Mickey’s Magical Christmas
Snowed In at the House of Mouse
Directed by Burny Mattinson
Starring Robby Benson, Jodi Benson, John Cleese
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: November 3, 2009

I’m not all that familiar with the Disney House of Mouse animated television show, which ran from 2001 to 2003, so I wasn’t quite sure what Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed In at the House of Mouse would be like, aside from its obvious yuletide theme. We find Mickey Mouse as the owner of the House of Mouse, where he and his guests are snowed-in on Christmas. Gathered at the House of Mouse with Mickey and his lady love Minnie is a cast of over 35 memorable Disney characters, like members of the Mickey posse (Goofy, Donald), the princesses (Cinderella, Belle, Ariel), and Winnie the Pooh’s gang (Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore), as well as many others. Since they can’t leave, they decide to have a Christmas party right where they are by showing their ‘home movies’ in an effort to try to get a crabby Donald Duck into the Christmas spirit.

At first Mickey’s Magical Christmas seems like an all-star ensemble feature, which I was totally looking forward too, especially when I spotted Hades from Hercules in the crowd. But then it switches gears to show us the aforementioned home movies, which are actually four previously released Disney cartoons shorts from three different decades. After each video, the ensemble is shown talking about their Christmas wishes and the things their thankful for, as well as short sequences on the science of Santa and how characters decorate their home, which is a nice way to tie together all of the older videos.

In the first story, 1999’s Donald On Ice, Donald’s nephews build a snowman, while Donald attempts to ice skate, and you can imagine, he has lots of trouble. His endeavors will definitely give the little ones something to giggle at. Don’t ask me why the gang thought that showing Donald some of his most humiliating moments was going to cheer him up. So obviously, they have to try again, this time showing him someone else’s misery. In the second tale, 1952’s Pluto’s Christmas Tree, Mickey wants Pluto’s help picking out and decorating their Christmas tree, but the pooch gets distracted by Chip and Dale’s taunting.

The third story, 1999’s The Nutcracker, is narrated by John Cleese — enough right there to get to me watch — and is a take on the famous tale. Here Minnie plays “Maria,” who receives a holiday Nutcracker that looks like Mickey that eventually comes to life and must battle The Mouse King (played by Donald).

Donald’s final example of Christmas spirit comes with 1983’s Mickey’s Christmas Carol, which makes this DVD worth getting all on its own. It’s a retelling of the classic Dickens tale, but with Scrooge McDuck appropriately playing the part of Scrooge with Donald Duck as Scrooge’s nephew and Mickey Mouse as his clerk Bob Cratchit.

At first I wished that they didn’t have to leave the mega-cast behind — I really wanted to see them have their own adventure together. But, I ended up enjoying the set up of older shorts interspersed with newer ensemble pieces, and feel that overall, this is nice mix of the two worlds and a perfect little holiday DVD.

DVD Bonus Features

*Episode of animated series House of Mouse [23:00] – Like the movie, this shows old Disney cartoons to the crowd of characters.

*The Sounds of Christmas [2:32] – A sound effects artists dons a Santa suit and recites a Mickeyfied version of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” to a group of children, who create the sound effects to accompany the tale.

*Sing-Along Songs: “Deck the Halls” has a bouncing Mickey head Christmas wreath bouncing over the words as we see an old fashion cartoon of Mickey and friends decorating for Christmas; “Sleigh Ride” has a Mickey head snowball with a Santa hat on it bouncing over the words as we see everyone getting ready for Christmas. There’s lots of characters, like Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Scrooge and more in the latter song.