Synopsis
Meeska Mooska Mickey Mouse! (tell me you just didn’t say that) So what happens to a 31 year old adult who sits through a show alone that is geared towards children who might not even be in grade school yet? Besides binge drinking & wondering why he doesn’t have a date this weekend? Apparently some good wholesome family entertainment. I was actually a little surprised how decent this was after twenty minutes into the program.
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is a fairly…recent show upon the children community. However, the ideas and characters have been around for ages. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald & Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto and even some cameos from Pete, Clarabelle, Chip & Dale are present as characters in this dvd. The setting for this dvd is that Mickey and his friends are having an easter party until Pete shows up & says the wrong magic words while posing as Mickey. This causes the clubhouse to become scattered in pieces all over the landscape. It is up to you and Mickey to help get those pieces and continue with the party. The show does an excellent job of being interactive with the audience & brings the show to a satisfying conclusion.
Video
This dvd is presented primarily in 1.78:1 family friendly anamorphic widescreen (I love the transition from 1:33 family friendly fullscreen to 1.78 :)). It is a gorgeous picture, full of beautiful colors and great scenery throughout. This rivals some of the Pixar pics as the animation is very well done and should even impress some dvd purists out there. Quick note, the 45-minute Clubhouse Hunt is the only part of the dvd in widescreen. The extra episode & any supporting features are in 1:33:1 fullscreen.
Audio
Audio is presented in three languages (Mickey speaking French is quite hilarious); English, Spanish & French all in 5.1 Dolby Digital. The sound is rich and very loud, so no kid or adult should have any problem hearing this. Subtitles for the English Hearing Impaired are also provided. As with the video, the 5.1 is only provided for the actual feature. 2.0 (in all three languages) is provided for the rest. The only issue I can find with the sound is that surrounds were not used as much as they should have.
Special Features
Automatic Trailers – This dvd does support what is known as Disney’s Fast Play which automatically starts playing but can go also back to the menu if you wish. The automatic trailers are Ratatouille (I love a good rat flick, this should be a blast), The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Little Einstein’s Rocket’s Firebird Rescue.
Extra Episode: Donald’s Hiccups – This extra episode from the television series has been provided. The basic premise is that Clarabelle Cow is having a talkshow where the whole group is going to come on and sing the Mickey Mouse theme but alas the group gets hiccups and they try to cure them in a variety of ways (needless to say but Donald’s lasts the longest). My only issue with this episode was that it was in fullscreen and only used 2.0 for the sounds. But I guess since it ran on tv, that’s all that was available. One point of note as well, the dvd shows a runtime of 71 minutes. This episode is part of the runtime which is a little deceiving.
Music & More: The Best Easter Party Ever – The main song from the feature is provided here with lyrics to follow along. Cute and thank goodness the song has not stuck in my head yet :).
Sneak Peaks – Disney Princess Enchanted Tales, Disney Movie Rewards, & Handy Mandy along with the ones that showed automatically in case you skipped ahead.
Final Thoughts
Sometimes in this day and age, it is hard to find material appropriate for young viewers, especially those 5 years old and less. However, with this dvd we get a good wholesome show that is worthy to show any child. It has beautiful colors, a good message and even a decent story arc to keep the viewers interested. The sounds are well done and the dvd feels extensive despite it’s short running time (which might actually be a bit long for some kids). One point of caution, in the main feature there is depiction of a giant character. To me, it wasn’t done in a scary manner but I’m not 3 years old either. (however I do watch a lot of cartoons). I highly recommend this dvd to any children, especially those who have not experienced the best and brightest of classic television that Disney has to offer. Now everybody say it with me; (pauses and waits for the audience)…Meeska Mooska Mickey Mouse!
Special Features List
- Extra Episode: Donald’s Hiccups
- Music & More: The Best Easter Party Ever
- Automatic Trailers (3)
- Sneak Peeks (6)
Screenshots
