CARTOON REVIEW : Mickey’s New ‘Toon: Retro Look, Contemporary Tone

Playing with “A Kid in King Arthur’s Court” is “Runaway Brain,” the first Mickey Mouse cartoon in 42 years, an amusing vignette in which Mickey encounters a Frankenstein-like mad scientist who switches his brain with that of his monster creation. The tone of the cartoon is highly contemporary, but its handsome backgrounds have an appropriate retro ‘30s-’40s look. Directed by Chris Bailey and produced by Ron Tippe from Tim Hauser’s story idea, “Runaway Brain” has Wayne Allison and his wife, Russi Taylor, supplying the voices for Mickey and his girlfriend, Minnie, with Kelsey Grammer speaking for the mad scientist, named Dr. Frankenollie in homage of pioneering animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston.

* MPAA rating: G. Times guidelines: The short is suitable for all ages, although there is the usual quota of standard cartoon violence.

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‘Runaway Brain’

Wayne Allison: Mickey Mouse

Russi Taylor: Minnie Mouse

Kelsey Grammer: Dr. Frankenollie

Jim Cummings: Monster

Bill Farmer: Pluto

A Buena Vista release of a Walt Disney presentation. Director Chris Bailey. Producer Ron Tippe. Executive producer Pam Coats. Story based on an idea by Tim Hauser. Film editor Nancy Frazen. Art director Ian Gooding. Artistic coordinator David A. Bossert. Supervising animator Andreas Deja. Music John Debney. Running time: 7 minutes.

* In general release throughout Southern California.