On Ice

Another classic Winter/Christmas Disney short. The film features an infamous Pluto vs Donald segment. I found it interesting how different the animation is from this (1930s) to even the Fab Five of the 1940s.

Mickey and the gang are all here, each of them having their own misadventures on ice. Mickey attempts to show off his ice-skating skills to Minnie; Goofy attempts to ice fish; Donald straps skates onto Pluto and laughs at him slipping; and Donald then gets a taste of his own medicine.

It's a somewhat funny little cartoon and it's nice seeing many of Disney's most memorable characters on the screen together. I got some chuckles out of it and the story is perfect for the entire family. The animation is good and the pacing is just right.

Not the most entertaining cartoon I've seen, but it's still good fun.

Grade B

Gorgeous Technicolor Disney short that features all their big characters from the time. I can't stress enough how rich the colors are and how lovely this is to look at. There's basically three separate stories that all take place at the same time on a frozen lake where everybody is skating. One story has Mickey Mouse helping Minnie learn how to ice skate. This is amusing and fun. Another story has Goofy ice fishing using tobacco! Things don't go as planned. Wait until you see this. The third story is about Donald Duck pranking Pluto by putting ice skates on him and getting him out onto the ice, where naturally the poor dog slips and slides all over. Then Donald gets tangled up with a kite and is pulled towards a waterfall. Everything comes together then with comical results as Mickey has to save Donald. This is a very fun cartoon short that will make any Disney fan happy. I enjoyed the Goofy part a lot but most people will probably get the biggest kick out of Donald's antics.

This short was mentioned by another reviewer as his favorite, so I gave it a shot. It is really quite remarkable. We get all of the Disney characters from this era: Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto. Each is featured at some point. There is also the river and the chaotic nature of it. The most sustained plot element involves Donald playing a cruel trick on Pluto. We know that Donald seldom wins so we just wait and see. High grades for this.

One of my two criticisms of this short, is that the animation does look dated, one or two of the backgrounds are a little lifeless compared to the animation in some of the Disney films we have been blessed with over the years. Another criticism is that there is nothing in particular that will hugely interest those who are looking for a good plot. Still, I found this really entertaining. The antics of Donald Duck made this short, his teasing of Pluto is one of the short's main focuses, and the part when Pluto who doesn't realise he's got ice skates on slips on the ice causing Donald to laugh hysterically. I also loved the parts, when Mickey teaches Minnie to skate and when the fish take their own back on Goofy when they think he's trying to kill them. Another element that was impressive was the soundtrack, especially the wonderful Skaters' Waltz (sorry I can't remember the name of the composer, but it'd definitely not Strauss, though it's a VERY similar style)with its lyrical, dance-like feel. Overall, an entertaining short, but not Silly Symphonies' best. 8/10 Bethany Cox.