Sunday, February 20, 2011

PUEBLO PLUTO (Disney, 1949)

This terrific Disney cartoon features Mickey and Pluto, stopping to buy souvenirs in the Southwest. While Mickey is shopping, Pluto gets involved with a buffalo bone, and a puppy!

Background art is credited to Brice Mack.

Here's the setting. That's the souvenir shop at the top of the hill!

The next two shots feature the souvenir shop with its rustic wooden sidewalk, sombreros and brightly colored pots.


Out in the desert there's a variety of rock formations and cactus:



Here's a partially reconstructed pan background. Love that skeleton head!

As Pluto's fear gets the best of him, he starts to hallucinate, seeing monsters in the cactus formations. (Remember when Snow White had a similar experience in the forest?) This time it's played for laughs. Great, imaginative caricatures! This is one of those rare times where non-cel "background paintings" actually become featured characters in a film.




These barbed-wire cactus thorns look dangerous!

Here's a beautifully composed desert landscape.

Last but not least, a digitally restored Pan B/G of the desert and souvenir shop.