animation will probably not be that impressed by the contents, but those who have a real appreciation for the art and history of the subject are in for days and days or materials to pour over. I’m not exaggerating either, each set boasts upwards of four to five hours worth of materials, and in some cases these materials haven’t been seen in years. The producers of these sets went about as far back into the archives as humanly possible to pull out every little bit they could find.

And we’re actually not just talking about animation either. Granted two of the sets primarily focus on Mickey and Donald, but the other two really give you a little bit of a look at how the future was viewed in the past. Walt had a fascination with space travel and “Disney’s Tomorrowland” features that interest. Episodes of the Disneyland TV show utilized a mixture of live action and animation to show how trips to the Moon or Mars might be accomplished, years before they became a reality. There is a feature film about satellites as well as a look at how atomic energy works. Every bit of footage in this set, whether taking a look at the proposed Epcot Center or listening to author Ray Bradbury speak about his friend Walt is entertaining, educational and nostalgic.

Just as fascinating was the fact that the Disney studios was called upon during WWII to create films for the government. I had some prior knowledge of this fact, but had no idea to extent of what was created. The set “Disney on the Front Lines” offers an interesting look at some of the films that came out of the Disney studios, both in the area of training and propaganda. The feature film “Victory Though Air Power” is of special significance and a must watch feature on this set. I was even more interested to learn that some of the training footage has only recently been declassified by the military, and is available here for the first time to the general public. And if you’re in the mood for some serious Disney, the Anti-Nazi short, “Education For Death” is about as serious as you can get.

I could go on for days about the sets that are coming in this third wave of “Walt Disney’s Treasure”, but it would take me that long to write about them. I think It’d be best to list out all the features (which I have done below), and let you decide for yourself is this is something you’d be interested in. Personally, I’m thrilled to have these sets in my collection, not only for me, but for my kids when they get a little older. After watching these sets, I’m definitely on the lookout to find the first two waves so I can complete the collection.

Set Features:

Walt Disney on the Front Lines
Introduction by Leonard Maltin

From the Vault:
Der Feuhrer’s Face
Education For Death
Reason and Emotion
Chicken Little

Propaganda & Entertainment Subjects:
Donald Gets Drafted
The Army Mascot
The Vanishing Private
Sky Trooper
Private Pluto
Fall Out; Fall In
Victory Vehicles
The Old Army Game
Home Defense
How to be a Sailor
Commando Duck
Educational Shorts:
Thrifty Pig
Seven Wise Dwarfs
Food Will Win the War
Donald’s Decision
All Together
The New Spirit
The Spirit of ‘43
The Winged Scourge
Defense Against Invasion
The Grain That Built a Hemisphere
Cleanliness Brings Health
What is Disease?
Planning for Good Eating

Full Length Feature Film:
Victory Through Air Power
And “On the Set of Victory Through Air Power”

Training Shorts:
Four Methods of Flush Riveting
Stop That Tank
Training Films Montage

Galleries:
Poster Gallery
Production Art Gallery
Victory Through Air Power Gallery
Dispatches from Disney Gallery
The Gremlins Gallery
Joe Grant’s Sketchbook Gallery
Insignia Gallery

Conversations with Disney Legends:
First hand accounts from John Hench, Joe Grant and Roy Disney

The Chronological Donald
Introduction by Leonard Maltin

Short Subjects:
The Autograph Hound
Beach Picnic
Donald and Pluto
Donald’s Better Self
Donald’s Cousin Gus
Donald’s Golf Game
Donald’s Lucky Day
Donald’s Nephews
Donald’s Ostrich
Donald’s Penguin
Don Donald
The Fox Hunt
Good Scouts
Hockey Champ
Modern Inventions
Officer Duck
Polar Trappers
Sea Scouts
Self Control
The Wise Little Hen
Billposters
Chef Donald
Donald’s Camera
Donald’s Dog Laundry
Donald’s Vacation
Early to Bed
Fire Chief
Golden Eggs
Good Time for a Dime
Mr. Duck Steps Out
Old MacDonald Duck
Put-Put Trouble
The Riveter
Timber
Truant Officer Donald
Window Cleaners

Galleries:
Publicity and Memorabilia Gallery
Story and Background Gallery

The Man Behind the Duck:
Clarence ‘Ducky’ Nash

Mickey Mouse in Living Color (Volume II)
Introduction by Leonard Maltin

Short Subjects:
The Little Whirlwind
Mickey and the Seal
Mickey Down Under
Mickey’s Birthday Party
Mickey’s Delayed Date
Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip
The Nifty Nineties
Orphan’s Benefit
Plutopia
Pluto’s Christmas Tree
Pluto’s Dream House
Pluto’s Party
The Pointer
R’coon Dawg
The Simple Things
Society Dog
Symphony Hour
Tugboat Mickey

Films and Features:
“The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” from Fantasia
Deleted Animation from “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”
Mickey and the Beanstalk
Mickey’s Christmas Carol
The Prince and the Pauper
Runaway Brain
Mickey’s Cartoon Comeback
The Voice Behind the Mouse – Husband and wife Wayne Allwine (Mickey) and Russi Taylor (Minnie)
Mouse Mania
Mickey Cartoon Physics from “Plausible Impossible”
Mickey on the Camera Stand
Mickey Meets the Maestro
Color Titles from the Mickey Mouse Club
The Making of Mickey’s Christmas Carol

Galleries:
Publicity and Memorabilia Gallery
Story and Background Gallery

Walt Disney’s Tomorrowland
Introduction by Leonard Maltin

Films and Features:
Man in Space
Man and the Moon
Mars and Beyond
Eyes in Outer Space
Our Friend the Atom
Epcot
The Optimistic Futurist
Marty Sklar, Walt and Epcot

Galleries:
Behind the Scenes Gallery
Publicity and Publications Gallery
Story and Background Art Gallery

Studio: Disney
Release Date: 5/18/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Disney Treasures Wave 3 an A+.