Aquamania

In a town where almost a third of the population are "aquamaniacs" we are introduced to "Mr X" ("Goofy/George"). Now a while back, he was just a normal working man, but after he espies a boat shop, his head turns to maritime mush. Water on the brain perhaps? Anyway, he decides that he has to have one for him and his family, and so with water-skiing lessons in mind for "Junior", these land-lubbers head for the nearest lake (along with the rest of his seagoing neighbours) and some daft regatta-style antics ensue. I'm not sure this does the US car industry many favours but there are some fun facial expressions as the water-borne activities become more like a perilous form of water-jogging. We get our own version of a chariot race where even the octopuses aren't safe - but can they win the race?! It goes on a bit long, but is good fun, this.

Yeah, Goofy is in a boat race and totally turns the whole thing into a disaster. The problem is that Goofy has covered the same ground before in an episode called HOW TO SWIM which was infinitely funnier. This feels more like a weak re-hash.

It's far too long and relies almost entirely on an anthropomorphic octopus for comic relief. Also, the style of the early 60's with Disney with lots of really rough sketchy edges (like 101 DALMATIONS) does not fit Goofy at all. It feels a lot less fun and a bit sloppy and messy. I think this is his only cartoon from the period and certainly feels incongruous from his better (more hilarious) work from the 40's and 50's. Particularly, stick with HOW TO SWIM.

In the early 1960s, Disney discovered a way to make far less expensive cartoons. They used copy machines to copy backgrounds and characters to speed up the animation process. Although fast, it also resulted in rather ugly films compared to their films of the 1950s. The newer cartoons look 'muddier' and less polished. In addition, "Aquamania" also has incredibly simple backgrounds...often splashy and lacking detail. As a result, this Goofy cartoon looks like none before or after.

The story itself, unlike the animation, is excellent. Goofy and his son (who looks little like their later version of Max) are out waterskiing. Goofy skis and his son drives the boat...and they accidentally enter a race...and chaos ensues.

This is a fun cartoon and you will enjoy it. The only reason I scored it 6 is because it just looks cheap...very cheap.

Disney Plus's short film section appears to have had a bit of a revamp, so there are some new shorts that have appeared nearer the top. One such film is "Aquamania" a 1961 cartoon starring Goofy as a man involved with some water-based entertainment.

Having indulged in the very familiar American pastime of owning a boat, Mr X (Goofy) (Pinto Colvig) heads to the open water with his son to engage in some water skiing. Goofy Jnr (Kevin Corcoran) though is a little over enthusiastic and enters a race. Having gone underwater, Goofy collects an innocent Octopus who ends up participating in the race with them.

Definite and obvious change in visual style here from the classic era cartoons from twenty years earlier. I'd describe it as being 60's style, rather than having that enduring look. Wikipedia tells me that this is the first Goofy cartoon to use Xerography as a technique, which I think makes the dark black lines stand out a little more. The same technique would be used on "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" that was also released this year.

I often find it tough to review these cartoons, as I can remember when access to these was rare, so they were delightful additions to a TV schedule. It doesn't work like that now though, and I'm looking for things that my forty-year-old brain appreciatse, rather than the six-year-old one. It's not much fun though, despite the wild ride that Goofy ends up going on and certainly once the analogy to alcoholism is done.

Too much quality to dislike it, but not enough going on to really like it.

This cartoon, nominated for an Oscar, is one of the sports-oriented cartons Disney made featuring that graceful soul, Goofy. While this is a good cartoon and is well worth seeking out, there truly isn't anything exceptionally special about this cartoon. It is typical of the series-a narrator talks about the actions, and the consequences rising from those actions, of your "average man" (Goofy) while Goofy goes through sight gag after sight gag. This runs on The Ink and Paint Club periodically. Recommended.