Donald's Halloween Scare

    A Donald Duck Cartoon

    Release Date : March 4, 2000

    Synopsis

    Donald scares the candy out of Huey, Dewey and Louie's trick or treat bags, so naturally, they have to retaliate.

    Characters

    Mickey Mouse
    Minnie Mouse
    Goofy
    Donald Duck
    Huey, Dewey and Louie
    Figaro

    Credits

    Director
    Rick Schneider
    Mike Moon
    Story
    Henry Gilroy
    Story Editor
    Henry Gilroy

    DVD

    United States
    Mickey's House of Villians
    Germany
    Verschworung der Superschurken Verschworung der Superschurken
    Italy
    Topolino E I Cattivi Disney

    Television

    Mickey Mouse Works: Season 3 - Episode 1
    Mickey Mouse Works: Season 2 - Episode 16
    House of Mouse: Season 3 - Episode 22

    Technical Specification

    Comments

    From Patrick Malone : Another thematic remake; this time of the 1952 short Trick or Treat, although this time the nephews don't need Witch Hazel's help to go after Donald. One tip off that one of these shorts is going to be something special is a difference in the background art (as in Mickey's Mechanical House or Hansel and Gretel), and here they are suitably spooky; a break from the regular pastel landscapes. It's much more extreme that "Trick or Treat" though, and shows more modern inspirations. We're treated to echoes of "Friday the 13th", "Night of the Living Dead" and maybe a little touch of Mickey's Christmas Carol at the end.

    I liked the continuity in the short. The same shadows and music that introduce the short are echoed again halfway through when the nephews begin to get their revenge. (Note also the television show that Donald's dummy is watching.) Continuity issues seem to be important in a larger sense throughout the show as well; note the houses that each major character live in are the same from show to show (Mickey's suburban house, Donald's ship, Goofy's trailer.) They never had that kind of stability within the classic shorts and does allow a bit more development. But let's hope they don't go too far with it as it could get old after a while (as in Mickey, Donald and Goofy's workplace which is always the same building with a different sign out front. That seems to be wearing a bit thin.)

    Back to the short. There are a number of bits that recommend this one. The mouse ears of Mickey's coffin for one. Another hilarious bit concerned Goofy's holiday celebration which I won't reveal because it's too funny a surprise. The whole short hangs together pretty well. Put this one together with How to Haunt a House and Hansel and Gretel and you've got a pretty decent Halloween show.

    From David Gonterman : This is why Donald on Ice became the benchmark: It seems that Huey, Dewey, and Louie heard of Capcom's contract to make Disney's video games and thought what would a Disney themed "Resident Evil" would look like. If Minnie switches her witch costume revealing something Morrigan Ansland would wear, I'll be screaming! It really tops Donald's attempt of taking his love for scary movies way too far. Now, if only someone can help Goofy get his holidays straight.
    From Juan F. Lara : I was taken by surprise by the Tim Burton-like background that opened this short. The background was drawn in this style for the whole short, in contrast to the nephews who looked as they always did. I didn't even recognize Mickey's and Minnie's houses until when they got to Goofy's trailer and I realized that they were redesigned (very imaginatively) as haunted shacks. I also had never seen Mickey's and Minnie's costumes before (Someone said that they're based on Disney store Halloween decorations?) and so I was really struck by them. The mice really did look scary in their outfits (especially pasty-faced Vampire Mickey in his mouse-eared coffin.) Their run-ins with the nephews exemplified the short's tone of being both scary and light-hearted: Minnie first terrified the nephews with her brew and then with Figaro (GREAT Figaro cameo), and then showered them with pretty colored treats. The short also had no dialogue up to Goofy's scene, with sight gags like the nephews' shadows setting the pacing. Taylor's "Hall of the Mountain King" rendition made this short into a Silly Symphony.

    The pacing weakened when the nephews got to Goofy's house and started talking. Oh, I still thought that scene was funny, and I also enjoyed the following scene of Donald's scare. But the scare was damaged by big continuity gaffes over Louie's torn costume. But the short got back its tone from the first scenes starting when the nephews' shadows reappeared. (A very spooky scene: You saw the shadows but you never saw just where the kids were.) I didn't expect to see Mickey, Minnie and Goofy again. So I had a lot of fun seeing them do their scares on Donald this time. (It also felt good to see them help out the nephews.) The makers then knew that the gag about Donald's glued costume had run its course and ended this part of the short by ditching the gag.

    The last part was signaled by the background changing from purple to fire red. With slouchy walks, yellow eyes and oozing mud the "zombie" nephews did look gruesome. Taylor played the nastiest renditions of "Mountain King" yet, making for an adrenalin-rushing buildup to Donald's ultimate defeat. And finally the last scene was an inspired way to connect Donald's scare to Goofy's holiday confusion.

    From Lee Suggs : This is a well made short. The short's first treat is seeing Toontown done up in Halloween Style. Everything looks very twisted and scary. Next we are treated to Mickey and Minnie in Halloween garb. They actually look pretty terrifying, until they give Huey, Dewey, and Louie (Oh yeah, I forgot this short is about them.) some candy. Anyway the nephews travel from house to trailer (Anyone figured out why Goofy lives in a trailer in "MouseWorks"? He has a house in ToonTown.) Of course, Goofy thinks its Easter, and gives them Easter Eggs. Finally they arrive at Donald's Boat where he scares them and takes their candy. They soon discover they have been fooled, and proceed to take their revenge on Donald. They do this is in hilarious fashion by framing him as their kidnapper, and then having him chased around by the whole gang. Finally they scare him into getting them more candy. The short ends with a nice twist on Goofy's holiday confusion.
    From Jessie : I loved this one. It scared me, I mean Mickey and Minnie did have quite good costumes. And then surprising Huey, Dewey and Louie with Candy. But then I was brought to tons of laughs with Goofy's holiday confusion. Then we get scared by Donald. Then we see the kids want to plot revenge, and I was way freaked out on how "realistic" it seemed when they were "zombies", totally scary, and then I laughed again with Goofy's last holiday confusion when you think it's something scarry, and then it's like, 'Oh, It's Goofy, LOL" I enjoyed this one, but it scarred me a little too much. Heh.
    From Julie : I definitely enjoyed this short, being the typical, horror-loving, 16-year-old that I am. I mean, everyone loves Mickey Mouse and his friends, right? I particularly enjoyed the frightful creativity put into it.

    Anyway, I thought I should just say that if I was a little kid, of the age group that watched these little Mickey Mouse animated shorts ... I would be scared out of my freakin' mind! Considering that this cartoon was intended for a younger audience, I was shocked at how graphic the part about Huey, Dewey, and Louie as zombies was. I was just baffled. But I am thoroughly impressed with it. I enjoyed it, although I believe that parts of it are a little bit scary for the young ones.

    This is my favorite animated short, partly because my favorite holiday is Halloween, and partly because of the rendition of "In The Hall Of The Mountain King". The music, being a key part of story-telling, created suspense, and comic relief when needed, (such as Goofy's holiday confusion mishaps). I love the music.

    Well done!

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