Dangling in the wind: A look at Mickey's Thrill Hunters

Is it worth your time?

If you have ten minutes and a soft spot for classic, chaotic animation tropes, sure. This isn't a masterpiece, but it’s a perfectly fine way to kill a bit of time. If you get dizzy looking at pictures of ladders, skip it. Seriously, don't even look at the poster.

I caught Mickey's Thrill Hunters on a whim today. It’s exactly what you’d expect from this kind of vintage short. There’s no grand message here. Just a bunch of guys on a platform that is clearly not up to any OSHA standard.

The pacing is frantic, which is honestly the only way to do a cartoon about window washing. Watching them struggle with the bucket is kind of funny, I guess. It reminded me a bit of the physical desperation in A Champion Loser, where you just know everything is about to fall apart.

There is this one moment where Mickey just... stands there. He’s staring into space while the background is blurring past. It goes on for like three seconds too long. It felt like the animator was taking a coffee break but forgot to stop the camera. I kind of loved it.

The sound design is mostly just squeaks and clanging metal. It gets a bit repetitive after a while. But who cares? It’s not meant to be high art.

Oddly specific observations:

• The window washer platform moves like it’s made of wet cardboard.
• I’m pretty sure one of the extras in the background is just a copy-paste job.
• The clouds in the background don't move. They just sit there judging the characters.

It’s not as tightly put together as Torchy Turns Cupid, but it has a certain rough-around-the-edges charm. Sometimes the best movies are the ones that don't try to be anything other than a quick laugh. It doesn't overstay its welcome. That’s a win in my book.

If you're looking for deep character development, you’re in the wrong place. If you want to see a cartoon character almost plummet to his doom for a gag? You're home. 😅

Watching this made me think about how much animation has changed. There is a specific grit to these old cells that just looks different. It’s not better, just different. It feels like something a person actually drew with their hands, smudges and all.

I don't think I'll watch it again tomorrow. But I’m not mad I watched it today. Sometimes that’s enough.