"Mickey's Christmas Carol" (1983)
This made for video version of the classic tale is something of an ensemble piece. While Scrooge McDuck (who else) is our Ebenezer, he is joined by virtually every Disney character you could imagine (circa 1983)
I've never had much time for Mickey Mouse, finding him a tiresome character with no personality, so I was rather pleased to find out that despite the title, he plays only a secondary role in this story, as Bob Cratchit. With Pluto, Jimminy Cricket and others being given more screen time.
As with everything that comes from Disney, there is a certain slickness of production which was missing from all other animated versions I have seen so far, (except perhaps the 2009 version, which was so slick as to be inhuman) and the animation is charming and detailed.
However, at a miniscule 21 minutes, it has to race through the story at such a speed that it never has time to pause for breath. It does not help either that almost half of the running time is taken up by the time before the first ghost appears.
This version has none of the broad appeal of the House of Mouse's finest works and ultimately feels only worth recommending to Disney completists.
As brief as a jig at the Fezziwig's Christmas party.
"Mickey's Christmas Carol" (1983) 2/5
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