MovieChat Forums > Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas (1999) Discussion > A return to Disney form

A return to Disney form

posted 18 years ago by girlingreen
3 replies | jump to latest

The animation didn't have to be slick, and the characters didn't have to try too hard to be funny.
It just had to loosen up with a few simple gags and rely on its trademark slapstick to get this movie going.

I was very reluctant to watch this film, given Disney's previous abysmal failures to either secularise the "holiday season" or try an adult minded, neurotic approach to humour.

Like the other commentaters on this movie have said, I was pleasantly surprised.
In the first story, a welcome cameo of Chip&Dale(minus the horrid "Rescue Rangers 80's outfits!) and Scrooge McDuck were the key highlights.
The story inserted some old form genuinely "Disney" moments;
such as Daisy silently comforting Donald under the christmas tree simply by wrapping her arms over his.
Wow..my jaw almost dropped.

In story 2, My favourite character was back and doing his slapstick goofups (pun intended) with such easy good-humour that it's hard to imagine why his neighbour Pete holds him in contempt.
It was also one of the rarest cartoons to show a depressed Goofy. His voice was flat, his expression numb and I admit bring a little creeped out by the unusual phase.
But it adds to Goofy's personality, who probably is one of the purest souls ever created by Disney. I hope to see more cartoons of the duo in future(beyond "Goof Troop" and the "Goofy movies" of course - both were alright but I liked Max better as a kid than as a teenager.)

Last but not least, Mickey and Minnie.
Not strictly my favourite couple, but nevertheless they did a good job of O.Henry's short story.
The subtle humour there,a little quirks there and you could overlook such lines as "you're all the music I need." or "hearing your harmonica makes my heart sing."
Pluto and Figaro(bless them) were top form as Mickey and Minnie's helpful companions.
I haven't seen these two together since the old 1950's cartoons.

By the time the movie ended, I was actually hoping for more. Whoever did the storyboard and characterization ought to stay under the Disney banner and shell out more treats like these.

Sadly, I don't think Disney has quite figured out their "winning formula"
as yet , and so will continue to experiment and ultimately annoy most of us.

"You're the only damn thing in this damn world I give a damn about!"
-Fred.W

[–] richie_patrese 15 years ago

I totally agree - this is the best thing Disney have produced in years and was the best thing since Mickey's Christmas Carol nearly two decades previously.

It's a shame that tastes have moved on and continue to. It seems Disney has to keep on evolving too, but I'd like to think this very traditional take (with references to the contemporary with Max's inexplicably described snowboard) was, is and remains a hit with kids of all ages without resorting to bad, fad animation and 'celebrity' tie-ins.

[–] stickley85 14 years ago

Saw this earlier tonight with my godson.It was very enjoyable.I laughed at the goofy one.A very nice christmas cartoon.

[–] gtrgrl89 8 years ago

I don't think I watched this as a kid, but I love it as an adult. It's so nice to watch something that doesn't look like a video game. It also has some substance, too.