DISC 2
Leonard Maltin appears for another introduction (1:54) which, like the first disc, explains the progression of Donald's shorts and informs us of what shorts are featured on this disc.
THE SHORTS Browse more Disney posters available to buy at MovieGoods.com
Sea Salts (1949) (7:32) Captain Donald and his first mate Mack are stranded on an island where Mack does all the work for survival.
Winter Storage (1949) (6:53) Chip and Dale don’t have enough acorns for the coming winter, so they steal Donald’s supply.
Honey Harvester (1949) (7:13) When Donald sees a bee extracting honey from his flowers, Donald follows him to find out where the honey is being stored.
All in a Nutshell (1949) (6:45) Chip and Dale think Donald’s factory is a giant walnut but soon set their sights on stealing what the factory produces: peanut butter.
The Greener Yard (1949) (7:18) The bootle beetle moves into Donald’s garden, but it turns out to be a more dangerous place than he anticipated.
Slide, Donald, Slide (1949) (6:54) Donald tries to listen to a baseball game on his radio, but a bumblebee repeatedly changes it to play classical music.
Toy Tinkers (1949) (7:36) Chip and Dale try to steal chestnuts from Donald; a raging battle ensues in the living room using Christmas toys.
Lion Around (1950) (6:56) Huey, Dewey, and Louie disguise themselves as a lion in order to steal Donald’s homemade pies, but a real lion shows up on the scene.
Crazy Over Daisy (1950) (6:65) In the turn of the century, Donald heads over to Daisy’s house for their date, though not before Chip and Dale terrorize him first.
Trailer Horn (1950) (6:26) Chip and Dale are at it again, this time awakening Donald with the horn of his car and causing general mischief during his camping trip.
Hook, Lion, and Sinker (1950) (7:18) A lion and his cub are determined to steal some fish that Donald has just freshly caught from a lake.
Out on a Limb (1950) (6:32) Donald terrifies Chip and Dale into thinking his tree branch cutter is a vicious predator out to get them.
FROM THE VAULT
This section features the same unskippable Maltin narration (0:29) found on the first disc that tells us how the following shorts may have content offensive to some.
Donald’s Happy Birthday (1949) (6:42) Huey, Dewey, and Louie try to raid their personal bank to get Donald a birthday present without him knowing. Undoubtedly, this short is placed here because Donald forces the boys to smoke the cigars they bought, not knowing that those were meant for him.
Bee at the Beach (1950) (6:33) Donald and a bumblebee each try to enjoy a stay at the beach but end up ruining each other’s experience. It’s not exactly clear why this short could be considered offensive. Perhaps Disney didn’t want small children being afraid of the beach, as several sharks try to eat Donald towards the end of the short.
VIDEO & AUDIO
The Treasures line has often boasted about the restoration work given to the materials in their collection, and most of the time it's for good reason. The Chronological Donald: Volume 3 is another set they can proudly flaunt. Exhibited in their original 1.33:1 ratios, the shorts featured here look the best they've ever had. Colors and sharpness are the two standouts. The former shows up vividly and boldly without bleeding, while the latter is always nicely refined without edge enhancement. Print flaws are minimal. Some flickering and speckles show up infrequently but are never really a concern. Purists will be happy to know that the shorts have not been scrubbed so clean that they look like they were animated on CAPS. Dust that adhered to cels and to the camera lens during filming remain intact. The Dolby Digital 2.0 tracks are as adequate as one expects from this shorts of this vintage. Music and dialogue come cleanly with no hissing as do the extensive sound effects. The sound remains front heavy, but that's perfectly acceptable, especially for those against surround tinkering with older tracks. In all, both picture and sound have been given proper care and attention for this release.
BONUS FEATURES
The first disc contains the featurette, "The Many Faces of Donald Duck" (14:41). Here, Leonard Maltin interviews various film historians and Disney crew members about Donald's significance in the company. Much is said of his extensive film career, appearing in such films as The Three Caballeros and Fantasia 2000, as well as cameo appearances on various "Disneyland" episodes. It's a breezy and fun look at Donald's filmography.
The second disc has a featurette of its own entitled "Sculpting Donald" (9:08). Maltin appears once again, this time interviewing acclaimed Disney sculptor Ruben Procopio. He demonstrates what it takes to transfer a a flat character like Donald into the realm of 3-D. He also discusses his background and how his father influenced his work, making this both a tight and fascinating look at the sculpting process.
Both discs feature a section titled "Donald on the 'Mickey Mouse Club'." When selected, a 24-second clip from Maltin explains how each week, the introduction to the "Mickey Mouse Club" would end with a unique piece between Donald and the gong. Ten of those intros (2:41 each) are hidden as easter eggs throughout both discs and are quite easy to find. It's rather cumbersome, though, to search and fast-forward each opener just to reach a few seconds of unique Donald animation. A reel playing all of these animated closings back to back would've been preferred.
Finally, each disc contains its own gallery relevant to the shorts of that respective disc. Disc one holds 162 stills while disc two holds 179. Both feature a nice mix of storyboards and painted backgrounds, though original posters are conspicuously absent.
The menus are all in a 4x3 ratio and, like the other Treasures, are simple, static, and accompanied by original little musical cues. One has the option on either disc to play all of the shorts consecutively in either chronological or alphabetical order. Each short can also be accessed to play individually on either menu.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
There's no denying what a popular character Donald Duck is. Even when his adventures are more reactive than proactive, he still manages to make them lively and memorable. The shorts in question feature video and audio transfers of high quality and are joined by brief but interesting supplements. The Chronological Donald: Volume 3 continues to uphold the general quality of the Walt Disney Treasures line and earns a recommendation to anyone wishing to see Donald's career at the top of its game.
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