Plane Crazy
Plane Crazy | |
---|---|
Directed by | Ub Iwerks Walt Disney |
Produced by | Walt Disney |
Animation by | Ub Iwerks Hugh Harman Rudolf Ising |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Celebrity Pictures Buena Vista Pictures |
Running time | 6 minutes (one reel) |
Country | Template:Film US |
Language | English |
Plane Crazy is an animated cartoon, and the first Mickey Mouse cartoon to be produced by Walt Disney Productions in 1928 and the third to be released. The theatrical short marks the creation of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Clarabelle Cow. A silent version was previewed on May 15, 1928 in Los Angeles, but it failed to pick up a distributor. After producing a second cartoon, The Gallopin' Gaucho, which also wasn't released until later the following year, Disney produced another cartoon, Steamboat Willie, which was released on November 18, 1928. After the success of Steamboat Willie, Disney officially released Plane Crazy with sound on March 17, 1929. This leads to some ambiguity as to which is the first Mickey Mouse cartoon, as Plane Crazy was the first to be produced while Steamboat Willie was the first to be released. The Walt Disney Company considers Steamboat Willie to be the debut of Mickey Mouse.
Synopsis
Mickey was apparently trying to fly an airplane to imitate Charles Lindbergh. After building his own airplane, he did a flight simulation to ensure that the plane is safe for flight but the flight failed,destroying the plane. Using a tractor and remains of his plane to create another plane, he asks Minnie to join him for its first flight after she presents him with a horseshoe for good luck. They take an out-of-control flight with exaggerated, impossible situations. An un-anthropomorphic cow briefly "rides" the aircraft. This is Clarabelle Cow making her first appearance, though the cow is actually an early, more "cowlike" predecessor of Clarabelle named Carolyn. Once Mickey regains control of the plane, he repeatedly tries to kiss Minnie. When she refuses, he uses force: he breaks her concentration and terrifies her by throwing her out of the airplane, catching her with the airplane, and he uses this to kiss her. Minnie then parachute out of the plane using her bloomers. While distracted by her, Mickey loses control of the plane and eventually crashes into a tree. Minnie then lands, and Mickey laughs at her. Minnie then storms off, rebuffing him. Mickey then angrily throws the good luck horseshoe given to him by Minnie and it boomerangs around a tree, hitting him and ringing around his neck.[1]
Production
The short was co-directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. Iwerks was also the main animator for this short and reportedly spent six weeks working on it. Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising were credited for assisting him; these two had already signed their contracts with Charles Mintz, but he was still in the process of forming his new studio and so for the time being they were still employed by Disney. This short would be the last they animated under this somewhat awkward situation. The sound version contained a soundtrack by Carl W. Stalling.[2]
This was the first animated film to use a camera move. The POV shot from the plane made it appear as if the camera was tracking into the ground. In fact, when they shot this scene, they piled books under the spinning background to move the artwork closer to the camera.
Characters
Mickey Mouse is portrayed in Plane Crazy as mischievous, amorous, and has often been described as a rogue, much like Disney's own Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (It has been speculated that the cartoon started production as an Oswald entry).[who?]
Besides Mickey, Plane Crazy was also the first appearance of Minnie Mouse and Clarabelle Cow.
DVD release
Plane Crazy (as well as Steamboat Willie) has been released as part of the Walt Disney Treasures DVD collections twice:
- On disc one of Mickey Mouse in Black and White
- On disc two of The Adventures of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, as part of a tribute to animator Ub Iwerks
Trivia
This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. (January 2011) |
- At one point of the episode, when Mickey's and Minnie's plane is unchecked, it collides with a car. The character who is driving the car is very similar to Felix the Cat.