Runaway Brain

When I actually had the chance to see this bizarre cartoon, I had one immediate reaction:

WHOA.

It's difficult to describe my reaction to this one apart from that one word. It's usually easy to comment on things I've seen, especially since I have a rep for stating my most precise, honest feelings on any subject you'd care to hand me and making myself perfectly clear. But this is one of the rare things I've ever seen which has put me at a complete loss for words.

The cartoon is easily the weirdest Mickey Mouse cartoon ever made, and it made me feel strange for the longest time after seeing it with my reaction of, "What on earth was THAT?!!"

There's one thing about it which I *can* state, however; my peers in the animation industry and I have loved making jokes about this short featuring the "real" Walt Disney Mickey Mouse being turned into the Michael Eisner Mickey Mouse!

This short was nominated for an Academy Award when it came out and I can see why. It's hilarious, exciting and the pace is frenetic and unrelenting. There are also quite a few gags pointed at heavy-duty Disney and/or movie fans, starting with the opening shot of Mickey playing a video game. Look at what he's playing. This is not your grandfather's Mickey. The visuals are great and the gags come almost as fast as the average Tex Avery cartoon.

This was recently released on the Disney Treasures Mickey Mouse In Living Color, Volume 2. If you haven't already got it, you probably better hurry. I doubt they'll last too long. The cost on the secondary market will be considerable. The set is great, as are the other Disney Treasures releases. This short is definitely recommended and the Disney Treasures sets cannot be more highly recommended!

My only complaint really of this otherwise excellent cartoon is that some of it was a little too rushed. That said, it is hugely enjoyable. Bizarre yes, with some quite effective freaky imagery, but also very off-the-wall in its humour. The animation is of very good standard, the colours are bold and Mickey looks better than I have seen him in quite some time.

The music just enhances the atmosphere, often exciting, haunting, evocative and nightmarish it suits the tone of Runaway Brain wonderfully. The dialogue is memorable and the story while simple benefits from a great idea and is kept at bay right up until the end. I loved Mickey here, I always have although he can be bland sometimes when he is sidelined, but here we have a completely different side to him and while it mayn't be to everybody's tastes I liked that side to him.

Overall, bizarre yet still excellent. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Not many people know this, but Runaway Brain is actually being released by Disney on DVD! It's included on the Disney Treasures Mickey in living colors volume 2 DVD box. I love the quality of the animation, which is far much better than 3 Musketeers or Mickey's House of Mouse. Although this movie isn't suitable for very young children, it will be funny for the older ones and especially adults who will adore the spoofs to other movies. The hardcore Disney fan will adore this short too, mostly because it shows Mickey in a whole different way we know him. My advice is: get the Treasures box and enjoy one of the best Mickey shorts of the past years.

As the second Mickey in Color DVD collection shows, after the release of the Brave Little Tailor Mickey's screen career was on a steady slide into the toilet. Outside of his feature appearances Mickey's films were dull. It wasn't until the 1980's with Mickey's Christmas Carol and The Prince and the Pauper that the animators knew what to do with the Disney symbol.

In 1995 they released this gem and it simply is one of the best Disney shorts ever produced. Mickey in need of money to buy a gift for Minnie gets mixed up with a mad scientist and mayhem that previously was only witnessed in Warner cartoons occurs. Its every horror movie cliche turned on its head.

What can I say? This is funny funny stuff, that Disney, attached to some live action box office dog, so odds are you've never seen it, which is a shame because its so good that it almost single handedly makes the Price of the Mickey Mouse in Color Volume Two DVD set worth buying.

Go track it down. Its only seven minutes long so you'll be able to watch it three or four times in a row with out feeling like you've wasted too much time.

This is a true Disney classic.