Classic Cartoon Favorites, Volume 8: Holiday Celebration with Mickey & Pals

Digging deep into the crypt of Walt Disney animated shorts, this jolly cartoon compilation includes three Christmassy (and four not-so-Christmassy) stories. “Mickey's Good Deed” finds the Mouse Man down on his luck, playing his cello on the street for change to rustle up some holiday grub for himself and his canine companion Pluto. Coming up short, mouse and dog happen upon two disparate scenes: one, an impoverished household with myriad children, and the other, a wealthy pig father and bratty son, who ends up buying—and mistreating—Pluto, furnishing Mickey with the funds to set about filling the poor family's stockings. Of course the duo are later reunited, and they appear together again in “Lend a Paw,” a segment dedicated to the Tailwagger Foundation and revolving around Pluto's jealousy (and dueling angel/devil conscience) over a refugee kitten. Pluto also stars in “Rescue Dog,” in which a mischievous seal saves his life, and Donald Duck is featured in both “The Clock Watcher” (playing a grumpy gift-wrapper) and “Corn Chips” (where he battles Chip and Dale in a popcorn-blasted extravaganza). In addition, the Silly Symphony short “Peculiar Penguins” follows the shark-scare escapades of a darling penguin couple, and the set culminates with a Christmas trinket tussle between Chip, Dale, and Donald in “Toy Tinkers.” A decent, if only moderately holiday-themed set, this is a strong optional purchase. Aud: P. (J. Williams-Wood)