Netflix Delivers a Holiday Mouse-Fest

I wasn't planning on another Netflix post so soon, but the service has just added a quartet of Mouse Flix, all direct-to-video productions, to their instant streaming service.

The highlight of the bunch is the wonderful, hilarious and very under-appreciated  Three Musketeers, which places the Disney Fab Five in a fast-paced, fan-pleasing feature-length send-up of the classic tale. In-jokes, great animation and unique character moments abound, plus Pete gets his peg leg back! If you haven't caught this beauty, you're in for a treat. This could have (and should have) been a theatrical release.

Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas is a trio of well-done tales. In the first, Huey, Dewey and Louie wish every day was Christmas and soon realize not all wishes should be granted. The second finds Goofy trying to give young Max a perfect Christmas in spite of a belief crisis. In the finale, Mickey and Minnie play out their own version of Gift of the Magi. Watch for Mortimer Mouse and an animated version of Firehouse Five Plus Two!

I'd love to see the entire run of the wonderful House of Mouse series show up on Netflix someday. In the meantime, the two compilation specials, Snowed In at the House of Mouse and Mickey's House of Villains will do. Both combine new animation with classic clips to create entertaining hour-long Disney mash-ups.

Gather the family, cook up some Mickey pasta and settle back for a good time. What a great way to start the Holiday video season!

Villainous Handouts at World of Disney

In Downtown Disney, the villain-themed room at the massive World of Disney store gets the most attention from true-blue Disney fans; Not only does it contain the best art collectibles, but it features some wildly inspired fixtures, including these creepy, wonderful...er...sconce-like things.

Each villain's personality is brilliantly summed up with a single hand holding a signature film prop.

These just might be the coolest retail wall fixtures on the planet.

Crocodile Smiles at World of Disney

The Crocodile from Peter Pan gazes down upon shoppers at the World of Disney Store, and I don't think he's got customer service on his mind. What a fantastic character design; Who could blame Hook for being afraid of this critter's single-minded quest for Captain a la Carte?

Most artists drawing a cartoon crocodile would probably focus on the sharp teeth, but Disney's animators zeroed in on what's truly scary about this guy: his gaping bottomless pit of a gullet. The croc (unofficially known as Tick Tock) gave me nightmares when I was a small child, and--though he's one of my favorite characters--his mouth still creeps me out big-time!

Disney's Favorite Way to Bump Off a Villain

Quick: What's Disney's favorite way of killing off an animated baddie?

Not all Disney villains die, of course. Some are imprisoned and some (mainly in the comedies) are merely humiliated. Then there's Pinocchio, a very dark film in which five major villains get off with no punishment at all -- because the message of Pinocchio is watch out!

When Disney storytellers do kill off a creep, however, they've definitely got one preferred method. Let's take a look at the list of all the Disney animated villain death scenes:

Ghosts of the Past: The Disney Villains Shop

This quaint little shop in Disneyland's castle courtyard has seen many changes over the decades. It's been a magic shop, a Christmas store, and it currently sells swords and family crests. In the early 90's, however, it housed the Disney Villains shop.

One of the most fun stores in the park, The Villains Shop sold a colorful variety of shirts, hats, license plate frames and coffee mugs, all featuring characters such as Maleficent, Chernabog, the Evil Queen, Captain Hook, Ursula, Cruella and the Cheshire Cat.

The Cheshire Cat?!?