Product Description

Mickey's best pal Pluto continues to light up the screen as leading dog in more of his adventure-filled cartoons. Putting the spotlight on his comical antics from 1947 through 1951, this volume includes the inspired "Bone Bandit" of 1948 and the 1951 classic "Plutopia." The treats continue with three rarely seen shorts featuring Pluto's feline nemesis Figaro, and a revealing exploration of a classic Pluto short. Plus, contemporary Disney master animators discuss their favorite Pluto moments and the art and craft behind them. It's no wonder Mickey's faithful pup became top dog around the world. Featuring exclusive introductions by film historian Leonard Maltin, this is a timeless collection from generations past for generations to come.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #20323 in DVD
• Brand: Buena Vista Home Video
• Released on: 2006-12-19
• Rating: G (General Audience)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .70 pounds
• Running time: 227 minutes

Features

• Mickey's best pal Pluto continues to light up the screen as leading dog in more of his adventure-filled cartoons. Putting the spotlight on his comical antics from 1947 through 1951, this volume includes the inspired "Bone Bandit" of 1948 and the 1951ic "Plutopia." The treats continue with three rarely seen shorts featuring Pluto's feline nemesis Figaro, and a revealing exploration of aic P

Amazon.com
Unlike the other animal characters in Disney's cartoon repertory company who served as substitute humans, Pluto remained a dog. Although he began as Mickey Mouse's companion, he was soon given films of his own: Mickey and Minnie appear in only a few of these cartoons from the late '40s and early '50s. Most of the stories follow the pattern animator Norm Ferguson set in "Playful Pluto" (1934). The hectored hound has to cope with either a recalcitrant object or an adorable but problematic animal: a little bird in "Pluto's Fledgling," the embarrassing pink sweater Minnie knits in "Pluto's Sweater," Chip an' Dale in "Food for Feudin'." The animation in these shorts is polished and subtle: the animators capture the nuances of a change in expression as skillfully as the rhythm of a run. But the humor feels very tame. While director Charles Nichols and his staff made beautiful, amusing films, the artists at Warner Bros. and MGM were pioneering a brasher, faster-paced style of cartoon that was much funnier.

The extras are generally interesting but some of the choices are odd: Pluto doesn't appear in some cartoons. Animator Andreas Deja offers an interesting commentary on "Hawaiian Holiday" (1937), but the film isn't shown in its entirety. Similarly, the pencil test from "Pluto's Judgment Day" (1935) provides a rare look at the animators' drawing, but the finished film isn't included. The Complete Pluto, Volume Two is well worth having, but it's not likely to provide many belly laughs. (Rated G, suitable for ages 5 and older: cartoon violence, minor ethnic stereotypes) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews

Yes, Figaro cartoons are included as a bonus!
This final collection of PLUTO cartoons includes some never before available on home video! Also included are the three FIGARO cartoons UNCENSORED with the black mammy.

Comparing those cartoons that were previously released on DVD, this all looks like a new film to video transfer for this set. Don't expect the restoration work like on the Mickey Mouse Treasures, but they are an improvement over last year's Chronological Donald Volume 2.

The Bonus Material strangely seems to talk about some cartoons not included in this set.

DISC 1:
1947
Mail Dog
Pluto's Blue Note
Rescue Dog
1948
Bone Bandit
Pluto's Fledgling
Pluto's Purchase
1949
Bubble Bee
Pluto's Surprise Package
Pluto's Sweater
Pueblo Pluto
Sheep Dog

Bonus Material:
Master Class discussions on Bone Bandit & Hawaiian Holiday (not in this set).
Pluto's Process: Pencil Test & Deconstruction of Pluto's Judgement Day (also not in this set).

DISC 2:
1950
Camp Dog
Food For Feulin'
Pests of the West
Pluto and the Gopher
Pluto's Heart Throb
Primitive Pluto
Puss-Cafe
Wonder Dog
1951
Cold Storage

FROM THE VAULT (not for the kids due to violence or stereotypes)
1943
Figaro & Cleo (black mammy)
1948
Cat Nap Pluto
1949
Cold Turkey
Plutopia

BONUS FIGARO SHORTS:
1946
Bath Day (Figaro)
1947
Figaro & Frankie

Galleries of artwork.

Get yours quick, this one is actually more rare than most...
I just picked this up today, and I haven't even started watching it yet, so I apologize for not reviewing the content.
I did, however, notice that the 'Certificate of Authenticity' states that this set is limited to only 65,000 copies.
This is one of the most limited pressings of all the 'Disney Treasures'

The valuable 'Goofy' collection was limited to 125,000.

Geez, they made 250,000 copies of 'On The Front Lines'!!

Funnier Than You Think!
I bought this collection because I'm a fan of both Disney and animation; but, knowing that Disney had a rep for squeaky-clean characters, I didn't realize these cartoons would be as funny as they are! It seems over the years Pluto's humor became totally forgotten by cartoon fans...but this is one funny character.

As I watched these cartoons I began to realize that some of these could very well be mistaken for Looney Tunes, as the humor occasionally gets frenetic and fast-paced.....if Pluto didn't show up, you'd think these were done by the whackos at Warner Brothers (I intend "whackos" in a good way, believe me!).

Pluto's bravado yapping is what gets me cracking up...for example, he pretends to act macho by yapping furiously (as he hides behind a fence) at Butch the Bulldog - and runs away as Butch approaches! There are many other hilarious examples of his yapping throughout the set.

You'll be astonished at the OUTSTANDING job the animators did with Pluto's facial expressions and wonder how they were able to convey to the audience exactly what Pluto was thinking, without him uttering a single word; this is amazing work that we have taken for granted when we watch cartoons.

I also noticed the similarities between Pluto and Donald Duck - these two are the ONLY legendary Disney cartoon characters that actually get mad, pull underhanded pranks, cheat (Pluto checks a gumball machine to see if there's any loose change!) and occasionally prey on the weak. Ya think Mickey would do that? NAH!

Also included in this set are the complete Figaro The Cat cartoons (there are only a few, but the short "Figaro & Cleo" is shown TWICE: in the "Bonus Features" segment and the "From The Vault" segment...why?)

I hope you purchase this set; I bought it, intending to be nostalgic and mildly amused but found myself laffing out loud at ol' Pluto...I think you will, too.