Movie Info:
Writers: Thomas Hart, Jess Winfield
Directors: Multiple
Cast: Carlos Alazraqui, Wayne Allwine, Tony Anselmo, Jeff Bennett, Jodi Benson, Robby Benson, Corey Burton, Eddie Carroll, Pat Carroll, John Cleese, Peter Cullen
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Info:
DVD Release Date: November 3, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $16.99
It’s Christmas, so all of the big cartoon franchises are going to be putting out Christmas specials. For Disney, Mickey moved on from shorts to become a part of the House of Mouse. This was a series that premiered on television in 2001. One of the episodes, the Christmas episode, is now available as Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse.
Combining the best of both worlds, House of Mouse and Disney shorts, Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse offers a vintage look at Disney, Mickey and Christmas. If you are a fan of Disney, this is worth a watch at least once. However, it is the little ones who will be mesmerized by the celebration of Mickey and the rest of the Disney gang in shorts that span the 20th and 21st centuries.
Christmas is all about family and the entire family can enjoy this together. If you have older children this might be best suited as a Blockbuster rent. If you have younger kids, a purchase is going to be worth your while. Mickey is the emcee at the House of Mouse. It is Disney’s version of a nightclub and offers a look at some great Disney cartoons of past and present. It is kind of sad this show only ran for two years because it sure beats what is being offered to little ones today. All of the Disney characters get the chance to reappear again, together, which is bound to make Disney’s most loyal fans happy.
In the end, what you get is a series of put together, small episodes that are Christmas themed and involve a slew of Disney characters. I found Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse to be charming. While my teenager didn’t seem interested in reliving the adventures of some of my favorite Disney characters, my five year old nephew has watched this more than once. Not only does he love Disney and Mickey, but he also loves Christmas, making this a perfect DVD for him.
The Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse Plot
There are a selection of small episodes/clips that make up this DVD. Here is a list of them with a short description of each:
“Donald on Ice”: When Uncle Donald ruins Huey, Dewey and Louie’s snowman, which they are building for a contest, while he is ice skating on a frozen pond, the three plot to get back at him for ruining their creation.
“Pluto’s Christmas Tree”: This old short from the fifties, features Chip and Dale. When Pluto finds out these pesky chipmunks are in Mickey’s Christmas tree, he tries to get them out, before they ruin the tree. Of course, Pluto causes more harm than good in his attempt to get rid of the rodents.
“The Nutcracker”: John Cleese narrates this parody of the Nutcracker. Minnie as Maria, is captured by Donald, the Mouse King. Her doll, the nutcracker doll comes alive. He is handsome, strong Prince Mickey who sets out to save Maria from being forced to become the Mouse Queen. This episode features Tchaikovsky in Big Band style.
“Mickey’s Christmas Chaos”: It’s chaos at Mickey’s house. This is my least favorite short in the set, but it is still pretty good. Mickey gets into a contest with his next door neighbor, Mortimer. It’s all about decorating, and while the best man is bound to win, things get crazy in the process.
“Mickey’s Christmas Carol”: This is one of the best Mickey cartoons of all time. Scrooge McDuck is Ebenezer Scrooge, the meanest duck in town. He’s rich, cranky and hates Christmas. His employee is the poor yet happy, Bob Cratchit aka Mickey, tries to make the best of his situation, even when he has to work in poor conditions and can barely feed his family. Based on the book by Dickens, this is a faithful adaptation as Scrooge learns the true meaning of Christmas.
Storyline/Plot: 
Replayability:
Acting:
Directing:
Audio/Visual:
Snowed in at the House of Mouse appears in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1. For an animated cartoon, there is not much to complain about, especially when you consider the primary audience is a bunch of non-discriminatory kids. Also, you have to consider the age of some of the shorts, and for their age, they look good. In most cases, quality has to be pretty bad for a kid to complain and you won’t find it to be that bad here. The colors are good and the detail is fair. Compression errors and other visual issues are rare.
The audio is presented by an English Dolby Digital 5.1 track or by a DTS 5.1 track, whichever you choose. In either case you are given a solid audio option. The dialogue is easy to hear and things always sound fun. This isn’t as dynamic as you might expect from some shows, but given the nature of the show the quality does not present much of a problem. At best, its good and at worst, it’s basic but not bad.
Visual: 
Audio:
Bonus Features:
As far as special features go, there is nothing here to write home about. You have two main special features. The premiere episode of House of Mouse and “The Sounds of Christmas.”
House of Mouse offers some funny moments, including the alarm clock that just won’t leave Mickey alone. I found that things either cracked me up or just were not funny at all. If or how funny things are will depend on you. “The Sounds of Christmas” is a much smaller feature that looks at how the sound techs were able to create the effects for the classic animation bits. Things are completed in this section by a set of sing-a-longs including Deck the Halls and Sleigh Ride.
Bonus Features:
Bottom Line:
I really enjoyed Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse. It has many of my favorite Mickey Mouse and Disney holiday shorts and cartoons, especially Mickey’s Christmas Carol. While your teenager may say they don’t want to watch Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse, you should try to get them to watch it at least once for nostalgic purposes. It won’t be hard to persuade your younger kids to watch this though. This is the best of Disney’s holiday offerings and comes highly recommended.
Overall Rating:
Technorati Tags: Mickey’s Magical Christmas, Snowed in at the House of Mouse, Walt Disney Video, Kids, Family, Mickey Mouse, House of Mouse
Written by Ashtyn Evans - Visit Website
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Ashtyn lives in her home state of Michigan with her life partner, Dominick, her 14 year old son, and her baby, the Shih-Tzu, Oliver Twist. Ashtyn is in college, going for a degree in Criminal Justice. She eventually plans to intern with the FBI, if she can. Ashtyn is an experienced and talented chef. She also excels at writing and has worked as a professional writer for the past five years. Ashtyn enjoys spending time with her son and four year old nephew, watching movies, listening to music, and writing works of fiction.
