'Mickey: The Story of a Mouse' (2022)

The documentary opens with a black and white clip of Walt Disney, 1954, opening a book titled “Mickey Mouse.” Viewers recognize the iconic character from three simple shapes: two small circles representing the ears, and one large circle representing the head. These simple shapes are found in a lot of merchandise from Disney Parks, specifically, the Mouse Hats and headbands. Minnie Mouse, Mickey’s female counterpart, has a similar style with a large polka-dot bow on her head; this design is also found in Disney merchandise.

From humble beginnings, the character was originally animated in 2D, hand-drawn styles. His iconic animated clip of Steamboat Willie is seen in a lot of opening titles of movies created by Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Walt Disney is the father of Mickey Mouse. The character is Disney’s most popular icon created by the company’s founder. Walt Disney’s archived recordings show viewers his childhood, his talent for drawing cartoons, and his thinking places indicated by white, written subtitles. A fun fact is that Walt Disney had dyslexia, a reading disorder.

Mickey Mouse’s designs changed over the years. In the early days, he is drawn in a black-and-white style, with beady black eyes. Over time, he is drawn in a more complex, colored 2D style, with red pants, yellow shoes, and tan skin. His latest animated appearance is in 3D, where viewers see a full image of him, front and back. His voice, however, remains the same: jolly and goofy. The way he moves in animation gives viewers comic relief.

Scenes shift between color and black-and-white to indicate to viewers the historic significance of Mickey Mouse. The documentary gives viewers a general idea of how cartoon movies are made, from animation to sound. The character debuted in the 1920s; with the character being successful, Walt Disney created the first feature movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, in the 1930s.

The people who created the bestselling Disney movies of all time are labeled in white and yellow subtitles, giving viewers their names and current positions at The Walt Disney Company. They share details on how Mickey Mouse has impacted their careers, their lives, and their personalities.

Viewers who want to learn about the history of animation and cartoons are encouraged to watch this documentary.