DVD Release
Date: December 19, 2006
Total Running Time: 226 minutes
Disc One Running Time: 117 minutes
Disc Two Running Time: 109 minutes
Directed By: Charles A. Nichols
Rating: Not Rated
Since the Walt Disney Treasures series started coming out regularly, I
wished I could just buy them all. The sets are put together and analyzed
flawlessly. The first one I purchased was the On the Front Lines set,
which featured cartoons about World War II. It was the beginning of some truly
wonderful DVDs. Since then, these box sets have been released on a pretty common
basis with collections of characters we all know to shows that have not really
stood the test of time. Anyway you slice it, the Disney vault is enormous, and
the release of any material is a grand gift. On this set, it concludes the
shorts that feature Mickey’s pal, Pluto the dog.
I found this arrangement of shorts to be superb. Pluto is a pantomime character,
and since he does not speak, the task of being likable is made much harder since
the animators had to rely on exaggerating his emotions. The mischievous, yet
good-natured behavior of this dog reached millions of viewers decades ago, and
his amiable qualities have continued into today as he is still recognized among
the other memorable Disney characters.
This set ranges from 1947–1951, and it is easy to spot the differences between
current cartoons and those made so many years ago. What I love about cartoons
back then, and hate about today’s sludge, is how many chances the animators
took on the subject matter. Particularly in the “From the Vault” section on
the set, one can see that Pluto did things in the early 1950s that no cartoon
animal would ever do now. He gets electrocuted, becomes tipsy, tortures various
animals, and so on. The best cartoons in any time period have taken significant
gambles such as this. I realize why certain material is forbidden today, but
those restrictions have limited the allure of any modern cartoons (except for
maybe “Spongebob”).
While Mickey and Donald were molded around humans, Pluto stayed simply a lovable
dog. He did not talk, but his adventures were still pleasant and fun-filled
because we could connect to the realism of his escapades. His many fights with
members of the animal kingdom, or his arguments with fellow house pets can
always make you smile because much of the antics he participates in have
probably occurred in our own households in some way, shape, or form. Of course,
Pluto does things no real pet could do, but that is the beauty of cartoons. That
is the way animators had to design the shorts. Everything had to be exaggerated
enough that it was funny and enjoyable, but not cheesy.
The animators stayed true to Pluto’s spirit by never having him grow beyond
just the common canine he was meant to be. Some may say his lack of speech is a
weakness, but the creators clearly proved otherwise, and showed that the ideas
and explorations for Pluto were imaginative, heartwarming, and just as
entertaining as any other type of character short. These shorts illustrate the
splendor of Pluto’s world. From the few recurring characters like Butch, to
the many different areas in which Pluto seems to live, Pluto cartoons can be
treasured by the whole family for a lifetime.
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