Tuesday, November 13, 2007

The Best Television Show Opening...Period! The Mickey Mouse Club!

I'm posting this because believe it or not, many people today have never seen it.
But I'm sure some of you who have, will not protest too much. This is the extended version of the 1955 Mickey Mouse Club. It was produced in color, but at the time of it's original broadcast, appeared in black and white on a small television screens across the nation on ABC. In my opinion, I think that this is the best opening for a television show ever done, live action or animated. There's a lot of good opening segments for television shows like The Munsters, I Dream Of Jeannie, Get Smart, Green Acres, The Munsters, Bewitched, etc. I'd say the closest to the energy of this piece is one of the openings to The Drew Carey Show, but even then, Carey's title sequence had clips from the show cut into the opening.
MMC's opening was all NEW original footage....and what an opening. I never get tired watching it!
Every weekday in 1955, this title sequence (in glorious Black and white) excited millions of kids, preparing them for the fun to follow.
The Mickey Mouse Club had lots of hooks to keep you watching the show, but this opening sequence shot in eye popping color with an instantly hummable theme by Mousekeleader Jimmie Dodd and fun animation and Direction by Bill Justice, make this 3 minute title opener a supreme winner, hands down.
FYI, most people are familiar with the shorter version of the title, as much of the footage in the middle was cut out, making it a much tighter piece. However, I still prefer the extended opening.
It's a credit to Walt Disney for having the foresight to produce this opening in color and although the color footage isn't currently available on You Tube, it is available on one of the Disney Treasures DVD sets. That version is pure candy for the eyes and is well worth seeing!

2 comments:

Richard Gaines said...

You know Brian, it takes a special passion and understanding to appreciate the things the younger generations so avidly condescend. Thanks for posting!

Now let's see more of your characters!

Eric Noble said...

I love it. The animation is incredible. Fantastic post.