Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas
Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas is a 2004 American animated Christmas anthology film produced by Disneytoon Studios and directed by Matthew O'Callaghan. The film includes stories directed by Peggy Holmes, O'Callaghan, Theresa Cullen, and Carole Holliday. It is the computer-animated sequel to Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas (1999).[2] It features Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Goofy, Max, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and Scrooge McDuck,[3] in five different segments rather than three like its predecessor.[4] It received generally positive reviews from critics.
| Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas | |
|---|---|
Film poster | |
| Directed by | Matthew O'Callaghan |
| Screenplay by |
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| Story by |
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| Based on | |
| Produced by | Pam Marsden |
| Starring | |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | Stephen James Taylor |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Walt Disney Home Entertainment |
Release date |
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Running time | 67 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot Edit
The narrator recites the first ten words of The Night Before Christmas before saying, "Oh, wait. Different story, but we'll still see a mouse!" The narrator then announces new tales of giving and loving, and a book opens to show pop-up elves.
Belles on Ice Edit
The narrator said it all started on the first segment when Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck were competing in an ice skating competition. The girls each are joined by their respective boyfriends, Mickey and Donald, as they prepare to take the ice. Daisy becomes envious of the crowd's reaction to Minnie and attempts to steal the spotlight for herself. Minnie performs several daredevil stunts to regain the spotlight while Daisy summons the Fantasia Hippos, who become her backup skaters while her counterpart summons the alligators from the 1940 film. Fed up, Daisy and Minnie argue and shove each other around, putting each other at risk, and then try pulling dramatic stunts to draw the attention of the crowds as Mickey and Donald watch with worry. When Minnie accidentally slips on a fallen handbell while landing from a stunt blindfolded, Daisy helps Minnie up while feeling sorry for her selfish actions. Minnie feels the same way, and they perform a grand finale; this time working together as a team.
Christmas: Impossible Edit
The second segment tells the story of Huey, Dewey, and Louie celebrating Christmas Eve with Donald and Daisy Duck at Uncle Scrooge's mansion in Duckburg. After causing trouble at dinnertime, Scrooge warns them not to make the same mistakes he made when he was young. The boys know that they are on the naughty list for sure, so they travel to the North Pole to write their names on Santa's good list. At Santa's workshop, the trio cause more trouble by making a mess while trying to find the key to the room containing Santa's good list, but they and the elves help clean up to save Christmas. Before they leave, they luck into an opportunity to add their names to the good list; however, they add Scrooge's name instead, mindful of the fact that he was never written onto the list either. With their mission accomplished, they head home. On Christmas Day, they find a single gift for Scrooge, but Santa also leaves them a note that explains that their actions have caused them to also be put on the good list, and there are more presents behind the tree.
Christmas Maximus Edit
The third segment's focus is about Max Goof and his father Goofy celebrating the holidays. A young adult Max brings home his girlfriend Mona to meet his father, Goofy. However, Max is unsure whether or not he wants Mona to meet his dad (Most of the story takes place within the song "Make Me Look Good"). Max at first is embarrassed by his dad, who labels his car as a limo, decorates the house with many Christmas lights, shows baby pictures to Mona, and wipes cocoa off Max's face. While wandering outside, he notices that his scarf is made by Goofy and realizes that Goofy is always, well, goofy, and that is why he loves him. Max then forgets about being embarrassed and decides to join in the fun when the popcorn making machine goes haywire. Max tries to stop the machine but has popcorn filling his clothes until he lets go. He becomes embarrassed after having his clothes inflate in front of Mona and flies across the room, but nevertheless enjoys it. Goofy tries to stop it next, but he is swung around in the air by the machine. Max, Goofy, and Mona are all pushed up by the popcorn through the chimney and onto the roof. Following this, Mona then reveals to have the same kind of teeth like Goofy and Max; they all laugh and make snow angels on the roof.
Donald's Gift Edit
The fourth segment focuses on Donald Duck and his Christmas wish of peace and quiet. Daisy Duck and Huey, Dewey, and Louie also appear. As Donald returns home from grocery shopping, he daydreams and misses his bus. He runs to catch after it, but he is slowed down by a series of well-wishers that begin to sing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas". Donald becomes increasingly annoyed by the joyous people, and at home, he is annoyed to hear the same Christmas carols on his radio. When Daisy and his nephews arrive, Donald becomes annoyed that they want to go out so soon after he returned home and doesn't want to come, but Daisy drags him out anyway. At the mall, Donald grabs a cup of hot chocolate and discovers various objects seeming to play the same Christmas carol, causing him to be annoyed even more; Donald thinks he is in complete peace inside a secret room, where he finds animatronics singing. Donald immediately wrecks them until he notices he is destroying the show at Mousy's that Daisy, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and also the crowd were trying to see; Dewey tricks Donald into being heartbroken by saying Donald is not their uncle anymore to avoid getting in trouble with the public. Daisy agrees to this and leaves with the boys. After he is thrown out of the mall by the mall guard for his lack of Christmas spirit and the destruction of the Mousy's show, Donald walks home alone while feeling guilty for his lack of Christmas spirit. He finds Christmas carolers having trouble with singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas", to which he urges to mentor the performers in singing. When Daisy, Huey, Dewey, and Louie arrive, Donald apologizes to everyone for his selfishness and then joins the townspeople convened around a Christmas tree happily singing the song.
Mickey's Dog-Gone Christmas Edit
The fifth and final segment stars Mickey as he makes decorations for the Christmas party, which his dog, Pluto keeps interrupting. When Pluto attempts to help by putting the star on the tree, he accidentally destroys all the decorations, especially knocking down the Christmas tree, then an angry Mickey scolds Pluto and sends him to his doghouse as his punishment. Feeling like he is rejected by his owner, Pluto decides to run away from home and then finds himself shipped on a train to the North Pole, where Santa's reindeer adopt him and rename him "Murray". Back at home, Mickey redecorates the house and, feeling ashamed of how he lost his temper at Pluto, attempts to reconcile with him, only to find him missing with his collar laying on the floor of his doghouse. Mickey posts several "lost dog" posters and eventually turns to a department store Santa, who turns out to be the real one. Meanwhile, Pluto becomes homesick and begins to miss being with his owner to which Santa and the reindeer help Pluto return home. As Mickey's friends arrive on a snowplow which they used to help find Pluto, he completes the Christmas tree decorations and everyone celebrates Pluto's return, even Donald and Daisy Duck, who had just shown up with Huey, Dewey and Louie, Uncle Scrooge, Max, Goofy and Minnie Mouse (who is also entranced by the decorations).
The film concludes with a medley of various carols featuring the main characters from the five segments as the book closes.
Cast Edit
- Wayne Allwine as Mickey Mouse
- Tony Anselmo as Donald Duck
- Jeff Bennett as Donner, Elves, Janitor Elf, and Jailbreak Bob
- Corey Burton as radio host
- Jim Cummings as Blitzen
- Bill Farmer as Goofy and Pluto
- Tress MacNeille as Daisy Duck and Female Elf
- Jason Marsden as Max Goof
- Kellie Martin as Mona
- Chuck McCann as Santa Claus
- Edie McClurg as Santa's Workshop Announcer
- Rob Paulsen as Elves and Crying Elf
- Clive Revill as the Narrator
- Fred Stoller as security guard
- Russi Taylor as Minnie Mouse, Huey, Dewey, and Louie
- April Winchell as Spectacular Announcer
- Alan Young as Scrooge McDuck
Release Edit
Home media Edit
Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas was first released on DVD and VHS on November 9, 2004.[5] Coinciding with its 10th anniversary, the film was released in a 2-Movie Collection Blu-ray and DVD with its predecessor Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas on November 4, 2014.
The film was made available to stream on Netflix.[6][7] It was subsequently released on Disney+.[8][9]
Broadcast Edit
Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas aired in the United States on ABC Family in December 2013,[10] and in December 2015.[11][12] It aired on Freeform in December 2022.[13][14]
Reception Edit
Critical response Edit
Joe Leydon of Variety stated, "All segments are sufficiently brisk to sustain interest of restless small fry. [...] Computer-generated imagery provides pleasingly colorful, seemingly 3-D eye-candy. Even so, novelty value of classic toon characters in CGI format likely will be lost on little ones raised on Shrek and Toy Story."[15] Robert Pardi of TV Guide gave the film a grade of three out of five stars, saying, "A candy-cane palate and a festive soundtrack bolster this omnibus, which allows Disney favorites a chance to strut some new stuff."[16] Rebecka Schumann of International Business Times named Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas one of their "best Christmas movie picks for kids."[17]
Bryce Olin of FanSided included Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas in their "Best Christmas Movies on Netflix 2016" list.[18] Michael Thomas of Collider included Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas in their "Best Holiday Movies and Shows on Disney+" list, stating, "The computer-animated special allows for the Disney crew to shine with each getting major focus across their individual stories. If you love Mickey and his friends, Mickey Twice Upon a Christmas is a wonderful time."[19] Megan Stein of Country Living included Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas in their "35 Best Christmas Movies on Disney+ to Get You In the Holiday Spirit" list.[20]
People Magazine included Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas in their "Best Christmas Movies to Stream on Disney+ in 2022" list and called it a "series of heartwarming holiday stories."[21] Korin Miller and Naydeline Mejia of Women's Health included Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas in their "40 Best Christmas Movies On Disney+" list, asserting, "This animated flick features five Christmas-themed shorts that are all kinds of adorable."[22] Sydni Ellis of PopSugar ranked Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas first in their "17 Best Holiday Movies to Watch With Little Kids" list.[23]
Accolades Edit
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) and recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | DVD Exclusive Awards | Best Animated Character Performance (Voice and Animation in a DVD Premiere Movie) | Russi Taylor | Nominated | [24][25] |
| Best Screenplay (for a DVD Premiere Movie) | Bill Motz, Bob Roth, Peggy Holmes, Chad Fiveash, James Patrick Stoteraux, Matthew O'Callaghan, Shirley Pierce, Jim Peronto, Carole Holliday, Michael Shipley, Jim Bernstein | Nominated | |||
| Best Original Score (for a DVD Premiere Movie) | Stephen James Taylor | Won | [26] |
See also Edit
Notes Edit
References Edit
- ^ . BFI. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
- ^ Daley, Katerina (November 26, 2019). "The 10 Best Disney Animated Christmas Specials (According To IMDb)". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ "Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas (film)". D23. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Crump, William D. (2019). Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film. McFarland & Co. p. 194. ISBN 9781476672939.
- ^ Millheiser, Matthew (2004-11-14). "Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas". DVD Talk. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
- ^ Olin, Bryce (November 3, 2018). "Christmas movies on Netflix right now: Full list". FanSided. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Mier, Tomás (October 11, 2018). "Where to Watch All Your Favorite Christmas Movies on TV This Holiday Season". People. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Spencer, Samuel (November 18, 2019). "All the Christmas Films Streaming Now on Disney Plus". Newsweek. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Munson, Olivia (November 13, 2022). "Christmas movies for kids: A guide to 100+ family films to stream this holiday season". USA Today. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ West, Kelly (October 15, 2013). "ABC Family's 25 Days Of Christmas 2013 Schedule Announced". CinemaBlend. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Chitwood, Adam (December 1, 2015). "Here's ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas Schedule for 2015". Collider. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Harnick, Chris (December 1, 2015). "ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas Schedule Is Here—Plan Your December Accordingly". E! Online. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Mantilla, Ryan Louis (November 2, 2022). "Freeform's 25 Days of Christmas to Include 'Home Alone', 'The Santa Clause' & More". Collider. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Prahl, Amanda (November 1, 2022). "Freeform's 2022 25 Days of Christmas Lineup Is Here — What to Watch and When". PopSugar. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Leydon, Joe (2004-12-14). "Review: 'Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas'". Variety. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
- ^ Pardi, Robert. "Mickey's Twice Upon A Christmas". TV Guide. Retrieved 2016-02-04.
- ^ Schumann, Rebecka (December 16, 2021). "16 Christmas Movies For Kids On Netflix". International Business Times. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Olin, Bryce (December 13, 2016). "Best Christmas Movies on Netflix 2016: Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas". FanSided. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Thomas, Michael (December 4, 2022). "The Best Holiday Movies and Shows on Disney+ Right Now". Collider. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Stein, Megan (December 14, 2022). "Disney+ Has the Most Amazing Christmas Movie Lineup to Stream Right Now". Country Living. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ "The Best Christmas Movies to Stream on Disney+ in 2022". People. November 22, 2022. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Miller, Korin; Mejia, Naydeline (2022-11-15). "Sorry Hallmark, But The Best Christmas Movies Are On Disney+ Now". Women's Health. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Ellis, Sydni (November 23, 2020). "The 17 Best Holiday Movies to Watch With Little Kids, Ranked". POPSUGAR UK Parenting. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Ball, Ryan (January 3, 2005). "Lion King 1 1/2 Rules DVD Exclusive Noms". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Hettrick, Scott (January 2, 2005). "Spidey takes on Frodo in DVD kudos". Variety. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
- ^ Hettrick, Scott (February 8, 2005). "Duff, Hamill top DVD Exclusive kudos". Variety. Retrieved 2023-08-28.
External links Edit
- Official website
- Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas at IMDb