Walt Disney Treasures: Mickey Mouse in Black and White DVD Review - Page 1 of 2
BONUS FEATURES
The first of several special features on Disc One is a featurette entitled "Frank and Ollie... and Mickey" (18:18). This is a fascinating interview between Leonard Maltin and two of Disney's most legendary animators, Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. Though they joined the Disney team towards the end of Mickey's days in black and white, they have a lot to say about what the character meant to them,
both before and during their days with Disney. Maltin often shows them a particular drawing and asks them to analyze it, and their comments are edited together with footage from inside the Disney studios and various Mickey shorts. At nearly twenty minutes, it's thorough and one of the better supplements to come from the Treasures line.Two story scripts are offered, which provide first a look at a complete panel and then a close-up of the text and the picture on each panel. "Steamboat Willie" is most interesting. From it, the depth of thought required for this first joining of animation and sound becomes apparent. Fans might note the references made to earlier Oswald the Lucky Rabbit shorts as well. The other script, "Mickey Steps Out," is quite difficult to read. Granted, these seem to be scans of original manuscripts, so it's still worth looking at, but trying to make out most of these panels probably isn't good for the eyes. A short introduction from Leonard Maltin (1:10) precedes the two scripts, which require heavy use of DVD selection buttons for browsing.
Seven story sketch sequences from disc one cartoons put storyboard drawings to lively ragtime tunes. Each lasts two to four minutes and is easy to watch, and again, Leonard Maltin kicks them off with a brief informative message (1:27).
Finally, there is also an Easter egg, which can be accessed from the Bonus Features menu.
Easter Egg: Maltin returns again to clue viewers in on the treat they've just discovered. Long before The Mickey Mouse Club was a TV show, it was an actual club popping up all over the nation. This supplement (14:02) takes viewers inside those club meetings via a newsreel profiling them during the era. There's also a short that was created by Disney exclusively for these clubs: a sing-along to "Minnie's Yoo Hoo" with Mickey Mouse, complete with a second verse. In watching this, it becomes even easier to fully appreciate the phenomenon that Mickey Mouse had become.
Because black and white menus would be too dull, they come to life on this set with muted pastels across gray backgrounds, a very nice touch. Mickey and sometimes Minnie can be seen in a variety of positions and they are all set to wonderfully catchy music of the ragtime and jazz variety. Only the cartoon selection menus are without music.
