[7.6/10] Really enjoyed this one. The premise of ghosts who feel like people don’t spook as much or as easily, set out to harass some ghost exterminators to prove they've still got it, is a fun spine for a spooky short.
It’s worth noting that for a short that came out fifty years before, Lonesome Ghosts is striking in how much it plays like a precursor to Ghostbusters. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy as down-on-their-luck ghost exterminators in a quiet ramshackle office feels of a piece with Venkman, Egon, etc. And Goofy even says, “I ain’t scared of no ghosts!” I doubt it’s much more than a coincidence, but still an interesting parallel.
The animation was also really impressive! I’ve watched a decent number of old animated shorts, and they’re definitely a mixed bag in terms of how lush the imagery is and how expressive the animation is. Lonesome Ghosts has both, with rich, vivid backgrounds and coloring, as well as flow-y, showy movements among the characters.
The gag sequences are all solid. Mickey’s is the most middle-of-the-road, but the appearing/disappearing water is a nice motif. I got a kick out of how the ghosts just harass Donald, getting his goat in trademark fashion. But the showpiece is the Goofy haunting. His mirror routine with the mischievous ghost is the highlight of the piece, and leads to some inventive visual poetry and hijinks.
The conclusion, of our heroes accidentally colliding into bags of flour and molasses until they appear even more haunting and scare off the actual ghosts, is a fun twist.
Overall, a nice clip to add to your spooky rotation!
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2023-10-29T20:32:21Z
[7.6/10] Really enjoyed this one. The premise of ghosts who feel like people don’t spook as much or as easily, set out to harass some ghost exterminators to prove they've still got it, is a fun spine for a spooky short.
It’s worth noting that for a short that came out fifty years before, Lonesome Ghosts is striking in how much it plays like a precursor to Ghostbusters. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy as down-on-their-luck ghost exterminators in a quiet ramshackle office feels of a piece with Venkman, Egon, etc. And Goofy even says, “I ain’t scared of no ghosts!” I doubt it’s much more than a coincidence, but still an interesting parallel.
The animation was also really impressive! I’ve watched a decent number of old animated shorts, and they’re definitely a mixed bag in terms of how lush the imagery is and how expressive the animation is. Lonesome Ghosts has both, with rich, vivid backgrounds and coloring, as well as flow-y, showy movements among the characters.
The gag sequences are all solid. Mickey’s is the most middle-of-the-road, but the appearing/disappearing water is a nice motif. I got a kick out of how the ghosts just harass Donald, getting his goat in trademark fashion. But the showpiece is the Goofy haunting. His mirror routine with the mischievous ghost is the highlight of the piece, and leads to some inventive visual poetry and hijinks.
The conclusion, of our heroes accidentally colliding into bags of flour and molasses until they appear even more haunting and scare off the actual ghosts, is a fun twist.
Overall, a nice clip to add to your spooky rotation!