Day 18: Scaredy Duck
October 18, 2022
Dear Disney,
When I was little, I could do a Donald Duck impersonation that was pretty good. As such, I thought I enjoyed Donald Duck. I watched the shorts, I had a Donald plushie and when people I asked, I loved Donald Duck. So when Darling and I made the list of Halloween specials I was thrilled that there was more than one. Today’s 31 Days of Halloween review is of the 2000 Donald Duck short, “Donald’s Halloween Scare.”
“Donald’s Halloween Scare” is more a Huey, Louis, and Duey short than a Donald short. As such, the story is about the tricks Donald plays on his nephews and then the revenge the nephews pull on Donald. Huey, Louis, and Duey, dressed as 3 devils, go trick or treating around the neighborhood: to Minnie’s, who is dressed as a witch; to Mickey’s, who is a vampire; and to Goofy’s, who is an Easter Bunny. The nephews comment on Goofy’s choice of costume, then head off to the last house, Donald’s. At Donald’s house, they see Donald watching tv and all of the lights our off. The nephews comment on how cheap Donald is and then turn to leave. When they do, a masked and hooked man comes out, scares the nephews, and takes the nephews’ candy. The hooked and masked man turns out to be Donald. The nephews, fearing for their uncle’s life, return to Donald’s house to warn him. Once at Donald’s house, they see Donald take off the hook and the mask, replace the dummy that was sitting on Donald’s chair, and begin to eat all of his nephew’s candy. Vowing revenge, the nephews creep into Donald’s house, pour glue into the hook and mask, then creep out again. The Donald’s doorbell rings, hoping for more candy, Donald puts back on his costume and opens the door. On the front step is a police officer who asks Donald if he has seen a masked and hooked man who may have kidnapped Huey, Louis, and Duey. Unable to take his costume off, Donald runs for his life. The following is a chase scene that has Donald go back through the neighborhood and end up at a cemetery where his nephews scare him into getting all their candy back. The short cuts to Huey, Louis, and Duey holding Donald a pitchfork in order to get Donald to get all the candy back. Donald rings the doorbell. Form inside, a shadow of a man with a hooked hand comes into view, scare Donald and his nephews. Donald and his nephews run away. The hooked man comes out into the light to reveal that it was only Goofy, dressed as Santa Claus, holding candy canes.
This short is fun. The art style of the early 2000’s Mickey is different. I am so used to either the older Mickey or the newer Mickey look, that I am unsure what to think about the short lived 2000’s Mickey look of the House of Mouse series. I did enjoy the music, which was another Edvard Grieg piece, “The Hall of the Mountain King.” Edvard Grieg appears to have really enjoyed making creepy songs, or the Disney animators enjoyed it because they use his works a lot.
I started today’s letter stating that Donald was my favorite character. As I have gotten older, Donald is no longer my favorite. I still enjoy his shorts, but not to the amount that I did in my youth. That being said, I still can do a pretty good impersonation.
Sincerely,
Jim Dear
