It's a Small World of Fun Vol. 3 1936 - 1952 Buena Vista Home Entertainment   Buy It Now

Maybe you’re someone who can’t afford some extravagant vacation somewhere, but there’s no need to worry about that. Disney has just the thing to cure that, even if you a little while, and that would be none other than there collection of classic animated shorts found in It’s a Small World of Fun. While they have previously released two collections under the same name, this is an all-new set of adventures, some that you may know and love, and others that you may have never seen, and you’ll be taking a trip to all parts of the globe with some of your favorite Disney characters.

Those familiar with these collections probably already know, but It’s a Small World of Fun features shorts that have been seen previously on other Disney collection releases, some of which are out of print, and one that has yet to be released, at least not until now. In this case, it’s the story of Johnny Appleseed. The setting here would be none other than the United States, right in the heartland, and while the Disney short doesn’t fully cover everything that John Chapman, who later became known as Johnny Appleseed did, the basics are covered for this American legend. There is some creativity thrown in as well just to make things interesting and like many of Disney’s short, and as we always find with their full length films, a bit of song as well.

When you think of Disney though, there is probably one character that comes to mind immediately, and that would be a certain mouse. You simply can’t have a Disney collection like this without him, and first you’ll follow with Mickey, and more importantly, Pluto, as they adventure to Mexico on Pueblo Pluto. The dog is the real star here as he has his paws full with a pup out to steal his precious bone. This short can also be found on the twelfth volume of Disney’s Cartoon Classic Favorites: Best Pals, and Disney then takes another short that has been previously released and adds it into the collection. However, if you don’t already own Mickey Mouse in Living Color, part of the Disney Treasures Collection, this may be the only means of getting it cheaply as the out of print DVD set now commands a high price. In Alpine Climbers, Mickey and his friends head to the Swiss Alps, but they manage to run into plenty of hilarious mishaps with the wildlife.

Donald and Goofy take us to Great Britain for the festive sport of fox hunting in the aptly titled The Fox Hunt. As seen on another of the Disney Treasures - The Chronological Donald, we quickly find the duck getting bested by a fox, and even a skunk, and England’s prestigious hunt has never been funnier. Goofy though takes the center stage for much of the content here; seen as a guest start one two occasions but ultimately the star in two separate shorts. The “dippy dog” first pays a little visit to India for some tiger hunting in Tiger Trouble (also found on The Complete Goofy) and it seems that dealing with wild felines, and his job, has been getting to him, so Goofy decides to take a trip to the place where the life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness. That would be Hawaii of course, and this adventure you may have seen prior on not only The Complete Goofy but also as a part of Disney’s Extreme Adventure Fun, a part of their Classic Cartoon Favorites line.

Disney always has the ability with their shorts to not only give you plenty of entertainment and laughs in a mere seven minutes or so, but back when these shorts were being created, Walt himself was still with us and the company of course. His vision, his inspiration, and his sense of what was needed in an animated short is seen perfectly in each of these, and even though he may not have directed them himself, the staff that used to be a part of Disney’s animation division was nothing if not amazing at their craft. If you’re not laughing at what’s going on, I can guarantee that you’ll be remarking over what the director and animators though of adding in, things that may not have seemed like a big deal at the time, but decades later, it shows that some have become lazy in the industry.

While the DVD doesn’t include any type bonus materials, this is one of those rare instances that you will find that it’s perfectly acceptable. It’s a Small World of Fun is about just what the title itself indicates; fun. It may not be the grand trip that you had planned on, the locations may not even look like what you’ve seen, but that’s not the point. It’s all about letting your mind and sense of humor take a trip Disney style, and there’s no disappointment to be found.

-mike-