Remember the days when Mickey Mouse wasn’t just a corporate symbol? I’m talking about the old days, when Walt himself was trying to find just the right character to establish his studios as THE animation studio. Well, if you’re way too young to remember (like I am… though I’m enough of a fan to have sought out these gems before this), Disney is giving DVD audiences the opportunity to take a trip in the ‘way back’ machine to see Mickey in all of his original glory. “Vintage Mickey” offers up nine of Mickey’s first appearances on celluloid. Starting off with the classic “Steamboat Willie”, we also have the opportunity to catch him in “Plane Crazy”, The Karnival Kid”, “The Birthday Party”, “The Castaway”, “Mickey’s Orphans”, “Mickey’s Revue”, “Building a Building” and “Mickey’s Steam-Roller.” Each and every one of these animated shorts were made back in the late 1920’s thru the mid-1930’s. These gems were created in a day when computers were the stuff of science fiction and animators had to do everything by hand.

Every frame had to be meticulously hand drawn, as well the timing for the music cued up manually. Younger audiences watching them now might not enjoy them as much since they have been raised on the computer animation styles that are rapidly taking over. But older and more appreciative audiences will recognize and enjoy them for their creativity and the knowledge of the work that went into making them.

What’s nice about a DVD release like this is that it will cater to the casual Disney fan who might not want to spend the big bucks on the Walt Disney Treasure Collections in order to see these great animated shorts. Don’t get me wrong, as if anyone were to ask me I would highly recommend the larger sets as they are amongst the best collections of any animated shorts anywhere, with extra features that would make your head spin. I’m just saying that this particular release is more suited for those who aren’t as ‘into’ Disney as some of us are.

What I’m looking forward to is showing them to my daughter as she is growing up. She is already completely enamored by “The Lion King” and is slowly getting into some of the other Disney features (though she asks for “Lion King” daily…), but I want to introduce her to a wide variety of animation so she can learn and appreciate the art form for what it is and enjoy them as I have as an adult.

Episodes:
Steamboat Wilie
Plane Crazy
The Karnival Kid
The Birthday Party
The Castaway
Mickey’s Orphans
Mickey’s Revue
Building a Building
Mickey’s Steam-Roller

Starring: Mickey Mouse
Extras: None
Specifications: Full Screen, Dolby Digital Surround Sound
Studio: Disney
Release Date: 7/12/2005
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Vintage Mickey an A.