Mickey & Minnie: 10 Classic Shorts – Volume 1 – Blu-ray Review
To celebrate Walt Disney’s 100th-anniversary celebration, Disney has released the Mickey & Minnie: 10 Classic Shorts – Volume 1 collection. They include:
- Steamboat Willie
- Brave Little Tailor
- The Little Whirlwind
- Mickey’s Delayed Date
- On Ice
- Hawaiian Holiday
- Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip
- Figaro and Frankie
- Bath Day
- Thru the Mirror
Instead of going with the standard collection of animated shorts, Disney has decided to tell a story of sorts in this. Mickey and Minnie go through a photo scrapbook as they walk down memory lane. Of course, you can’t have a volume one compilation without including the iconic Steamboat Willie, the first cartoon with synchronized sound.
At the same time, the other nine shorts are classics in their own right. Not to mention, Minnie Mouse finally gets her time to shine as she headlines the shorts Figaro and Frankie and Bath Day. I haven’t seen several of these shorts (Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip and Hawaiian Vacation being two), but they’re just as delightful to watch as the ones I have seen. The ones I have seen became a fun trip down memory lane, and it put a big smile on my face along the way.
Overall, Mickey and Minnie Mouse are global icons, and it’s insane to realize that it’s been 100 years since Walt Disney introduced the world to them in Steamboat Willie. Mickey & Minnie: 10 Classic Shorts – Volume 1 is an excellent start to celebrating these icons and Disney’s 100th anniversary.
Movie Rating: 4.5/5 atoms
Video
Mickey & Minnie: 10 Classic Shorts – Volume 1 hits Blu-ray with a 1080p MPEG-AVC with a 1.37:1 aspect ratio. For Steamboat Willie, the picture looks great. However, it’s still far from perfect. There’s still a constant flicker that is prevalent in the entire short. At the same time, the blacks are more of a lighter shade of black than pure black. It’s understandable since Disney made the cartoon in 1928. Still, other studios (like Universal) have made great strides in remastering their classics. Dracula and Frankenstein, for example, were made in 1931, and Universal has made excellent strides in fixing all of the issues found in Steamboat Willie.
Nevertheless, everything is in working order once we reach Brave Little Tailor and beyond. The colors from these technicolor shorts are bright and represent Disney’s vibrant palette well. Also, the picture is crisp and clear throughout.
Video Rating: 4.5/5 atoms
Audio
Mickey & Minnie: 10 Classic Shorts – Volume 1 hits Blu-ray with a Dolby Digital 2.0 track. Although the shorts were originally released in mono, Disney presents these shorts in a 2.0 Dolby Digital stereo mix. As a whole, the audio sounds spectacular. Dialogue, musical score, and sound effects are nice and clear. When you compare it to other releases around the same age, you won’t find any wear and tear on these audio tracks. It’s the best listening experience you can get right now.
Audio Rating: 4/5 atoms
Special Features
There are no bonus features found in this Mickey & Minnie: 10 Classic Shorts – Volume 1 Blu-ray release.
Special Features Rating: n/a
Overall, Mickey & Minnie: 10 Classic Shorts – Volume 1 features ten of the best classic shorts that feature Mickey and Minnie. Not only do they look great, but they sound great too. What a great way to celebrate Disney’s 100th anniversary.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 atoms
Mickey & Minnie: 10 Classic Shorts – Volume 1 is now available in stores on Blu-ray.
This Blu-ray was reviewed using a retail/advance copy/unit provided by Walt Disney Home Entertainment.
