Runaway Brain
Encyclopedia
Runaway Brain is a seven-minute animated
short-subject produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation
Paris
, and starring Mickey Mouse
and Minnie Mouse
. It was released on August 11, 1995 attached to the critically panned feature A Kid in King Arthur's Court
and was re-released on July 16, 1997 in front of Disney's live-action remake of George of the Jungle
. It was also screened along with Disney's 1995 animated blockbuster Pocahontas
. In 1996, the short was to be re-released with 101 Dalmatians and the film was even sent to theaters with the short attached, but Disney asked theater owners to cut the short off all film prints to replace it with trailers for Hercules
, That Darn Cat, Jungle 2 Jungle
and George of the Jungle
. In international theaters, it was shown preceding A Goofy Movie
. The short, according to Leonard Maltin
, was inspired by the 1933 Mickey Mouse short The Mad Doctor
.
This to date the last theatrical short to feature or star Mickey Mouse.
when Minnie arrives to find that Mickey forgot their dating anniversary. Mickey comes up with a last-minute idea to take her to a miniature golf
course. Showing her a newspaper
, Minnie misinterprets and thinks Mickey is taking her to Hawaii
, a trip that would cost $999.99. An excited Minnie skips out the door before Mickey can set her straight, causing Mickey to worry about how to earn so much money. Pluto
shows his master the "help wanted" ads, and Mickey finds an ad for work with a mad scientist
, named Dr. Frankenollie (an inside joke
reference to Disney animators Frank Thomas
and Ollie Johnston
, while also referring to Frankenstein
) for a day of "mindless work" that would instantly give him $999.99.
Mickey goes to the home of the simian Dr. Frankenollie (played by Kelsey Grammer
of Frasier
fame, also known for Sideshow Bob
from The Simpsons
). When he knocks the door, Mickey gets sucked downward through a trap door into Frankenollie's laboratory, where Frankenollie plans to switch Mickey's brain with that of his monster, Julius (portrayed by perennial nemesis Black Pete). Although Dr. Frankenollie is killed in the experiment, the brain transfer is a success, with Mickey's mind ending up in Julius' giant body, and Julius finding himself in control of Mickey's body.
The dimwitted and insane Julius finds Mickey's wallet in his pocket and, finding a photo of Minnie, is instantly smitten with her. He escapes the laboratory on a hunt for Minnie, whom he finds shopping for a bathing suit (A Bikini). When the real Mickey (in Julius' body) shows up to save his girlfriend, Minnie screams for help and runs until Mickey convinces her of who he is. Julius continues to pursue Minnie, leading to an epic battle between the two of them ("Go get em, Mickey," cheers Minnie. "Rip his ears off!").
During the course of their battle, Julius and Mickey fall onto electric wires, which cause their minds to transfer back to their correct bodies. Although Julius is more of a threat than ever now that he is again in control of his own monstrous body, Mickey manages to subdue him and save Minnie. Julius falls from the tall building with a bungee rope, which then winds itself up and down like a yo-yo
.
The closing scene of the film finds Mickey and Minnie on their way to Hawaii, with Julius providing the horsepower for their inner tube as he swims towards the same photo Mickey had in his wallet that Julius saw before.
.
The short was released on DVD
in the Walt Disney Treasures
collection Mickey Mouse in Living Color, Vol. 2.
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
short-subject produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Animation Studios is an American animation studio headquartered in Burbank, California. The studio, founded in 1923 as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio by brothers Walt and Roy Disney, is the oldest subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and starring Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
and Minnie Mouse
Minnie Mouse
Minerva "Minnie" Mouse is an animated character created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney. The comic strip story "The Gleam" by Merrill De Maris and Floyd Gottfredson first gave her full name as Minerva Mouse. Minnie has since been a recurring alias for her. Minnie is currently voiced by actress Russi...
. It was released on August 11, 1995 attached to the critically panned feature A Kid in King Arthur's Court
A Kid in King Arthur's Court
A Kid in King Arthur's Court is a 1995 film directed by Michael Gottlieb. It is based on the famous Mark Twain novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, transplanted into the twentieth century....
and was re-released on July 16, 1997 in front of Disney's live-action remake of George of the Jungle
George of the Jungle (film)
George of the Jungle is a 1997 live-action, family-oriented, romantic-adventure-comedy film based on the characters from the original cartoon of the same name. The film was produced by Walt Disney Pictures with Mandeville Films and originally released to movie theatres on July 16, 1997...
. It was also screened along with Disney's 1995 animated blockbuster Pocahontas
Pocahontas (1995 film)
Pocahontas is the 33rd animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. It was produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and was originally released to selected theaters on June 16, 1995 by Walt Disney Pictures...
. In 1996, the short was to be re-released with 101 Dalmatians and the film was even sent to theaters with the short attached, but Disney asked theater owners to cut the short off all film prints to replace it with trailers for Hercules
Hercules (1997 film)
Hercules is a 1997 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirty-fifth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film was directed by Ron Clements and John Musker...
, That Darn Cat, Jungle 2 Jungle
Jungle 2 Jungle
Jungle 2 Jungle is a 1997 comedy feature film starring Tim Allen, Martin Short and Sam Huntington. It is an American remake of the 1994 French film Un indien dans la ville . Jungle 2 Jungles plot follows the original film fairly closely...
and George of the Jungle
George of the Jungle (film)
George of the Jungle is a 1997 live-action, family-oriented, romantic-adventure-comedy film based on the characters from the original cartoon of the same name. The film was produced by Walt Disney Pictures with Mandeville Films and originally released to movie theatres on July 16, 1997...
. In international theaters, it was shown preceding A Goofy Movie
A Goofy Movie
A Goofy Movie is a 1995 American animated musical comedy film, produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, Walt Disney Animation France S.A. and Walt Disney Animation Australia , and released in theaters on April 7, 1995 by Walt Disney Pictures...
. The short, according to Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin is an American film and animated film critic and historian, author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives.-Personal life:...
, was inspired by the 1933 Mickey Mouse short The Mad Doctor
The Mad Doctor
The Mad Doctor is a classic Mickey Mouse cartoon which was released in 1933.- Plot :The plot centers on the title character, a mad scientist, Dr. XXX, who has captured Mickey's dog, Pluto...
.
This to date the last theatrical short to feature or star Mickey Mouse.
Plot
In the cartoon, Mickey is hooked on a Mortal Kombat-style video game based on Snow White and the Seven DwarfsSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a 1937 American animated film based on Snow White, a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. It was the first full-length cel-animated feature in motion picture history, as well as the first animated feature film produced in America, the first produced in full...
when Minnie arrives to find that Mickey forgot their dating anniversary. Mickey comes up with a last-minute idea to take her to a miniature golf
Miniature golf
Miniature golf, or minigolf, is a miniature version of the sport of golf. While the international sports organization World Minigolf Sport Federation prefers to use the name "minigolf", the general public in different countries has also many other names for the game: miniature golf, mini-golf,...
course. Showing her a newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
, Minnie misinterprets and thinks Mickey is taking her to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, a trip that would cost $999.99. An excited Minnie skips out the door before Mickey can set her straight, causing Mickey to worry about how to earn so much money. Pluto
Pluto (Disney)
Pluto, also called Pluto the Pup, is a cartoon character created in 1930 by Walt Disney Productions. He is a light brown , medium-sized, short-haired dog. Unlike Goofy, Pluto is not anthropomorphic beyond some characteristics such as facial expression...
shows his master the "help wanted" ads, and Mickey finds an ad for work with a mad scientist
Mad scientist
A mad scientist is a stock character of popular fiction, specifically science fiction. The mad scientist may be villainous or antagonistic, benign or neutral, and whether insane, eccentric, or simply bumbling, mad scientists often work with fictional technology in order to forward their schemes, if...
, named Dr. Frankenollie (an inside joke
In-joke
An in-joke, also known as an inside joke or in joke, is a joke whose humour is clear only to people who are in a particular social group, occupation, or other community of common understanding...
reference to Disney animators Frank Thomas
Frank Thomas (animator)
Franklin M. "Frank" Thomas was an American animator. He was one of Walt Disney's team of animators known as the Nine Old Men....
and Ollie Johnston
Ollie Johnston
Oliver Martin Johnston, Jr. was an American motion picture animator. He was one of Disney's Nine Old Men, and the last surviving at the time of his death. He was recognized by The Walt Disney Company with its Disney Legend Award in 1989...
, while also referring to Frankenstein
Frankenstein
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
) for a day of "mindless work" that would instantly give him $999.99.
Mickey goes to the home of the simian Dr. Frankenollie (played by Kelsey Grammer
Kelsey Grammer
Allen Kelsey Grammer is an American actor and comedian. He is most widely known for his two-decade portrayal of psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the sitcoms Cheers and Frasier...
of Frasier
Frasier
Frasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars...
fame, also known for Sideshow Bob
Sideshow Bob
Robert Underdunk Terwilliger, better known as Sideshow Bob, is a recurring character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Kelsey Grammer and first appeared briefly in the episode "The Telltale Head". Bob is a self-proclaimed genius who is a graduate of Yale, a member of...
from The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
). When he knocks the door, Mickey gets sucked downward through a trap door into Frankenollie's laboratory, where Frankenollie plans to switch Mickey's brain with that of his monster, Julius (portrayed by perennial nemesis Black Pete). Although Dr. Frankenollie is killed in the experiment, the brain transfer is a success, with Mickey's mind ending up in Julius' giant body, and Julius finding himself in control of Mickey's body.
The dimwitted and insane Julius finds Mickey's wallet in his pocket and, finding a photo of Minnie, is instantly smitten with her. He escapes the laboratory on a hunt for Minnie, whom he finds shopping for a bathing suit (A Bikini). When the real Mickey (in Julius' body) shows up to save his girlfriend, Minnie screams for help and runs until Mickey convinces her of who he is. Julius continues to pursue Minnie, leading to an epic battle between the two of them ("Go get em, Mickey," cheers Minnie. "Rip his ears off!").
During the course of their battle, Julius and Mickey fall onto electric wires, which cause their minds to transfer back to their correct bodies. Although Julius is more of a threat than ever now that he is again in control of his own monstrous body, Mickey manages to subdue him and save Minnie. Julius falls from the tall building with a bungee rope, which then winds itself up and down like a yo-yo
Yo-yo
The yo-yo in its simplest form is an object consisting of an axle connected to two disks, and a length of twine looped around the axle, similar to a slender spool...
.
The closing scene of the film finds Mickey and Minnie on their way to Hawaii, with Julius providing the horsepower for their inner tube as he swims towards the same photo Mickey had in his wallet that Julius saw before.
Trivia
- The last Mickey Mouse Cartoon to be nominated for an Academy Award (it lost to the Wallace and GromitWallace and GromitWallace and Gromit are the main characters in a series consisting of four British animated short films and a feature-length film by Nick Park of Aardman Animations...
short A Close ShaveA Close ShaveA Close Shave is a 1995 British animated film directed by Nick Park at Aardman Animations in Bristol, featuring his characters Wallace and Gromit. It was his third half-hour short featuring the eccentric inventor Wallace and his quiet but intelligent dog Gromit, following 1989's A Grand Day Out,...
). - The first appearance of Mickey Mouse in his red button shorts since 1943's Pluto and the Armadillo.
- At the beginning of the short, Mickey is shown playing a Mortal Kombat-style Snow White fighting game, in which Dopey is fighting the Evil Queen (in hag form). The names of all the six other Dwarfs are listed on the bottom of the game-screen as already "killed".
- When the video-game Dopey is killed, a Wilhelm screamWilhelm screamThe Wilhelm scream is a film and television stock sound effect first used in 1951 for the film Distant Drums. The effect gained new popularity after it was used in Star Wars and many other blockbuster films as well as television programs and video games...
is heard. - On Mickey's wall is a poster with a picture of cheese, and labeled "Just Say NoJust Say No"Just Say No" was an advertising campaign, part of the U.S. "War on Drugs", prevalent during the 1980s and early 1990s, to discourage children from engaging in recreational drug use by offering various ways of saying no. Eventually, this also expanded the realm of "Just Say No" to violence and...
". - To the right of the door, when Minnie enters, you can see what seems to be a model of the Starship EnterpriseStarship EnterpriseThe Enterprise or USS Enterprise is the name of several fictional starships, some of which are the focal point for various television series and films in the Star Trek franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. It is considered a name of legacy in the fleet...
of the program Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise... - If you look at the advert, just to the left of the mindless days work, you can see the name Clarisse, which is a reference to the Chip 'n' Dale character.
- As Mickey is falling down the tube, a pink slipPink slipPink slip refers to the American practice, by a personnel department, of including a discharge notice in an employee's pay envelope to notify the worker of his or her termination of employment or layoff. Receiving a "pink slip" has become a metaphor for the termination of employment in general...
(an American term for being Laid-off) with the initials J.K. on them passes Mickey and moves the left of the screen. This is a referral to Jeffrey KatzenbergJeffrey KatzenbergJeffrey Katzenberg is an American film producer and CEO of DreamWorks Animation. He is perhaps most famous for his period as chairman of The Walt Disney Company's film division, and for producing DreamWorks animated films such as Shrek, Antz, The Prince of Egypt, The Road to El Dorado, Chicken...
, who was fired by Michael EisnerMichael EisnerMichael Dammann Eisner is an American businessman. He was the chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company from 1984 until 2005.-Early life:...
the year previous. - If you look at the Banana peel in front of Mickey's electric chair, most of the time it's standing up until Julius comes out and when Mickey looks shocked it has managed to fall over.
- Mickey has a picture of himself from Steamboat WillieSteamboat WillieSteamboat Willie is a 1928 American animated short film directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. It was produced in black-and-white by The Walt Disney Studio and released by Celebrity Productions. The cartoon is considered the debut of Mickey Mouse, and as his girlfriend Minnie, but the characters...
in his wallet to which he comments "Oh, that's old." - Mickey whistles the song from Steamboat Willie when waiting at the door. The song is also heard during the credits.
- Doctor Frankenollie is an in-joke to the legendary Disney animators Frank ThomasFrank Thomas (animator)Franklin M. "Frank" Thomas was an American animator. He was one of Walt Disney's team of animators known as the Nine Old Men....
and Ollie JohnstonOllie JohnstonOliver Martin Johnston, Jr. was an American motion picture animator. He was one of Disney's Nine Old Men, and the last surviving at the time of his death. He was recognized by The Walt Disney Company with its Disney Legend Award in 1989...
. - This short film was featured on the T.V. in Disney's Magical Mirror Starring Mickey MouseDisney's Magical Mirror Starring Mickey MouseDisney's Magical Mirror Starring Mickey Mouse is a Disney adventure video game developed by Capcom, published by Nintendo and distributed by: Disney Interactive Studios for the Nintendo GameCube.-Gameplay:The game uses a simple point-and-click mechanic which involves using a cursor to guide Mickey...
. - In two shots of the short, the hornbill Zazu from The Lion KingThe Lion KingThe Lion King is a 1994 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 32nd feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series...
can be seen: once when the trapdoor at Dr. Frankenollie's office opens and again when Julius roars. Also, in the second shot, you can hear what appears to be a crow. - Mickey's arrival at Dr. Frankenollie's lab bears a striking resemblance to the movie poster of The ExorcistThe Exorcist (film)The Exorcist is a 1973 American horror film directed by William Friedkin, adapted from the 1971 novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty and based on the exorcism case of Robbie Mannheim, dealing with the demonic possession of a young girl and her mother’s desperate attempts to win back her...
. - The Walt Disney Pictures logo is lower pitched (By four lower tweaks).
- Of course, "Lobo-tomy Lane" (as Mickey pronounces it), is a reference to LobotomyLobotomyLobotomy "; τομή – tomē: "cut/slice") is a neurosurgical procedure, a form of psychosurgery, also known as a leukotomy or leucotomy . It consists of cutting the connections to and from the prefrontal cortex, the anterior part of the frontal lobes of the brain...
. - The design for the feral Mickey with Julius's brain was considered for the Scrapper persona in the upcoming Epic MickeyEpic MickeyEpic Mickey is a 2010 Mickey Mouse action-adventure platforming video game designed by Warren Spector and developed by Junction Point Studios for the Wii console...
, but for fear it would alienate the classic Disney fans, Disney Interactive Studios and Junction Point altered it to a more ink-smudged form.
Release
The film was screened out of competition at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival1996 Cannes Film Festival
-Jury:*Francis Ford Coppola *Nathalie Baye *Greta Scacchi, actrice *Michael Ballhaus *Henry Chapier *Atom Egoyan *Eiko Ishioka *Krzysztof Piesiewicz *Antonio Tabucchi...
.
The short was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in the Walt Disney Treasures
Walt Disney Treasures
The Walt Disney Treasures is a two-disc DVD set of classic Disney works. They cover work from the studio's earliest days to their more recent work...
collection Mickey Mouse in Living Color, Vol. 2.