Barnyard Olympics

While sports is not my favourite pastime, I do enjoy seeing cartoons with them involved as something funny and inventive is always done with them. That is true especially true with Disney and to a lesser extent Looney Tunes. Barnyard Olympics is so much fun. It is interesting if maybe a bit odd to see for a short made in the 30s some of the character designs in the final scene looking like they belong more in the 20s, for example seeing a cow or pig's head from the 30s on a hippo's body from the 20s or something or other. The rest of the animation is great, clean and smooth with a very detailed opening sequence and constant motion of the characters during the truly energetic race parts themselves. The music and sound effects have always been good with enhancing the action and that is definitely the case here and the music especially is beautiful and jaunty in orchestration and energy. The story is a basic Mickey overcoming the opposition- in the form of Pete- but is crisply paced and even with a somewhat standard concept something fresh is done with it. The main selling points are the interplay between Mickey and Pete, and the hilarious gags, of which the goat refereeing between two bruisers and getting clocked himself, the combatants and goat get tied up in knots, Mickey climbing over the fence using a dachshund, the whole group of bikers rolling down the hill, and when the poor dachshund hits a pole and twists around it stood out in particular. Pete's continuous cheating is also entertaining. Mickey is as likable as ever, the part with the soda bottles does emphasise his determination which I loved seeing, and Pete is a great foil. Overall, kinetic, sporty fun at its best. 9.5/10 Bethany Cox