User Reviews

This is a fascinating cartoon-sort of a cross between Skeleton Dance and the much later Brave Little Tailor. A dramatic, rather scary short in spots, with some incredible visuals throughout, but most particularly a long scene set in a tunnel. Disney did some exceptional work in the early 1930s and the quality is still clearly evident even some 70 years later. There is apparently a computer-colorized version skulking about. I haven't seen it and, to judge by the colorized early Mickey Mouse black and whites that I have seen, I hope I never have it inflicted on my retinas. Part of the scariness here is the use of shadows in the black and white background. Colorizing this lessens the impact of those shadows. Excellent cartoon with an early appearance by Pluto. Well worth watching. Recommended.

This cartoon has some pretty weird, spooky stuff - a dark side you would never see in later Mickey Mouse cartoons. Unless your four-year-old can handle a mad doctor threatening to cut Mickey's head off, steer him clear of this one. For adults, though, it's quite original.

This has to be one of the best Mickey-Pluto cartoons. It is quite dark for a Disney Silly Symphony, with some parts scaring me as a kid(such as Pluto's heart being at his throat). As a young adult I still enjoy it while admiring its technical values. The story is simple, but still manages to be engaging with a lot of suspense. The animation is just fantastic, the black/dark and white/light shades are some of the best I've seen, helping at times to give some depth to Mickey's design as he enters the Mad Doctor's castle. I also loved the animation for the catacombs, recalling Egyptian Melodies, and the skeletons that Mickey has a constant battle with, imaginatively animated and very expressive even for skeletons. Mickey has more depth animation-wise than he has ever had before and is as likable as ever, Pluto is cute and energetic and the Mad Scientist immediately makes an impact by how frightening he is. The gags are clever, the creatures are suitably creepy and the cartoon goes at a terrific pace. Overall, while some MAY find themselves cheated by the "it's all a dream" ending, this cartoon is an absolute must see for Disney and animation fans. 10/10 Bethany Cox

I can recall only seeing this once on tv some 30 years ago & was a rarity amongst Disney's early output/ This is no Silly Symphony and has a particular interest in that it was given a very limited release in the UK for one good reason - it has the rare distinction in the history of animation of having the then censor's new "H" for horror clapped on it (noone under 16 years admitted irrespective of the programmes). Disney's best children's later attractions as Snow White,Dumbo, Pinnochio & Fantasia had their darker moments of terror which gave the then censor some problems(unlike today!).Hence,like the later Wizard of Oz Snow White was initially given the "A" certificate before going on General Release when it was then changed to the Universal cert unlike Wizard which was never changed. Ever since The Skeleton Dance, ol'Uncle Walt like Hitchcock took secret glee in the anxiety element. Perhaps that there Big Bad Wolf in the 3 Little Pigs was not so far from The Wolf Man! Boo!

For me, this cartoon illustrates why Disney has the edge over the other animation companies – it has a lot of heart. In The Mad Doctor, Mickey Mouse tries to save his dog, Pluto, from an evil scientist who wants to conduct a life-ending experiment on Pluto. Through the short, you feel for the characters and are actually concerned for them.

The cartoon is very well drawn despite it only being in black and white. Disney animators use this limitation to their advantage with great shading and lighting effects. You even get a sense that you're looking at an old horror flick. The gags are great too, especially seeing what Pluto goes through when he's scared by the doctor. But by far the best part of this cartoon is the ending. It's both surprising, slightly scary, and heartwarming. This cartoon is a bright spot in the early days of an inspirational and innovative enterprise.

My IMDb Rating: 10/10

In celebrating the month of horror, it's time to look at one of the creepiest cartoons from Mickey Mouse's lineup, The Mad Doctor. Released in early 1933, the cartoon has gone down in infamy as one of the scarier Disney cartoons of its time, down to the point where the short was banned in countries like England and Germany due to its seemingly unsuitable content for children. Nowadays, it could be best looked at as a tribute to the Universal horror movies of the early '30s, something that Walt Disney would not often do compared to the more upbeat whimsical shorts his studio was making.

The main synopsis of the cartoon itself centers on Mickey trying to save his dog Pluto from an evil scientist who wants to experiment on the poor pup. Much of the short focuses on multiple set pieces relating to Mickey roaming through the scientist's domain, with plenty of frightening creatures and bone crunching machinery on display. What could have been ruined by prodded pacing is thankfully saved by the various booby traps Mickey encounters in trying to rescue Pluto. Speaking of Pluto, although his role is more or less a macguffin, the genuine amount of despair in the poor dog's capture is enough to send shivers down one's spine, especially with how terrifying the doctor's experiment truly is. Considering the mad doctor himself would go on to be a prominent antagonist in the acclaimed Epic Mickey games, his presence in this cartoon alone clearly left an impact on those who saw it growing up. By engaging viewers in a surreal environment for the leader of the club who's made for you and me, the cartoon successfully takes a creepy route not often explored in Mickey Mouse's filmography.

Thanks in part to director Disney legend David Hand's direction, the short itself is a strong example of short subject filmmaking executed through atmospheric horror rather than comical set pieces. The factor of the short being in black & white adds into the horrifying tone set in place, with freaky effects animation and background layouts sporadically layered throughout the runtime. Bert Lewis contributed well to the music accompaniment as far as creating genuinely unsettling melodies as Mickey roams around from one scary environment after another, complete with many creepy sound effects to add into the suspense of everything. In addition to Walt Disney and Pinto Colvig lending modestly simple vocals to Mickey and Pluto, Allan Watson's cunning performance as the mad doctor practically breathes terrifying as he cuts around the scenery. Perhaps the only real downside to the short is that its admittedly relieving ending might not be quite as effective as other cartoons that would later feel more gratifying in their payoff, but it still works as being an early trope example.

In delivering more thrills than laughs, The Mad Doctor works solidly in placing a famous cartoon character into a genre one wouldn't think he would be in most of the time. It's debatable whether or not this is the scariest Mickey Mouse adventure out there, but it still remains a successful thriller for both its time and even now to an extent. As Halloween is approaching its way more and more, this cartoon is absolutely your time to get into the spooky spirit. Whether or not you find it scary is obviously depending on your tastes, but it's definitely not like the typical storylines Mickey normally falls into.

There is non-stop action in this Mickey/Pluto cartoon. Skeletons seem to be the fear monger of choice, and poor Pluto is at the center of everything. I was involved all the way...too bad the ending had to be so cheapened. Still, the animation in the 1930's really clicked.

Such a jarring experience from a Disney short. The Mad Doctor is such a departure from the fun and easy-going Disney vibe. It´s genuinely scary at times and the added comedy feels nearly surreal and out of place for a short like this. But it´s masterfully done no doubt. From the beautiful animation to the incredible score, The Mad Doctor is a most see experience.

In the middle of the night Pluto is kidnapped by a mad doctor, it´s up to Mickey to save his dog.

The animation is so beautiful and stunning. Everything looks so incredible, and the backgrounds and skeletons looks incredible. The backgrounds are no doubt the highlight. The castle both inside and outside is drawn incredibly and the shadows and attention to details look incredible. Every aspect of the animation is incredible in my eyes.

The score also helps. It´s so scary and atmospheric and that is what this short is, atmospheric. It hits that creepy vibe perfectly and this Disney short is actually creepy.

This is a sick plot and so not Disney. It feels like an alternate timeline somehow where Disney went down a darker path. I know Disney himself didn't make it or liked this, but the fact they got this made feels insane. The atmosphere and vibe are just so creepy, and you feel bad for both Pluto and Mickey here. The stakes feel high.

I felt like the ending was a bit too safe, but I get why they went down that route. I also feel the humor nearly fells too much in the short and out of place somehow. While it works, I more so felt the creepy factor here and that it should be the essence of the short.

The Mad Doctor is incredible. While there are a few aspects I didn't like or vibed with me it´s still an incredible experience. The animation at display is incredible, the atmosphere spot on, the creepy factor dialed up, it´s a sight to be seen.

Pluto has been dognapped by Dr XXX for his mad science experiment. Mickey Mouse risks his life to save his beloved friend. This is a fun Disney cartoon with a dark Halloween theme. The spooky scary adventure is pretty inventive and great fun. I especially love the one sequence where Mickey walks down a stone corridor with a falling block. This is great although the ending is the ending. It's probably the easiest way to wrap it all up.

A familiar theme of the period cinematography. An imaginative story. Humor. Mickey Mouse and pluto. And a reasonable solution for the end. But , more important, a great story of friendship. And the good sourcefor nostalgic emotions.

A Walt Disney MICKEY MOUSE Cartoon.

Brave Mickey tracks THE MAD DOCTOR who has kidnapped Pluto to a spooky old castle of horrors.

This fascinating little black & white film was considered so frightful and inconsistent with other Mouse cartoons, it was hidden away for decades in the Disney vaults. Heavily influenced by the horror films of the early 1930's, there are some truly eerie moments as stalwart Mickey searches the castle and must deal with the dangerous skeletons that follow him, while poor Pluto is strapped down in the laboratory and threatened with a hideous fate by the deranged Doctor. Besides the plot, the animation is excellent, with the artists getting to entertain the viewers with intriguing experiments in light & shadow. Walt Disney supplies Mickey's squeaky voice.

Walt Disney (1901-1966) was always intrigued by drawings. As a lad in Marceline, Missouri, he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper; later, as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War, he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle. Back in Kansas City, along with artist Ub Iwerks, Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters. Always the innovator, his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe. Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923, where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor. When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor, the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination, ensuring Disney's immortality. The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut, STEAMBOAT WILLIE (1928), a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music. The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared, and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color, illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development, an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable. Mickey's feisty, naughty behavior had captured millions of fans, but he was soon to be joined by other animated companions: temperamental Donald Duck, intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto. All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films. Against a blizzard of doomsayers, Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Bambi & Peter Pan. Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse, or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off.

Disney's cartoons were known for their light-hearted optimism that enthralled his mostly young audiences. But in January 1933's "The Mad Doctor," he threw a curve ball by releasing a rather dark Mickey Mouse cartoon. A mad scientist who lives in a castle above Mousetown captures Mickey's pet dog, Pluto. The nut case wants to use the dog to conduct an experiment where he thinks if he cuts off Pluto's head and attaches it to a chicken it may lay eggs with puppies inside. Mickey Mouse's 52nd cartoon was deemed so scary some theaters refused to show it. The United Kingdom banned it, and even Nazi Germany prohibited the cartoon nationwide.

"The Mad Doctor" does have its fans, however. The Film Daily called it "one of the liveliest animated cartoons to come along, and plenty comical." Cracked Magazine included it for its 'Top 8 Most horrifying Moments from Kids' cartoons.' Billy Bletcher, specializing in scary voices, provided his vocals for both the mad doctor as well as the big, bad wolf in the later "Three Little Pigs."

Pluto is captured one dark night by a mad doctor. Mickey finds his faithful companion is caught and follows them into a haunted castle. Mickey has a dangerous journey in the large castle to find his friend.

This is a good story of friendship and a great short to watch on Halloween.

9/10.