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Rating:  - GREAT collection!
Fantastic collection! Sharp picture.
Leonard Maltin is the reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars. He is rediculously annoying. However, in this DVD, unlike the Volume 2, you can skip and fast forward his blab. Also unlike Volume 2, he talks for a few seconds BEFORE each possibly offensive cartoon. But like I said, you can use your handy dandy skip button and go strait to the next cartoon.
I did learn something from him though. In Disney's paranoia not to offend anyone, they had him explain all the little cultural things that would go over our heads in this day and age. In one cartoon Pluto is wrestling with a spring and it gets stuck on his neck. Aparently that was supposed to represent an African neck band. I never got that until Leonard Maltin put that idea in my head. Maybe I should write to Disney and tell them how insulted I am ;)
Rating:  - Not Exacerbating at All
The Walt Disney Treasures series has been a gold mine to Disney lovers who want to own the old classics from the early days. Having previously focused on Mickey and Goofy, the series now turns to Donald Duck for the first of what promises to be many volumes.
This set focuses on his early solo career with 36 cartoons from 1934-1941. It actually starts with "The Wise Little Hen," a Silly Symphony retelling of the classic fable where Donald only plays a small part. He's a co-star in "Donald and Pluto," and finally gets solo billing in the third short, 1937's "Don Donald." That short also introduces an early version of Daisy, who only shows up again one other time in this set, "Mr. Duck Steps Out" on disc two. His nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, make many appearances in this set in such shorts as "Donald's Nephews" (their first), "Hockey Champ," "Good Scouts," and "Truant Officer Donald."
I must admit, Donald has always been my least favorite of the Disney characters. My first complaint has been that I never could understand a word he's saying. I watched every cartoon in the set with the closed captions on, and let me tell you, it made quite the difference. Unfortunately, sometimes it spoiled a joke by letting you guess something was coming, but it was still worth it.
My other problem with Donald is more fundamental. He gets provoked way too easily and has a mean streak. There are some cartoons where I find myself rooting for him to fail, like when he tries to drown a bee for fun in "Window Washers." Of course, I find myself sympathizing with him more often then not, such as when a fly buzzes him for no reason in "Old MacDonald Duck." And sometimes it's just a case of funny bad luck, as is "Donald's Lucky Day" or "Chef Donald."
Leonard Maltin continues to host this series. As usual, we get an informative introduction on both discs. He also gives us a warning before any cartoon that might be considered offensive today. Like many, I find his breaking in more annoying then anything in the cartoons itself, but if that's what it takes to get these cartoons released, I'll live with it. The cartoons have obviously been restored as the picture is sharp and the sound is wonderful. Still in mono and nothing spectacular by today's standards, but you can easily hear everything. The bonus material seems a little light. Disc one has a photo gallery of stills, books, and other merchandise featuring Donald from the period. Disc two features a five-minute mini-biography on Clarence "Ducky" Nash, the voice behind the duck for over 50 years. There are some fun Easter Eggs to hunt for as well.
Ultimately, this set won me over to the exacerbated Duck. Which is fortunate since volume two of this collection is set for this year's wave of Treasure titles.
Rating: - Great presentation of great cartoons. But enough with those menus already!!!
Chronological Donald features 35 shorts starring the iconic Duck from 1934 to 1941. Considering the age of these cartoons they have been kept in perfect shape and look absolutely startling on this DVD box set with hardly any dirt or scratches on the prints at all. Kudos to Disney on this.
But what really grinds my gears is the zillion menus you have to suffer through before you actually get to the screen listing the cartoons in order. Honestly, you'll be sitting there for about a whole minute just pushing the forward button on your remote waiting for it. Grr!
Another thing that proves how disgustingly PC Disney has become is the fact that they use Leonard Maltin (who I actually respect quite a bit) as a way of apologizing to over-weight, middle-class, narrow-minded, home-maker moms for anything that might seem the tiniest bit controversial, innappropriate or mean-spirited by having an intro to certain cartoons where he pleads us not to take offence. Oh, come on! This is too much!
Walt Disney built his empire on free speech and having an edge to his animation and projects. Many Americans grew up with this. But the Disney of today feeds us mass-produced direct-to-DVD drivel that Walt would be ashamed of. Disney of the 21st Century has played a huge part in the dumbing down of America's open-mindedness and tolerance (the Hallmark channel has contributed greatly to this also). And now when they offer us a collective look back at their older work they tell us not to be offended? That fact that you're telling me not be offended is what REALLY offends me!
That aside, I really enjoyed this set and loved watching each short and reviewing them individually on the IMDB. It's a fun hobby that only take up about 15 minutes if you do one each day.
Rating: - New Donald Duck DVD
If you liked The Chronological Doanld, Volume One. There is a big suprise for you. On December 6th of 2005 a new DVD full of Donald Duck shorts will be realesed. The new volume is called The Chronological Donald, Volume Two. The new Donalde Volume will be the fifteenth is the Walt Disney Treasures series. The DVD will contain all Donald Duck shorts 1942 to 1948. This DVD is covering the following years from 1941. I hope you get a chance to preorder or order it when it is ready. I hope everbody who buys it will enjoy it. I will buy it also. I loved the first volume. Enjoy!
Rating: - Quack Attack
Ah, Donald- the lovable cartoon duck who always seems to get the short end of the stick. Finally he gets what he deserves- a Treasures release just for him! Here we find Donald's hillarious shorts from 1936 to 1941 in all their unedited glory, plus his 1934 debut, The Wise Little Hen. However, there are two small problems (Aw, phooey!). First, there is a bit of a drought of bonus features- just one featurette and a few Easter Eggs. But that will most likely be made up for on the next volume. Secondly, Leonard Maltin pops up with an un-PC warning- er, introduction- anytime there is anything even mildly offensive in the short to follow. How politically correct does Disney have to be? However, these two little annoyances shouldn't keep you from purchasing this wonderful collection of early Donald shorts.
Oh, that's very, very cool! ~ Donald Duck
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