The Buried Mickey Mouse Short Too Monstrous for Disney
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ต.ค. 2023
- In 1995, Disney bet BIG on relaunching an updated Mickey Mouse animated cartoon for a new generation, only to bury it one year later. Runaway Brain ended up as Disney's strangest, most shocking and intense shorts they've ever put out, and that's not even the reason they don't want you to watch!
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All the “edgy” Disney stuff they had in the 90s and this was too much? We had Gargoyles, The Mighty Ducks, DarkWing Duck; all the 90s Mickey scenarios we were robbed of. This short was perfection.
One difference: Mickey was the star
@@yamato6114so? It was awesome
Compared to the jokes in Hocus Pocus, runaway brain was nothing
They left that to die in the August release schedule, too, when it should have been released closer to Halloween. I still saw them both in theaters along with *The Rescuers Down Under,* so if these movies flopped at the box office, don’t blame me. I actually saw them.
Unfortunately today Disney is just afraid to push limits now.
I keep waiting for them to add this to disney+, very beautifully animated. If it had come out today I think it would have been a big hit.
Agreed
The woke employees won't even let Plane Crazy on the platform. They think the harmless slapstick like the kiss is too problematic. Plane Crazy is the very first Mickey cartoon ever.
i love this short it needs to be a bigger movie i loove beast mickey or Dark Mickey kinda reminds me of something the Enclave would have done to mickey if exposed to either the FEV or a new experimental serum hmm DNA of the blue devil cryptid in fallout76 even that laboratory is like something inside a Vault-tec bunker i could watch runaway brain over and over again for a year and not get sick of it.
Imagine the plushies and Halloween decor opportunities this short could have inspired.
Someone should make those 😊
There is a UDF figure
Even imagine having a special Runaway Brain Mickey mascot roaming at Disneyland/Disney World during Halloween. I’m sure it would’ve been a big hit at the Oogie Boogie Bash at California Adventure during Halloween.
As the guy who made Epic Mickey said, Disney took away all the character and edge Mickey Mouse had from back in his early days.
I always loved this short as a kid. Never got why disney hated it. It brought mickey back to his true self.
That’s why they hated it. It forced them to actually put the character in interesting situations again for the first time since *Fun and Fancy Free* where Walt turned the character’s voice over to Jimmy MacDonald. The last six years of the OG Mickey shorts were basically glorified Pluto shorts with Mickey reduced to a supporting character in his own movies! Even *Mickey’s Christmas Carol* is more about Scrooge with Mickey in the supporting role of Bob Cratchit.
@@Attmay Wait, it wasn't about scrooge?
Same! I always remembered certain parts but had forgot the name of it ever since. Until now that is! I really liked it back then!
@@tomatogenesissame i think i remember watching this somewhere
idk where i just remember some parts of it
but holy that animation of mickey being like an zombie is beautiful i love it. its sad how disney despised it it really was amazing.
Runaway Brain is basically Sonic Unleashed before Sonic Unleashed
Fortunately, the director of Runaway Brain moved on to produce a well-known Disney animated show called, “Kim Possible.”
This short is amazing. This is the kind of high-quality, experimental thing that the shorts on House of Mouse should have been.
I agree. This explains why I was so disappointed with everything that came out of the pipe after this up until the Paul Rudish incarnation. They did this short dirty. First, in the US, they attached it to a mediocre and tonally and thematically unconnected movie to prop it up (hey, it worked with Winnie the Pooh). Then, they made it as difficult to see as possible without burying it altogether. Finally, they produced the blandest and most baby-fied versions of the character yet in its aftermath. Even 30 years of literally nothing but TV reruns and theatrical re-releases of pre-existing shorts didn’t do that much damage.
@@Attmay I liked House of Mouse, also I remember seeing runaway brain with a Goofy Movie in the Uk
I could have sworn this short was in a House of Mouse episode, but I guess I’m just confusing this for one of the “Mickey saves Minnie” segments.
Everything that Disney tries to get rid of and bury is always the best. I don’t get why they try to ignore the good Mickey stuff like this cartoon, but not the genuinely bad Mickey stuff like Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas.
How is Mickey’s twice upon a Christmas bad
Well, let’s just say it’s the type of project that Disney was afraid of letting Mickey be apart of and it came out when Disney was trying too hard to be like the competition. In fact, some say that particular movie is the reason why Mickey hasn’t been in a movie since 2004 and why he’s been reduced to toddler fodder.
@@magnetoonproductions9541oh that movie was more about everyone else than Mickey right? The CGI one?
Safeness?
More or less.
Runaway Brain is a lot of fun while also Mickeys animation inside of is just perfection. Mickey's expressions and animations even when normal are just deranged in the right way.
This short deserves better, it's one of the best Mickey cartoons.
It's my favourite Mickey Mouse cartoon.
That "1313 Lobotomy Lane" gag flew straight over my head lmao
SAME! Didn't hit until I revisited as an adult.
@@theothervault .. Soo can you please share with me what was 'Cut' from this Mickey Featurette by disney?
that's where I *live* SP!
I don't think I get it honestly.
@@henryreed4697 .. M0st d0nt understand e!ther -
That sequence is -
I would argue that the Paul Rudish Mickey Mouse shorts pushed the envelope far more than Runaway Brain did, yet it gets ignored so much it annoys me. It's meant to be a horror inspired short so of course it hits all those beats. And this ain't a "Song of the South" type of situation because the source is not problematic so Disney has no reason to hide this short if they are content with the Paul Rudish shorts...
The Paul Rudish Mickey shorts are HILARIOUS!
He's actually FUNNY in them!
@@vincentfranklin17like hell he is.
Yeah, at this stage I don't think they are burying it as they just haven't gotten around to releasing everything like that to streaming. They released it twice on video collections so they don't hate this short and no way a Song of the South it is not a pile of yikes tied around some of the dullest live action footage.
It flies in the face of Mickey's reputation, they didn't want to damage that.
Back when Disney could actually animate...
They…still can.
@@quangamershyguyyz7166yeah but it's just not as good as their 2d animated movies. i don't like their 3d animated movies it doesn't feel right to me as much as the 2d.
In 2D movies?
Good thing Julius lives on and is remembered thanks to Tetsuya Nomura putting him in Dream Drop Distance as a secret super boss all those years ago.
Agreed, otherwise I wouldn’t have known about this short
@@LegoReader12345hello Fun Fact: Nomura said the the Nightmare before Christmas was his favorite world to work on. This does not surprised me since this is the artist who designed Sephiroth.
Ah yes, tbh i expected a secret boss that teases 3, but i got a lesser known classic disney character. Love to see this video to see more about Julius
That game's the only reason why I know about this short and I still have no idea why they chose it. The only guess I have is it fits in with the attempted body snatching plot... kind of...
@@LegoReader12345hellosame lol. I was a 90s kid but never heard about this until that game. 🤣
Actually, Mickey Mouse in Runaway Brain was also included in "Mickey's Greatest Hits" on VHS. That's where I saw it for a very first time
But sadly, it’s not on Disney+.
@@Musicradio77Network What good is to have it behind online paywalls anyway?
Hence
Nightmares for me when tiny
@GWKTM everything we own are behind paywalls my dude online or not and also i doubt people care for older media these days especially kids nowadays i think it would be great to see it on disney plus so the newer generation could experience it and besides at least it still be there for a very long time rather than get removed
like what's going on with max these days because the emerge with discovery who's ceo cares less about animation 😑
@@raphaelbrown6314 Wasn't some content removed from Disney+ as well?
Wait why isn't this on Disney Plus now??? With all the other either inappropriate or controversial content they have on there now THEY NEED TO BRING THIS TI DISNEY PLUS. I remember this short and thought it was the coolest because it was different. They really need to bring it back 😊
They have literal drag shows on Disney plus, lol
Firstly I absolutely love the short! Getting Jim Cummings voice to play both monstrous Mickey and monster Pete was amazing! Personally, I just looked at this Mickey as Taz seeing as Jim played him as well! The special actually came out on my 11th birthday on August 11th so it's always been a personal favorite of mine!❤
I remember this from house of mouse😊 even Kingdom hearts 3D referenced Julius. It was metal❤
Hard boss fight.
@@princesspikachu3915then balloonra away
@@matthewtwitter5172amen 😂
Looking at the short as an adult, they really have something special here! The animation is superb, the jokes really land, and it really gets me at the edge of my seat! Of course, later Mickey Mouse shorts should really pay attention to this variation of the character. While he's still a good guy, he's not afraid to get his hands dirty and even show some shortcomings. Even I have something to learn from this!
Wait, we have Runaway Brain thanks to Calvin and Hobbes?! That's.....pretty unexpected.
To quote Yahtzee (formerly of The Escapist's Zero Punctuation) "Disney, having long been as artistically bankrupt as a vending machine, care less about interesting new reinterpretations than their copyrights being depicted in the slightest negative light."
You know on some level I get it. Walt himself started his business when his first animation job basically had the owners steal all his creations and stories saying they belonged to the company, not him. So when he founded his own company he kept a tight grip on ownership. And though Walt has long since passed that mentality has stuck around. Unfortunately it's transitioned into not just ownership, but marketability. The people who run Disney now only care about this forced 'family friendly' facade that is homogenized and spread wide enough to account for as many tastes as possible.
I get it, I would be shocked if family friendly characters turned dark and menacing. But they are SO safe and SO bland now they're utterly forgettable. Micky himself is barely a character these days. He's just a corporate face they can slap on anything to make some money.
This was the the last time where Mickey Mouse really FELT like Mickey Mouse, rather than the sanetized preschool teacher persona he would take on in the 2000’s, with the exceptions of video games like Epic Mickey and Kingdom Hearts.
It was daring, something NEW for the character, and that’s something Mickey really needed at that time! It wasn’t until the Paul Rudish Mickey Mouse cartoons were Mickey could BE creative and zany, while ALSO being a massive critical and commercial success.
Runaway Brain tested the waters for what Mickey could be in the modern age, while the Paul Rudish shorts ran with it and finally figured out why Mickey Mouse just wasn’t clicking with audiences like he used to.
When you strip Mickey of his negative traits, you a left with a cardboard cutout that teaches numbers and letters. When you give Mickey his 1930’s scrappiness back, along with a meaningful character flaw, then Mickey becomes a relatable character again, which explains why the Paul Rudish shorts are often the ONLY piece of Mickey media some people enjoy, because they actually use his character to entertain beyond the mundane.
I always liked the projects that experimented with Mickey's character and pushed the limits of what they could do with him better; Runaway Brain, the Paul Rudish shorts, and Epic Mickey were memorable to me because they weren't afraid to show Mickey's flaws and depict him as a character outside of an empty vessel to represent a giant megacorporation.
1995 was quite a time for cartoons pushing the boundaries. Rocko's Modern Life, Animaniacs, and of course Ren and Stimpy. And really this episode didn't do anything that even Tiny Toons wouldn't have done or pushed even further. Mickey would have been better able to compete then if they released more like this
Mickey wasn't possessed. He had a brain swap. It's totally different. Those parents were dumb. I hope the kids weren't afraid of it tho.
Scared in a good way. Kids like to be scared a little.
@@dragon723. No they don't, it's a negative emotion.
@@summerjonz depends on their age and maturity. Once they are around 8+ and they have a stable emotional life, they start enjoying experimenting with fear. Temporary fear in the context of a safe home and a compartmentalised medium like a movie or a game is quite fun for a lot of kids, that's why they love things like 5 nights at Freddy's.
The enjoyment of jump scares is a complex interplay of physiological responses, psychological factors, and social dynamics. The combination of adrenaline rush, safe context, emotional release, social bonding, psychological challenge, endorphin release, novelty, and cognitive appraisal all contribute to why people find jump scares enjoyable.
I remember watching it on TH-cam and thinking Frankenollie dying was really messed up but that was really it
This short scared the crap out of me.
Disney never does anything this cool anymore, especially not with Mickey Mouse, although Mickey Mouse Shorts was pretty good. Hopefully, when Mickey Mouse becomes public domain in January, fans will start doing some creative unique stuff with the character again, because it has become very clear that Disney will probably never again do anything other than generic kiddie stuff with Mickey.
Um just remember for a lot of children Mickey Mouse clubhouse was their introduction to the character 😅 so um
@@gracekim25 I realize that many children were introduced to Mickey Mouse through Mickey Mouse Club House. That is extremely unfortunate, because it means that many people are only familiar with the current, watered-down version of Mickey, and not the great multi-layered character that Mickey was for many decades. But, as I said in my original comment, hopefully when Mickey becomes public domain next year, true fans of the Mouse will start doing great things with the character, and the great character of Mickey Mouse will return to being the great thing that it once was.
It's because Disney's most dedicated audience don't want them to be "cool."
@@movieworldcomics242Theres probably gonna be one of those shit horror movies though
Other Vault: This is more than a short, this is an adventure!
Disney: I hate adventure!
Other vault: Perfect, I’ll review it!
Disney: W-Wait, you’re not gonna-
Other Vault: Review this short you abandoned? (BUZZER NOISE) THATS RIGHT!
Couldn't have written it better myself!
@@theothervault You provide the great videos, I provide the fun and goofy comment, Ahyuck!
@@theothervault Disney: Burries Runaway Brain for being too monstrous for Mickey when having his brain switched with a monster.
Also Disney: Accepts Mickey and Goofy torturing Donald with medical remedies when trying to help Donald with his Flipperboobootosis.
Me: You're out of your mind if you think this recent cartoon is acceptable in behavior.
@@theothervault 11:16: As a Classic Disney Fan, I've seen "Runaway Brain" alongside "George of the Jungle", so at least it was fresh in my memory... but I didn't think they would actually pair that short with "A Goofy Movie" in the UK, it makes total sense to pair a 90s take on Mickey with a continuation to "Goof Troop"; it's a match made in Disney Heaven... too bad, Modern Disney doesn't think that. Also, those parents that didn't want Mickey to be adventurous like he was back in the late 1920s/early 1930s? What a bunch of pussies; MEOW!
Seems like every time Disney does something dark, they pretend that it never happened.
Mad Doctor has to be the craziest short for Mickey Mouse. Still gives me chills just by the way it’s animated. so unsettling.
I saw this short a lot as a kid, they re-ran it as an intermission of sorts at the local drive-in for a long time. It was probably the only time I ever liked Mickey in anything.
If they gave us "Zombie Goofy" in the 2013 "Mickey Mouse" series, then I don't see why Disney Plus shouldn't give us "Monster-brained" Mickey Mouse from "Runaway Brain" as well.
I thought this cartoon was a fever dream I had when I was a kid!
Thanks for covering this! I live in the US and I saw Run Away Brain With the premier of the Goofy Movie when it came out. I went to see it with a friend and my mom took us because it was a Summer afternoon why not! I was 7 and I LOVED it. I distinctly recall seeing it again one other time on the Too. Disney channel. I thought it was the only time Mickey was like Bugs bunny who I honestly liked more. Keep making more fun stuff!
So glad you enjoyed this one!
I remember seeing that short when I was seven at a drive-in movie theater where I went to see Pocahontas.
The first thing I thought of was that the ride “ Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Train”, which I thought was an obvious nod. Until
I realized it was Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway”. I’m willing to bet it was originally Runaway Train until someone picked up on it
It’s still disappointed that runaway brain is still stuck in the “not released on Disney plus” purgatory,hope they release it around the short’s 30th anniversary (which is 2025)
30th anniversary.
@@thesnesgeek oh my bad!
No worries@@Mr.Feather130
@@Mr.Feather130 Fun Fact: the Monkey scientist named Frankenollie, is a reference two of the 9 old men. Frank Tomas and Ollie Johnson.
@@orangeslash1667 huh I didn't know that reference when I first watch the short when I was a kid!
honestly it makes zero sense not to release it now since they have REALLY changed Mickey up in that newer show, so this really is not that extreme
I love the 90s Disney animation style. This short looks awesome, I didn't even know it existed until now.
That short sure was swell to watch. So swell, that Franken Pete was featured as a secret hard boss in Kingdom Hearts 3D Dream Drop Distance.
Well that explains who that secret boss fight in Kingdom Hearts was. I had never heard of Julius before.
I don't care what anyone else says, Minnie in a bikini is beyond cursed.
Ikr? 🤣
Suuuuure its buddy suuuuure it is
@kairi4640 uhhh no i don't see the problem with both of y'all like it's just minnie mouse wearing a bikini like like almost every woman will wear into the beach 😗
This could have been on Disney +.
Holy fuck, I remember this short- I remember some of the scenes actually kind of scared me when I was younger😭 now I like it- but damn little kid me was scared of scary Mickey for awhile
I loved the Rescuers Downwinder as a kid. Sometimes I forget that Disney use to make fun cartoons.
Love this M&M escapade, elevated & out of the box with Calvin & Hobbs creator's spin! Who knew?Awesome timing!!!
I'm just going to say it I don't think Mickey ever looked as good as he did in this short this is single-handedly some of the best Mickey mouse animation they've ever made and it's a shame they only did it once
I remember seeing the poster as a kid and being kinda freaked out at the sight of the monster Mickey.
"Runaway Brain" was just a product of its time. A lot of things in the '90s were "extreme".
The animation was really good, and the body-possession didn't seem that disturbing to me? What ACTUALLY got me was the innuendo. Like, oh, WOW, I do NOT want my brain going anywhere near that mouse's bedroom life, uh-hyuck yuck yuck
I actually think the way Julius says “Aw, Minnie…” when he sees the picture of her is kind of adorable. Maybe I’m overthinking this but he kind of seemed like he maybe just wanted a friend but he just didn’t really know how to act. After all, Frankenollie was trying to give him a new brain.
It was free on TH-cam when I was about 6. I thought it was a nightmare when I went back to look for it a few weeks ago. Thank God I’m not crazy
I miss when youtube wasn't that well known, those early days you could find full episodes shows and movies no problem.
9:44 - the animation is so slick. Love that split second tie strangulation shot
Ironically they had Julius in dream drop distance, if it wasn’t for that, I never would have known about runaway brain
One of my favorite mickey shorts. I don’t like the tan face for mickey (i think it looks weird, like he shaved the fur on his face off) and his face is much whiter here- plus he and Minnie have their tails! I hate when their tails are omitted. They’re such a fun way to show emotion and expression.
I’m so frustrated that Disney continues to try and bury it and that it’s constantly teetering on the edge of being lost media. I would argue that some of the Rudish shorts are just as “”scary”” as this one (Just the Four of Us comes to mind, or even the Halloween special) and those are not only (rightfully) beloved, they often use the designs from those shorts for modern Mickey Mouse logos and such. Like, come on man.
OH MY GOD!!!😱 I have never heard of a scary 1995 animated Disney Mickey Mouse special before in my life!!😨 It’s like a scary story about Mickey the Wearmouse! I bet that’s where Sonic Team gets that idea for Sonic Unleashed of Sonic the Wearhog.😅
The Runaway Brain reminded me a lot of some of Mickey's old comics. Those were peak Mickey, I think. He's never been as interesting when he's animated, except perhaps when he was hunting ghosts with Donald and Goofy back in, what, '37?
Runaway Brain is 100 times better than the modern, Ren & Stimpy styled Mickey Mouse cartoons.
I'm honestly glad that you are talking about it
it used to be some sort of vaguely remembered feaver dream that sitted in a corner of my brain,
definelty one of my weirdest childhood memory
I still remember the weird feeling I had when I saw this in theatres. I was agast, something so 'dark' and 'twisted' from Disney?! my world was shocked. and its one of my favorites, I can't believe it was '95, I would have sworn this was '99 or the early oughts.
Holy shirt! I bought the Mickey Mouse in Color Volume 2 DVD 11 years ago just to have it in my collection, I didn't know the short was there, if I did I wouldn't have had to resource to "other methods" to watch it
Dude you just unlocked a childhood memory. I LOVED this short as a kid. I'm gonna rewatch it because I loved it so much as a kid.
Terrific cartoon
It should be a nobrainer that audiences shouldn't imagine Minnie being groped by Mickey Mouse.
Hi
Would you mind sharing what program you use to upscale the clips quality? The outcome of most of them is great
Thanks.
I love that short so much.
It's really ironic, because the current Mickey cartoons? Are pretty much exactly like this! This was just ahead of its time!
Dr. Frankenollie's voice is so smooth and cultured... I wonder if he was mind swapped into the chimp's body at some point.
All they had to do was describe it bluntly out loud to figure out it was a bad idea.
Nah😂
Honestly, I'd much rather accept this version of Mickey than the rest of the safer crap they put out daily.
I feel like if folks could trade this for what we’ve BEEN getting I feel like parents would jump at the chance.
This ironically sounds like the inspiration for Disney Epic Mickey. Down to the same Mad Scientist short and even included him in the game. I loved the game and even had a decent sequel. Disney just doesn't want to something different. They should have done Epic Donald and the concept for the game sounded amazing. Being inspired by the Carl Banks comics.
Loving this channel, just recently found it. I wonder if there is any chance you could do a video on Midnight Madness. That movie needs more love and would love a deep dive of it.
I never got to see Runaway Brain, since I wasn't born back then and it's hard to find any release of it. But it's not on Disney+? Seriously? 🤨
That mad doctor laughing maniacally is something
FINALLY! I've been searching for this for years! I saw this in theaters as a kid with my Grandpa, and I have been thinking about it ever since
I remember this. Saw the short so long ago. also love that Julius was a boss in Dream Drop Distance.
I remember seeing this as a kid. My dad even bought me a glow in the dark shirt of runaway brain shirt
I remember it when I was young thanks for talking about it
This is my favorite Mickey Mouse animation of all time. The style is beautiful
I remember watching this for the first time as a kid. Was completely in love with the animation personally.
The narrator has a great voice. I hope he is getting lots of work with it.
I’ve always found it ironic that Minnie would question whether the bikini was too much while not wearing a top.
I remember when this came out. i NEVER saw it and only saw ONE snapshot of Monster Mickey, in a magazine with a fake interview with Mister Mouse. Other than that i never saw it myself on any home video release and for years i thought the whole thing was just an elaborate hoax. And i still remember how extreme Disney was in the 90s to be edgy and relevant. Remember this abormination called "Quack Pack"?
Actually, Mickey started to bomb after the arrival of one man:
Tex Avery
Mickey wasn't obsessed. He was brain-swapped with the monster. Didn't that guy in consumer products know that?
Had this on disk and this terrified me as a kid
I wanna see a fully finished version of what we should've gotten
Kelsey Grammar as the mad scientist was a nice touch
R.I.P Wayne Allwin and Russi Taylor
In 1995 Disney released one of the best Mickey shorts in their lifetime, it was a breath of fresh air
And just when you thought that was "over the top", Mickey comes bursting out of the "closet"!
Wow, what a find! Thanks for this.
So glad you enjoyed it!
this is a great short and i love the easter eggs
I remember this and I really liked it I wish we had more of stuff like this
Now I know why it felt like it had a Goofy Movie animation style. That same team made this feature.
I was so confused in Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance when I saw Julius as the secret boss. I was like who is this? 🤣
Finally someone talks about this. I've searced about a whole evening for this three years ago. Now there is a video about it.
This very Mickey short was not only my first exposure to Mickey Mouse, but to Disney in general.
I didn’t know Chis Bailey was an Oregonian animator that worked on Runaway Brain until this video brought up his name that I searched up on Google. And not long ago I didn’t know that Carl “The Duck Man” Barks and Mike Royer were Oregonian Cartoonists that worked on Donald Duck Comics until I looked up Donald Duck’s origins.
Royer was a freelance artist that worked with him on a few issues, but he also worked with Jack Kirby on 2001: A Space Odyssey and so many other comics, Disney and Marvel and DC and many more, that seeing artists from Oregon so well known as artists, just artist, makes me wonder why can’t people recognize their artists for their origins with the characters? It’s a lot more fun than seeing the characters in a comic or on tv alone.
Get a little bit of history and behind the scenes from their perspective and not just people on the set or in the studio.