I don’t have too much experience with the modern-retro Mickey Mouse shorts from the late 2010s, so it was enlightening to see it in full bloom for a 20 minute special.
The overall look is quite pleasing and expressive. The characters are consummately designed and animated, with expressions and motions full of feeling and energy. The foreground colors are stark and solid, with a variety of textured backgrounds.
The story here is a Halloween night ghost story swap, with Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and friends plugged into rapid retellings of Frankenstein, Dracula, and a story I didn’t recognize but resembled Hansel and Gretel.
I loved the Gothic spookiness imbued in these segments — some of the backgrounds and compositions are really excellent and evocative.
That said, I think the short suffers a little bit from the comic pacing. There’s a raucous, breathless, rat-a-tat pace to the jokes that never lets up. It’s something that would work in a 4-minute short but feels exhausting dragged out to 20 minutes. Still, this is one I can see myself rewatching in future years.
Is It Good?
Good (5/8)
Note: This review was originally published elsewhere. Please excuse brevity or inconsistencies in style. If you have questions or feedback, please leave a comment or contact me.
Dan is the founder and head critic of The Goods. Follow Dan on Letterboxd. Join the Discord for updates and discussion.