Attempted Bloggery: animated short

Showing posts with label animated short. Show all posts

Monday, August 18, 2014

The Return of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit

One thing I never foresaw was the return of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit to the Disney fold. The popular animated character was created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney in the 1920's. When Disney was fired from Universal, he and Iwerks had to come up with a new character. That character, of course, is Mickey Mouse, clearly a descendent of Oswald, and the rest is history.

Disney buffs have long been aware of Oswald, but he's been forgotten by the general public for decades. The Walt Disney Company obtained the rights to Disney's Oswald cartoons in 2006, and the rabbit was included in the 2010 Epic Mickey video game, introducing him to a new generation. The company has thus preserved an important part of Walt's legacy and somehow given it a bit of contemporary relevance.

During my visit to the Disney World resort last week, I noted that amid the thousands of mouse ears, there were a handful of elongated rabbit ears. There was some choice Oswald merchandise as well.

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Disney pin

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit sculpture

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in "Trolley Troubles" (1927)

Walt Disney

Disney Epic Mickey

Behind the Scenes Video: The History of Oswald

Note: This blog has a lot more to say about Walt Disney. You'd better have a look-see.

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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Touchdown Mickey

Walt Disney's "Touchdown Mickey" is an animated short released eighty years ago in 1932. Are we surprised to learn that Mickey Mouse is the most popular player on his football team? Even the hot dog vendor and his hot dogs cheer for Mickey. So let's all admire Mickey's fighting spirit as he avoids the worst of the fray and concentrates on reaching the end zone. For me, the short is marred by what I take to be an unfortunate black-face gag in the closing moments.

Walt Disney Studios, "Touchdown Mickey" 1932 Layout Drawing
Bonhams Los Angeles
December 21, 2008

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/16151/lot/1657/?search_query=1&division=None&passages=True&earliest_first=True&country=None&past_sales=past&back_to_year=2003&sale_no=None&top_level_department=None&department=None&query=Touchdown+Mickey&create_facets=True&value_data_currency=GBP

Walt Disney Studios, "Touchdown Mickey" 1932 Layout Drawing

Bonhams Los Angeles Auction Listing

December 21, 2008

Walt Disney Studios, "Touchdown Mickey" (1932) Video Still 2:51

Walt Disney Studios, "Touchdown Mickey" 1932 Layout Drawing
Bonhams Los Angeles
December 21, 2008

Walt Disney Studios, "Touchdown Mickey" 1932 Poster Reproduction

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TOUCHDOWN-MICKEY-FOOTBALL-POSTER-WALT-DISNEY-/350322149128?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5190d3c708

"Touchdown Mickey" (1932)

Walt Disney Studios

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Sunday, April 8, 2012

Walt Disney's "Funny Little Bunnies" (1934)

Walt Disney's Silly Symphony "Funny Little Bunnies" from 1934 has none of the famous Disney characters, but there are lots of cheerful, industrious bunnies and a few extremely productive hens as well. They are all hard at work making Easter eggs.