When it comes to Mickey Mouse, I have to admit that I like the old version the best. I don’t mean the one from the 1950s versus the one today. I’m talking about the old, old version. The “Steamboat Willie” version. Give me the black-and-white Mickey before his voice was developed and before he had eyeballs.

In my opinion, something died in that little mouse when he got real, honest-to-gosh pupils.

There was something magical about the mouse from the 1920s and early 1930s. He was rough, and he was different. It was at the beginning of his career, and he didn’t have to watch his actions because he hadn’t yet become the symbol of the entire Walt Disney empire. Indeed, watching these old cartoons from the early 1930s was a real treat.

“Vintage Mickey” collects nine different stone age cartoons showing Mickey in his earliest years. The well known “Steamboat Willie” is included up front, but there are also a nice selection of others, showcasing some brilliant early animation from the Walt Disney company.

These old cartoons relied much more on sound effects and a music track than they did dialogue. In fact, earlier in his career, Mickey didn’t do that much talking at all. And in some cartoons, his voice was a far cry from the squeaky “H- h- hi! How are you?” sound we’re familiar with today.

Mickey Mouse of today reminds me of a celebrity sponsor to a major company that has to shy away from his earlier work for fear of upsetting consumers. Imagine if ten years from now Snoop Dogg is hired by the Gerber company to endorse their products. Getting your hands on those old videos from his “Doggy Style” album days won’t be so easy.

This isn’t to say that Mickey Mouse circa 1930 was like Snoop Dogg. He really wasn’t that edgy. However, in the old, old black-and-white Disney cartoons, there was more slapstick and Three Stooges style comedy. As the years moved on, it was Warner Bros. and MGM that adopted these styles for their mainstream cartoons while Disney went on a much more wholesome path.

But in these old cartoons, we get to see Mickey as a grumpy hot-dog vendor. We get to see him pummeled by an early version of the dastardly Pete. We get to see him freak out over an upcoming marriage (and potential children) with Minnie.

This is the Mickey Mouse of another era. This is the Mickey Mouse that is unrefined. This is the Mickey Mouse that I really miss.



Specifications: Dolby Digital Surround Sound. Fullscreen aspect ration (1.33:1). English subtitles for the hearing impaired.