The Original Mickey Mouse Club Show

In November 2008 the Disney Company issued this entry in their popular Treasures series of DVDs, as a replacement for another cancelled a few months before. Like the rest of the series, this DVD comes in a two-part metal tin, that opens to reveal a standard size black plastic case with a silver-gray wraparound paper cover. Inside are two discs, a numbered certificate of authenticity signed by Leonard Maltin and Roy E. Disney, a small reproduction of a publicity photo of Annette, and an eight-page color booklet on the disc contents.

The discs contain nineteen eleven-minute episodes from the show's third most popular serial, and some bonus material. The episodes have been taken from re-mastered originals, and really look splendid. Each episode opens with Karen's introduction and the theme song, and ends after her announcement of the next episode. Despite the short time frame to produce this DVD, the folks at Disney really did a good job.

Leonard Maltin has four-minute introductions on both discs, which include four bonus features between them. Two of these features are the half-hour third season Mickey Mouse Club episodes that introduced and concluded the Annette serial. Since the serial episodes they contain are already present on the discs, this is less of a treat than you might expect. Also, the Disney folks seem to have become confused about the date of the first show (the introduction), which was broadcast February 10th, 1958, and not February 11th, which was when the first serial episode was shown.

The other features are a 1993 color documentary with Annette and others discussing her musical career, and a recent original tribute to Annette by those closest to her. There's a lot of repeat images in these specials, but they're nicely done.

There's a bonus option to register your DVD, like there was for earlier Treasures DVD; it simply lists the website address to visit. Credits for the serial, including cast, are only present at the end of the two Mickey Mouse Club episodes. Those episodes have no scene selections, so you'll have to fast forward or use the "Next Chapter" button to find the credits.