Walt Disney Treasures – The Chronological Donald, Volume Two (1942 – 1946) [DVD]

Description

Product Description

The adventures of the world’s favorite fiery-tempered duck continue as we follow his solo-starring efforts from 1942 through 1946. This period was filled with an abundance of comic exploits as Donald shows his huge audience what he’s made of, short fuse and all. Among Donald’s featured escapades is the Academy Award(R)-nominated Best Short, “Donald’s Crime,” from 1945. Also showcased is an interview with the current-day voice of Donald Duck, Tony Anselmo, and a profile of the legendary comic book artist Carl Barks — including a look at the not-often-seen work he did in Disney’s animation department.

Amazon.com

As the number of cartoons in The Chronological Donald series indicates, Donald Duck was Walt Disney’s biggest star during the ’40s and ’50s. Between 1941 and 1965, the studio made 106 Donald shorts, but only 49 Goofys and 14 Mickeys. With his flashpan temper, Donald was well suited to the more aggressive humor of wartime America. Donald’s plump derrière got kicked, stung, swatted, or stuck in things with predictably pyrotechnic results. No character had to deal with less cooperative tools, and no character threw bigger tantrums when his equipment failed to work properly.

The Disney shorts of this era offer beautiful animation, lavish special effects, and elegantly painted backgrounds. But by 1942, Walt Disney’s interests had shifted away from short films to features and war work. The artists at Warner Bros. and MGM were pushing the boundaries to make cartoons that were faster, brasher, and funnier. Compared to the work of Chuck Jones, Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, and Friz Freleng, the wartime Donald shorts feel tame. The mystery spoof “Duck Pimples” is one of the nuttiest shorts the Disney Studio ever released, but it can’t match the take-no-prisoners insanity of Avery’s “Red” cartoons, its obvious model.

Any serious Disneyphile or student of animation will want The Chronological Donald, as it’s been impossible to see many of the cartoons for decades. The extras include “A Day in the Life of Donald Duck,” a 1956 episode of “Disneyland” that features Donald arguing with Clarence Nash, the actor who provided his voice; and a conversation between host Leonard Maltin and Tony Anselmo, Donald’s current voice. (Unrated, suitable for all ages: cartoon violence, tobacco use, ethnic stereotypes) –Charles Solomon