The Walt Disney Co. hasn\u2019t done very much since it acquired the trademark to the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit character in 2006 \u2013 for those unfamiliar with the back story, Walt Disney created Oswald for Universal Pictures in 1927 and made 27 silent black-and-white shorts. But Disney lost the rights to the character, at which point he created a new character called Mickey Mouse.
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A new Oswald short \u2013 the first produced by the Disney studio in nearly 95 years \u2013 was released online two weeks ago under the title \u201cOswald the Lucky Rabbit.\u201d In this adventure, Oswald finds himself in a movie theater where his girlfriend Ortensia is on the screen awaiting to kiss a missing lover. Oswald realizes he\u2019s supposed to be in the movie, but has some trouble figuring out how to get into the silver screen picture. <\/p>\n
Hand-drawn in black-and-white, this film as presented as a silent work with a piano score soundtrack and a few deliberate scratches to make it look like an unrestored work from yesteryear. Alas, the film is barely over a minute\u2019s running time \u2013 it is difficult to comprehend why Disney would create such a wisp of a film. <\/p>\n
In its favor, though, the film recalls the surreal slapstick reminiscent of the original Oswald cartoons, with a few dismemberment sight gags highlighting the absurdity of the situation. It is hard to imagine any of the classic Disney characters taking a page from Oswald\u2019s borderline-Dadaist antics, especially when he accidentally replaces his head with a cannonball.<\/p>\n
While it is fun to see the Oswald character again, perhaps Disney can give him more to do than occupy a minute\u2019s worth of mischief?<\/p>\n