I must applaud Disney for bringing back shorts. Last year, Disney showcased “How to Hook Up Your Home Theater,” starring Goofy for the first time since Aquamania (1961) for National Treasure: Book of Secrets. The look and feel was certainly a nod to the Golden Age of Disney. Along with many shorts, this one had a very special purpose. It tested a new style of animation that uses computer tablets instead of hand-drawings to be scanned to a computer (CAPS). Although some of the animation utilized true hand-drawings, much of it ventured into the new process, demonstrating the improvements the tablets can make.

Shorts have always been a good place to test new technologies. Plane Crazy (1928) showcased Mickey and Minnie for the first time. Steamboat Willie (1928) introduced sound in sync with an animation for the first time. Flowers and Trees (1932) demonstrated that animations could be in color. The Old Mill (1937) tested the multiplane camera. Xerography was tested in the before mentioned Aquamania.

Enough about the history of shorts and on with the significance of this short. With this YouTube generation, shorts are certainly popular again. It only makes sense as our attention spans shorten and ADD is ever on the rise. And what better “appetizer” to a movie than to see a short. Especially a Walt Disney short.

The new logo of Walt Disney Animation Studios introduced with “Meet the Robinsons” certainly pairs well with the short. It is a tribute to Disney’s humble beginnings. It let’s us remember how Micky began and what he has become since, much like Pixar’s logo that stars their first official short featuring Luxo Jr.

Then, of course, the classic short introduction we are all familiar with. The Goofy theme music, the classic image of Goofy’s face centered over a yellow background. The Walt Disney Presents Goofy with the sound company credits. Then the title of the the short, ever building up to the short itself.

Of course, Goofy has been traditionally portrayed as “the everyman” in many of his shorts, especially his sports instructionals. It was a very classic choice that this short would be about setting up a home theater for a football game. I was holding my breath the entire short, which makes me pretty lucky that it was a short! I was waiting to be disappointed. It never happened. Not to be too harsh on Disney, but I have been disappointed more times than naught of late. But for what seems forever, there was a Disney product that wowed me. They had taken something from the golden age of Disney and applied it to a much different modern world. And it worked.

Of course, there were also the subtle nods to Goofy’s past as well. There is a bookshelf that I couldn’t help notice had a picture of Walt Disney, Dippy Dawg(Goofy’s prototype), a caricature of John Lasseter (the creative genius who is bringing life back to Disney), a trophy of Goofy, and a picture of Clarabelle Cow, a hugely less successful character that was born from the Disney Studios.

News is that Disney is continuing the trend with CGI shorts from John Lassester’s lead. Pixar has made outstanding shorts that has trained and tested techniques for the movies, just as Disney had. You can find more about them at http://www.disneyanimation.com

I look forward to reviewing the amazing new shorts as they are released!

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