History WesternAnimation / MickeysChristmasCarol

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: At the very beginning of the short, we see the Big Bad Wolf ringing a bell next to a pot, which is way too much like the way the Salvation Army (which was founded in 1865, 22 years after the novel's 1843 publication). What's really bad, however, is that he's wearing a modern Santa Claus suit - it wasn't until Creator/NormanRockwell drew numerous pictures of him in the 1920's that his current appearance really solidified. Anyone dressed like that in the 1840's would have looked more like a clown than St. Nick.

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: At the very beginning of the short, we see the BigBadWolf ringing a bell next to a pot, which is way too much like the way the Salvation Army (which was founded in 1865, 22 years after the novel's 1843 publication). What's really bad, however, is that he's wearing a modern Santa Claus suit - it wasn't until Creator/NormanRockwell drew numerous pictures of him in the 1920's that his current appearance really solidified. Anyone dressed like that in the 1840's would have looked more like a clown than St. Nick.

For years, WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse, a once mighty force in animation, was but a memory. After his fall from popularity in the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfAnimation 1940s]], and his final appearances in the 1950s, it seemed like there was no future for the mouse save as a corporate symbol for Creator/{{Disney}}.

Debuting as a supporting feature with the 1983 theatrical re-release of ''Disney/TheRescuers'' (after an animators' strike delayed an intended 1982 premiere on television), this adaptation was fairly well-received and nominated for an Academy Award as Best Animated Short Film. In 1984 it began airing annually around Christmas on network and cable television, and remains a holiday season favorite to this day.

** In most adaptations, the Ghost of Christmas Future is simply a NecessaryEvil and VillainyFreeVillain; here, he actually finds {{sadist}}ic enjoyment in forcing Scrooge through his potential BadFuture. Of course, this one's portrayed by [[{{Jerkass}} Pete]], so what else did you really expect? Although his goal is still technically heroic by [[ScareEmStraight scaring Scrooge straight]], but he hammers the message stronger by acting more villainous.

* AdaptedOut: Since Daisy is playing Young Scrooge's love interest, Isabelle, Fred's wife isn't seen or mentioned.

* TheVoiceless: Bob and Tiny Tim are the only members of the Cratchit family who speak. Fezziwig also doesn't get any lines.

'''''Mickey's Christmas Carol''''' is a 24-minute film, and a fairly straightforward adaptation of [[Literature/AChristmasCarol that one classic story]] [[YetAnotherChristmasCarol everybody knows about by now]]. Despite the short being billed as Mickey's comeback, he serves only as the character of Bob Cratchit. Scrooge [=McDuck=] ([[CaptainObvious in the role of—take a wild guess]]—[[TheDanza Ebenezer Scrooge!]]) carries the bulk of the film instead, making his first animated appearance since the 1967 educational short ''Scrooge [=McDuck=] and Money''. (Otherwise, up to this point he'd only appeared in the Creator/CarlBarks ''Uncle Scrooge'' comics and this short's precursor, a storybook album from TheSeventies.)

** In the book and most adaptations Scrooge reluctantly agrees to give Bob Cratchit Christmas Day off, with expecting him earlier the following morning, while here he only gives him half a day off, docks his pay by half, and makes him wash his laundry for him.

** In most adaptations, the Ghost of Christmas Future is simply a NecessaryEvil and VillainyFreeVillain; here, he actually finds {{sadist}}ic enjoyment in forcing Scrooge through his potential BadFuture. Of course, this one's portrayed by [[{{Jerkass}} Pete]], so what else did you really expect?

* GracefulLadiesLikePurple: When Isabelle leave Scrooge, her dress, {{parasol|of prettiness}}, and [[PrettyInMink fur cape]] are all dark purple.

* SuddenlyVoiced: The Ghost Of Christmas Future never speaks in the book and most adaptations, but here Pete has one line after being silent for most of his scene.

'''''Mickey's Christmas Carol''''' is a 24-minute film, and a fairly straightforward adaptation of [[Literature/AChristmasCarol that one classic story]] [[YetAnotherChristmasCarol everybody knows about by now]]. Despite the short being billed as Mickey's comeback, he serves only as the character of Bob Cratchit. Scrooge [=McDuck=] ([[InkSuitActor in the role of—take a wild guess]]—[[TheDanza Ebenezer Scrooge!]]) carries the bulk of the film instead, making his first animated appearance since the 1967 educational short ''Scrooge [=McDuck=] and Money''. (Otherwise, up to this point he'd only appeared in the Creator/CarlBarks ''Uncle Scrooge'' comics and this short's precursor, a storybook album from TheSeventies.)

* TheCameo: Several classic Disney characters make appearances, including the Disney/ThreeLittlePigs, [[Disney/{{Pinocchio}} Jiminy Cricket]], [[Disney/FunAndFancyFree Willie the Giant]] and [[Disney/TheAdventuresOfIchabodAndMrToad Mr. Toad]]. And just about everybody at Fezziwig's appeared in a Disney feature (''Disney/RobinHood'' in particular) or short.

* LittlestCancerPatient: Tiny Tim is terminally ill. In the bad future, Tim has died of his illness and Bob is deeply in grief, having never had a chance to say goodbye, much less spend with him during Tim's last few days as Scrooged worked him past the point of exhaustion.

Debuting as a supporting feature with the 1983 theatrical re-release of ''Disney/TheRescuers'' (after an animators' strike delayed an intended 1982 premiere on television), this adaptation was fairly well-received and nominated for an Academy Award as Best Animated Short Film. However, any moviegoers were disappointed that, its title notwithstanding, the film had virtually nothing to do with Mickey at all; that feeling might have been a contribution to him coming back after that, since people wanted to see more of him. In 1984 it began airing annually around Christmas on network and cable television, and remains a holiday season favorite to this day.

* AccidentalBargainingSkills: After Scrooge's reformation, he goes to the alms collectors. They are stunned at his sudden turnaround, which leads him to think (or at least pretend to think) they're holding out for more!

* AllJustADream: What Scrooge is very thankful for, given his nightmare's conclusion (the evil, miserly duck going to Hell for being an all-around creep), when he meets the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Yet to Come.
* AnimatedAdaptation: This is an adaptation of Disneyland Records' 1974 audio [[TheMusical musical]] entitled ''[[http://www.mousevinyl.com/content/dickens-christmas-carol-disneyland-records An Adaptation of Dickens' Christmas Carol]]''. The biggest difference is that the first and third ghosts in the animated short ([[Disney/{{Pinocchio}} Jiminy Cricket]] as Past, WesternAnimation/{{Pete}} as Future) are in the audio musical played by [[Disney/TheSwordInTheStone Merlin]] (Past) and [[Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs the Evil Queen/Witch]] (Future), which was consistent with Willie the Giant playing Present (as all three of them are humans with magical abilities in their respective films). As well, in the audio adapatation, the alms collectors are played not by [[Disney/TheAdventuresOfIchabodAndMrToad Mr. Rat and Mr. Mole]], as in the animated short, but by, of all characters, [[Disney/{{Pinocchio}} J. Worthington Foulfellow and Gideon]].

* BlackComedy: The Ghost of Christmas Future cracks an ironically cruel joke at Ebenezer's impending demise. See SuddenlyVoiced.

* CarnivoreConfusion: Suckling pig makes an appearance when Scrooge meets the Ghost of Christmas Present, after the Three Little Pigs have a cameo as carolers in the opening scene on the city streets. Donald also invites Scrooge to have goose for dinner! Despite having at least two cousins who are geese! Maybe that's what Uncle Scrooge meant by "You know I can't eat that stuff!"

* EvilLaughter: The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (aka Pete), after shoving Scrooge into his grave and mocking him with "The richest man in the cemetery!"
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Well, it has Mickey in it, but it's more of Scrooge [=McDuck=]'s christmas carol than Mickey's.

* FireAndBrimstoneHell: In the scene where Scrooge is confronted by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, he is shown a newly dug grave, and told that nobody came to the funeral of the man who will be buried there. Upon learning that it is ''his'' grave, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (Pete) mocks Scrooge, saying he's the "richest man in the cemetery!" before shoving him into the grave. Scrooge, realizing what is about to happen, screams for mercy and vows to change, but he loses his grip on a twig and falls into a casket whose interior is on fire, implying he is about to enter Hell. Averted -- and revealed to be AllJustADream -- when he wakes up just an instant before the first fibers of his body touch the flames.
* FurryDenial: Scrooge [=McDuck=], who's playing Ebenezer Scrooge from ''Literature/AChristmasCarol'' is referred to as an "English''man''," despite being a ''drake'' (a male duck) (and actually Scottish).
** As it is fitting for the character of Scrooge, his accent is Scottish through and through. And he is ''still'' referred to as English. Wonder how ''that'' was received when the movie aired in England...

* InkSuitActor: A rare case of an ''animated'' character doing it, [[ComicBook/TheLifeAndTimesOfScroogeMcDuck Scrooge McDuck]] was named after Ebenezer, though he himself was created in 1947; (long before this animated version) his name was based on the title character from the original story; first published in 1843.
* InsaneTrollLogic: Scrooge pulls this on the two charity collectors (played by [[Disney/TheAdventuresOfIchabodAndMrToad Mr. Rat and Mr. Mole]]) as an excuse to avoid giving them any money for the poor:

* {{Jerkass}}: The whole point of the Ghosts visiting Scrooge: To tell him what a mean, miserly, all-around creep he really is, and that he had better change or else his future won't be good.
* LittlestCancerPatient: Tiny Tim, who is terminally ill. Turns into a genuine Tearjerker moment when it is revealed -- as part of Scrooge's visit with the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come -- that Tim has died of his illness, and that Bob is deeply in grief, having never had a chance to say goodbye, much less spend with him during Tim's last few days (because Scrooge had cruelly worked him to the point of exhaustion, demanding that he work even when he needed/wanted to be home with Tim). In the future vision, Bob and his family are visiting the grave and Bob tenderly leaves Tim's crutch at his grave.
* LonelyFuneral: The gravediggers say that nobody showed up for Scrooge's funeral.

* OutOfFocus: Despite [[SpotlightStealingTitle getting title billing]], Mickey has a relatively small role in what was hyped as his comeback film (which it served as anyway). Of course, casting Mickey as Scrooge would have probably been too OutOfCharacter, and in any event he portrays a sympathetic and likable Bob Cratchit.

* SecondFaceSmoke: Done by Pete (as the Ghost of Christmas Future) to Scrooge.
* SpinOff: Sort of: The success of this short paved the way for Disney to put together ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'', with Creator/AlanYoung returning as the voice of Scrooge [=McDuck=].
* StockScream: Related to OffscreenCrash above: as Marley's ghost leaves and falls down the stairs, one can clearly hear the iconic "Goofy holler" as he falls.
* SuddenlyVoiced: The Ghost Of Christmas Future AKA Pete.

* AdaptationalVillainy: In most adaptations, the Ghost of Christmas Future is simply a NecessaryEvil and VillainyFreeVillain; here, he actually finds {{Sadist}}ic enjoyment in forcing Scrooge through his potential BadFuture. Of course, this one's portrayed by [[{{Jerkass}} Pete]], so what else did you really expect?

* SpinOff: Sort of: The success of this short paved the way for Disney to put together ''WesternAnimation/{{DuckTales}}'', with Creator/AlanYoung returning as the voice of Scrooge [=McDuck=].

* TheDarkAgeOfAnimation: 15 years after ''The Simple Things'' in 1953.

* VillainSong: Not in the short, but on the original LP, Scrooge signs about how "the only thing that counts for [him] is money".