As a birthday present to 94 years of Mickey Mouse in the spotlight, a brand new documentary has been released on Disney+. Entitled Mickey: The Story of a Mouse, Jeff Malmberg's incredible documentary details the ever changing history and filmography of the leader of the club that's made for you and me. Coming out at just the right time, this film includes interviews of Disney historians, cartoonists, animators, and even the voice actors behind the Mouse himself. Considering how Mickey tends to be viewed as a bland corporate mascot, this feature is a testament on how much of a historical landmark he really is.
The best way to describe the documentary is a culmination of how Mickey became a worldwide symbol of joy and the innocence of childhood from the getgo. Derived from Walt Disney's early struggles in the film business, the character can also be seen as Walt's own avatar. From Mickey's breakthrough success in sound with Steamboat Willie to the decades onward, many different versions of the character evolved based on Walt's career changing throughout his studio run and the country going through difficult times like the Great Depression, WWII and even post war paranoia. Stemming through mainstream attraction and countercultural appeal, Mickey was a symbol of the American Dream so much as he was a representation of moral authority, a lot of which is detailed across the world through different countries and nationalities. It really is saying something how poignant this documentary is when it acknowledges the post 60s era in parody and commentary underground cartoonists would reflect the mouse with outside of Disney mandated organizations.
In addition, the documentary is interwoven with an animated short detailing Mickey reminiscing of his own evolution. Created by veteran Disney animators Eric Goldberg, Mark Henn and Randy Haycock, one can see how much the mouse meant to these artists in bringing their love of animation to the Disney studio for decades, thus keeping the legacy of traditional hand-drawn alive and well. In showcasing the different periods of Mickey based on the decade alone, Goldberg and the rest knew just how to recapture the era while staying true to their strengths as long lived Disney animators. One would have to wonder for so long what the mouse went through in having to stay up with the times and America constantly going through economic and political change, and the crew behind the documentary manage to keep that all in place in just under 90 minutes. While it might mythicize some of uncle Walt's origins with Mickey a bit too much for some history snobs to take with a grain of salt, there's no denying that the feature is meant to examine the mouse and the mouse alone.
No matter how corporatized Mickey Mouse has been over the years, works like these are healthy reminders as to how and why he is remembered and cherished as a historical and cultural icon. The fact that an optimistic kind hearted mouse would go from being a top seller at the box office to seeping into the American lifeblood shows just how much a little seed of a cartoon can change the world. Whether you're a die hard Disney fanatic or a casual animation goer, this story of a mouse is right up your alley. It might not change your mind on Mickey necessarily, but it will definitely leave a vast appreciation.
