Pluto and the Gopher

The Disney shorts are still fun to watch, and there are a number of classics. Pluto is not as strong or effortlessly funny a character as Goofy and Pluto, but his energy and cuteness gives him a real likability. Pluto and the Gopher is pleasant but Pluto has done and been in much better. While it is nice to have the general setting as inside the house rather than in the gardens, much of the short consists of a fair number of Tom and Jerry-like chase scenes and not a lot of else. The story does have energy and does well in accommodating Pluto's personality, but the formula of Pluto vs something/somebody else(usually an animal) has been used a lot(almost all of his shorts actually) and very little new is done with it, coupled with it being driven by chase scenes and not much else it is routine and predictable. And Minnie's role here is so small that her presence felt unnecessary and wasted. The animation on the other hand is bright and colourful with more fluid and refined movements and drawings than the animation in the shorts of the 30s-40s(which is still nice and charming). The music is bouncy and lively with lush orchestration, while the gags are still amusing- if not hilarious- and Pluto and the Gopher is quite cute too. Pluto's personality is played more to his strengths than in the previous 7 or 8 shorts and the scenario in a way helps him. He is likable and very energetic, being careful not to antagonise too much. He is well supported by the gopher, one of the foils that matches Pluto rather than stealing the show from under him. He may have a cute appearance but goodness isn't he crafty or what? The two work very nicely together. On the whole, nothing special but it is a nice watch still. 6/10 Bethany Cox