When it comes to classic animation, there seems to be a divide among aficionados.  There is the Disney camp and the Looney Tunes camp.  I fall very decidedly into the latter.  That’s not to say I don’t appreciate the rich characters and major contributions Walt Disney and his animators brought to the world of animation.  It’s just that Disney’s characters and stories always bored me (with the exception of very early Mickey films).

They were too nice and too clean.  Well, that is except for one. 

Donald Duck at his fire spitting angriest could almost always hold my attention.  He never seemed to have as deep a personality as my Looney Tunes faves (Daffy Duck’s insecurity and greediness, Bugs Bunny’s coolness).  Still, watching Donald completely lose it in the face of frustration will almost always hold my attention.

Still, I have always thought of Donald as a one-note character.  Walt Disney Treasures The Chronological Donald: 1947 – 1950 has changed my perspective.  Showcasing some of the best of Donald’s films (including the Academy Award nominated Chip An’ Dale) this collection brings to light a character with a much more vibrant personality than I previously gave him credit for.  Sure, he’s easily angered and frustrated, but he’s also a doting uncle (Soup’s On), a caring would-be father (Daddy Duck) and an overly loving suitor (Crazy Over Daisy). 

Even more amazing and eye-opening is just how funny these cartoons are a full 60 years after their initial release.  It’s an amazing realization and also a sad one when you realize that in that 60 years, nothing even close to this caliber has come around aside from the classic Looney Tunes shorts.  What happened?  Did Warner Brothers and Disney just use up all the available funny?

Well, the answer to that question lies partially in this very set.  Walt Disney Treasures The Chronological Donald:  1947 – 1950 includes cartoons that in this day and age, wouldn’t make the cut on children’s television.  First, there are no lessons learned in any of these.  They are simply here for amusement.  Secondly, there are scenes of attempted/imagined suicide, smoking, racial stereotypes and unadulterated over the top cartoon violence.  The fact is that in this day and age of political correctness, the very thing that makes Looney Tunes and Disney cartoons funny is the thing that keeps new animators from creating modern classics for children of the 21st century.

Until that changes, we can just thank our lucky stars that we have sets like these to remind us that it’s okay to laugh at absurdity, whether it’s offensive or not.


Presentation
Disney has definitely taken some time to clean up these films.  Overall the colors look vibrant and the sound is fantastic.  Here’s hoping they continue to take the same care with volume four.

Extras
Probably the best extra on here is the overview of Donald’s career The Many Faces of Donald Duck.    It’s a film that tracks his evolution into Disney’s most popular character of the 1930s-1940s and it’s both entertaining and informative.

Sculpting Donald is an interview with sculptor Ruben Procopio about the processes he used to take a two dimensional character and turn it into a three dimensional piece of art.  It’s informative but my least favorite of the extras. 

Also included are excerpts of Donald Duck On The Mickey Mouse Club and Still Frame Galleries.

The Bottom Line
The Chronological Donald: 1947 – 1950 is exactly what you would expect it to be; namely, a perfect collection of arguably the best films in the Donald Duck oeuvre.  If you’re a fan of the character, this set is a must.  

 

		Walt Disney Treasures:  The Chronological Donald V3
4		Feature - A wonderful release that will change your mind about the character.
4		Video - Looks very good.
4		Audio - Sounds very good.
4		Extras - A little lighter in the extras dept. than some other Treasures releases but what’s here is quality.

4