Plot: What’s it about?
When you think of Disney, you probably think of Mickey Mouse, the studio’s mascot for over sixty years. But when I think of Disney, I think about Donald Duck, the ill tempered, foul mouthed character that always makes me laugh. In the Walt Disney Treasures line, Mickey has been given several collections, but it took three waves of releases for Donald to arrive, though it was well worth the wait. In this special collection, you’ll find all of Donald’s animated shorts produced from 1934 until 1941. That means a lot of material is covered in this release, from his more laid back days to his more explosive version we know best. I had a blast with this collection, as Donald is a classic character and these shorts are hilarious. As with all of the Walt Disney Treasures, this one is housed in a nice metal tin case, with a lid that pops off, instead of hinges open. The case adds some class and special texture to the release, to let you know how important the release is. Donald’s debut collection is limited to 165,000 copies, one of the lower runs in this third wave. Even with so many copies, collectors will want to rush out and grab this edition. I have listed the shorts included in this collection below, so you’ll know what to expect.
Disc One
1. The Wise Little Hen (1934)
2. Donald and Pluto (1936)
3. Don Donald, Modern Inventions & Donald’s Ostrich (1937)
4. Self Control, Donald’s Better Self, & Donald’s Nephews (1938)
5. Polar Trappers, Good Scouts, The Fox Hunt & Donald’s Golf Game (1938)
6. Donald’s Lucky Day, Hockey Champ & Donald’s Cousin Gus (1939)
7. Beach Picnic, Sea Scouts & Donald’s Penguin (1939)
8. The Autograph Hound & Officer Duck (1939)
Disc Two
1. The Riveter, Donald’s Dog Laundry & Billposters (1940)
2. Mr. Duck Steps Out, Pit-Put Troubles & Donald’s Vacation (1940)
3. Window Cleaners & Fire Chief (1940)
4. Timber, Golden Eggs & A Good Time for a Dime (1941)
5. Early to Bed, Truant Officer Donald & Old MacDonald Duck (1941)
6. Donald’s Camera & Chef Donald (1941)
Video: How does it look?
The shorts are presented in full frame, as intended. I was surprised to see the shorts look this good, but even with nice treatments, only so much can be washed off, considering the age of the materials involved. The prints show some age signs, but look better than expected, without a doubt. The colors do pulse a tad at times, but this never becomes a distraction, as hues usually look stable and on the mark. You’ll see some flecks and grain on the print, but all things considered, Disney has issued these animated shorts in fine form and given their ages, I think they look terrific in these presentations.
Audio: How does it sound?
The original mono soundtracks are used and that’s good news, as these shorts wouldn’t benefit from new remixes. As these are older shorts (1934-41), some signs of age are expected and can be heard, but nothing too serious emerges. I never heard much hiss or distortion, as the elements seem clean and easy to understand, very nice work indeed. The music is vital to these shorts of course, so it comes as great news that the tunes sound good here, with minimal age related flaws to discuss. You’ll know these are older mono tracks without a doubt, but as far as the material goes, these options are more than solid. You can also enable English subtitles, should you be inclined to do so on the shorts.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This release includes a brief look the voice behind Donald, introductions by Leonard Maltin, and galleries of storyboards, promotional materials, comic book artwork, comic strips, and other Donald related materials.
