Pluto's Christmas Tree

I remember back when I reviewed Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse and made a promise that I'd review this short separately. Well, I'm keeping my word so that's why I'm reviewing this today as part of the Animation Advent Calendar! Released back in 1952, this short was shown in cinemas and is known to be one of the few shorts directed by Jack Hannah to not feature Donald Duck as a prominent character. Yeah, I never thought there'd be directors who focused on certain characters in Disney shorts...So, can Pluto shine in his own Christmas short, or is it best to leave Mickey in the spotlight? Let's take a look!

Story: It's pretty simple when getting down to it: Mickey chops down and decorates a Christmas tree while Chip and Dale cause havoc and Pluto tries to prevent them from ruining the tree. And of course, hijinks ensue! As a story itself, it is pretty cute and funny, from the fast paced action, the funny gags with Pluto and the chipmunks, and Mickey's obliviousness to everything. Even if it's only five minutes long, the structure of is very well done and the mix of comedy and heart are well balanced. Every few seconds, there's always something to smile or laugh at and the execution of the fast paced comedy is really well done. It can also surprisingly be relateable. Given what dogs can be like towards pests in the houses, it can be funny seeing Pluto's determination to save the tree, even if he gives into animal instincts by the end. There is still heart put in like I mentioned, so it doesn't feel too mean spirited or spiteful from Pluto's perspective. Honestly, I'm not sure I can find any criticisms with this. I can't help but enjoy this every time I watch it, thanks to the simplicity, humour and most importantly, charm.

Animation: Well, this is Disney after all, so their 2D animation is nothing short of amazing. With a very simple yet distinguishable look. The character animation is definitely where it gets creative, with the fun ways Chip & Dale thwart Pluto's plans to expose them and protect the tree in a fast pace. Done in a cartoony manner akin to Tom and Jerry, it knows when to restrain itself to avoid being too over the top, shown with Mickey's movements and Pluto's having a more realistic depiction of a dog. The backgrounds are also really well done, with great use of lighting and the attention to detail is beautiful. It also really helps with the atmosphere, especially with the juxtaposition of the freezing snow outside to the cosy warm inside. On top of that, it's also really well done when we see the perspectives of Chip and Dale in the tree, showing how big everything is compared to them and how the lights and various ornaments can look otherwordly. Speaking of, it does really help with the. I guess if I had one nitpick, it would be the relationship between the animation and the background. I don't know, it just looked a bit obvious to me when the baubles were animated compared to the painted ones in the tree. But like I said, that's just a nitpick compared to everything else because the animation is amazing, both for it's time and now.

Characters: There aren't many characters in this, but they are definitely the source of the charm. Of course, Mickey is the same chipper and kind hearted mouse everybody knows him as, even if he's not really the main star for this short. That would actually be Pluto. Although he could be seen as an antagonist for supposedly trying to foil Chip and Dale, his heart is in the right place as he doesn't want his master's hard work on the Christmas tree and decorations to be ruined. This alone shows his loyalty towards Mickey and he can have his own hilarious antics acting like a regular dog would in the snow. Chip and Dale are the comic relief chipmunk duo who are the source of the comedy. They admittedly got on my nerves a few times because of trolling both Mickey and Pluto, but their curiosity of the Christmas decorations and their clever ways of hiding their presence did give me a few chuckles. Other than these four, Minnie, Goofy and Donald briefly appear in cameos at the very end singing Deck The Halls. It felt pretty nice seeing them band together as the source the heartwarming ending. Overall, it's easy to like these characters and it made me feel like a kid again watching their adorable antics onscreen.

Overall, Pluto's Christmas Tree is one of my favourite Disney shorts. With beautiful animation, loveable iconic characters and a simply charming plot, I can understand why this is considered a classic amongst Disney shorts. For those in need of something smaller than Mickey's Christmas Carol or Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas, then I definitely recommend you check this out.
Story: 😄
Animation:😄
Characters:😊
Overall:😄