Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas
Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas | |
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Directed by | Matthew O'Callaghan |
Screenplay by |
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Story by |
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Produced by | Pam Marsden |
Starring | |
Narrated by | Clive Revill |
Edited by |
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Music by | Stephen James Taylor |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | Walt Disney Home Entertainment |
Release date |
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Running time | 67 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas is a 2004 American computer-animated direct-to-video fantasy comedy anthology film produced by DisneyToon Studios (with animation production by Blur Studio and Sparx Animation France). A sequel to Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas (1999), the film features Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Goofy, Max, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Huey, Dewey, and Louie and Scrooge McDuck in five different segments. Along with the Mickey's PhilharMagic theme park attraction, this production was one of the first to depict the Mickey Mouse characters in computer animation. It is also the final direct-to-video film to all feature Wayne Allwine, Alan Young, and Russi Taylor; who died on May 18, 2009, May 19, 2016, and July 26, 2019 respectively.
Plot
[edit]The narrator recites the first ten words of The Night Before Christmas before saying, "Oh, wait. Different story, but we'll still see a mouse". The narrator then announces new tales of giving and loving, and a book opens to show pop-up elves.
"Belles on Ice"
[edit]The narrator said it all started on the first segment when Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck were competing in an ice skating competition. The girls each are joined by their boyfriends, Mickey and Donald, as they prepare to take the ice. Daisy becomes envious of the crowd's reaction to Minnie and attempts to steal the spotlight for herself. Minnie performs several daredevil stunts to regain the spotlight while Daisy summons the Fantasia Hippos, who become her backup skaters while her counterpart summons the Crocodiles from the same film. Fed up, Daisy and Minnie argue and shove each other, putting each other at risk and then tried pulling dramatic stunts to draw the attention of the crowds as Mickey and Donald watched with worry. When Minnie accidentally slips on a fallen handbell while landing from a stunt blindfolded, Daisy helps Minnie up while feeling sorry for her actions. Minnie feels the same way, and they perform a grand finale.
"Christmas: Impossible"
[edit]The second segment tells the story of Huey, Dewey, and Louie celebrating Christmas Eve with Donald and Daisy Duck at Uncle Scrooge's mansion in Duckburg. After causing trouble at dinnertime, the boys know that they are on the naughty list for sure, so they travel to the North Pole to write their names on Santa's good list. At Santa's workshop, the trio cause more trouble such as messing the elves' jobs up, but they and the elves help clean up the mess and save Christmas. Before they leave, they luck into an opportunity to add their names to the good list; however, they add Uncle Scrooge's name instead, mindful of the fact that he was never written onto the list either. On Christmas Day, Santa leaves them a note that explains that their actions have caused them to be also put on the good list.
"Christmas Maximus"
[edit]The third segment's focus is about Max Goof and his father Goofy celebrating the holidays. A young adult Max brings home his girlfriend Mona to meet his father, Goofy. However, Max is unsure whether or not he wants Mona to meet his dad (Most of the story takes place within the song "Make Me Look Good"). Max at first is embarrassed by his dad, who shows baby pictures to Mona and wipes cocoa off Max's face, but after noticing that his scarf is made by him, he realizes that Goofy is always, well, goofy, and that is why he loves him. Max then forgets about being embarrassed and decides to join in the fun when the popcorn making machine goes haywire, causing the house to explode and release popcorn. Goofy tries to stop it, but he is swung around in the air by the machine. Max, Goofy and Mona are all pushed up by the popcorn through the chimney and onto the roof. Following this, Mona then reveals to have the same kind of teeth like Goofy and Max; they all laugh and make snow angels on the roof.
"Donald's Gift"
[edit]The fourth segment focuses on Donald Duck and his Christmas wish of peace and quiet. Daisy Duck and Huey, Dewey, and Louie also appear. As Donald returns home from grocery shopping, he daydreams and misses his bus. He runs to catch after it, but he is slowed down by a series of well-wishers that begin to sing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas". Donald becomes increasingly annoyed by the joyous people, and at home, he is annoyed to hear the same Christmas carols on his radio. When Daisy and his nephews arrive, Donald becomes annoyed that they want to go out so soon after he returned home, but Daisy drags him out. At the mall, Donald grabs a cup of hot chocolate and discovers various objects seeming to play the same Christmas carol; Donald thinks he is in complete peace inside a secret room, where he finds animatronics singing. Donald immediately wrecks them until he notices he's destroying the show at Mousy's that Daisy, Huey, Dewey, and Louie were trying to see; Dewey tricks Donald into being heartbroken by saying Donald is not their uncle anymore, and Daisy agrees to leave with the boys. Outside in the road, Donald walks home alone while feeling guilty for his lack of Christmas spirit. He finds Christmas carolers having trouble with singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas", to which he urges to mentor the performers in singing. The other town residents join in to sing along. When Daisy, Huey, Dewey and Louie arrive, Donald apologizes and everyone happily sings the song, eventually Donald, who gets used to it.
"Mickey's Dog-Gone Christmas"
[edit]The fifth and final segment stars Mickey as he makes decorations for the Christmas party, which Pluto keeps interrupting. Pluto attempts to help by putting the star on the tree, but when he inadvertently destroys all the decorations (especially knocking down the Christmas tree), an angry Mickey sends Pluto to his doghouse. Upset and feeling unappreciated, Pluto decides to run away from home and then finds himself shipped to the North Pole, where Santa's reindeer adopt him. Back at home, Mickey attempts to reconcile, only to find Pluto missing. Mickey posts several "lost dog" posters and eventually turns to a department store Santa, who turns out to be the real one. Meanwhile, Pluto becomes homesick to which Santa and the reindeer help Pluto return home. As Mickey's friends arrive, Pluto completes the Christmas tree decorations and everyone celebrates Pluto's return, even Donald and Daisy Duck, who had just showed up with Huey, Dewey and Louie, Uncle Scrooge, Max, Goofy and Minnie Mouse (who is also entranced by the decorations). The film concludes with a medley of various carols.
Voice cast
[edit]- Wayne Allwine as Mickey Mouse
- Tony Anselmo as Donald Duck
- Bill Farmer as Goofy and Pluto
- Russi Taylor as Minnie Mouse, Huey, Dewey, and Louie
- Tress MacNeille as Daisy Duck
- Alan Young as Scrooge McDuck
- Jason Marsden as Max Goof
- Kellie Martin as Mona
- Chuck McCann as Santa Claus
- Jeff Bennett as Donner
- Jim Cummings as Blitzen
- Clive Revill as The Narrator
- Edie McClurg as Santa's Workshop Announcer
- Rob Paulsen as Elves
Release
[edit]The film was first released on VHS and DVD on November 9, 2004.[1] Coinciding with its 10th anniversary, the film was released in a 2-Movie Collection Blu-ray and DVD with its predecessor Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas on November 4, 2014.
Reception
[edit]Joe Leydon of Variety wrote that the film will appeal mostly to parents who wish to distract their children, as children "will not realize the novelty value of computer-animated Disney characters".[2] Robert Pardi of TV Guide rated the film 3/5 stars and wrote, "A candy-cane palate and a festive soundtrack bolster this omnibus, which allows Disney favorites a chance to strut some new stuff."[3]
References
[edit]- ^ Millheiser, Matthew (2004-11-14). "Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas". DVD Talk. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
- ^ Leydon, Joe (2004-12-14). "Review: 'Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas'". Variety. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
- ^ Pardi, Robert. "Mickey's Twice Upon A Christmas". TV Guide. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
External links
[edit]- 2004 films
- English-language films
- 2004 computer-animated films
- 2004 direct-to-video films
- 2000s Christmas films
- 2000s comedy films
- 2000s fantasy films
- 2000s children's films
- 2000s sequel films
- 2000s American animated films
- American films
- American anthology films
- American children's animated comedy films
- American children's animated fantasy films
- American Christmas films
- American computer-animated films
- American sequel films
- Christmas comedy films
- Animated Christmas films
- Direct-to-video sequel films
- DisneyToon Studios animated films
- Disney direct-to-video animated films
- Mickey Mouse films
- Donald Duck films
- Goofy (Disney) films
- Films directed by Matthew O'Callaghan
- Films featuring anthropomorphic characters