BUENA VISTA HOME ENTERTAINMENT is really offering some exciting “Collector’s” packaging on some of their new family releases.

“MICKEY IN LIVING COLOR” is part of their “Walt Disney Treasures” line. This collection of the mouse’s animated shorts is packaged in a two-disc set, in a specially designed tin case.  The cartoons included in it were released from 1935 through 1938.  There are 28 cartoons in all, offering hours of fun and a welcome relief for adults usually worried about what the kids are watching.

Making this release a “real” limited edition, BUENA VISTA has actually stamped the specific number of each package, limiting the amount available not to exceed 150,000. 

 The cartoons are all presented in their correct 1.33:1 aspect ratio.  The quality of the transfer is excellent!  The black and white cartoons have been preserved remarkably well, and the color cartoons are vibrant, detailed and free of age spots.  There’s a little grain here and there, but overall, this anthology is sharp looking.

The sound on all of these cartoons is the original monaural offering.  While the quality was fine overall, they vary from cartoon-to-cartoon in terms of clarity. None sound poor, but none offer outstanding fidelity either.  There is no background hiss on any of them though, and that’s a welcome relief when considering the quality of recent dvd presentations of cartoons from this period.

 Animation film buff and critic, Leonard Maltin, is on hand to introduce the presentation as well as host a specially produced featurette, “Pencil Tests”.