Walt Disney Treasures - The Complete Pluto Volume One & Two: 1930-1951 (2004/2006)

DISK 1

The Chain Gang (1930) (7:50)
Like many of the earliest Disney cartoons, general antics are on display here more than a plot. This short marks the very first appearance of Pluto as a pair of trail-sniffing dogs who follow Mickey after the mouse makes a prison break. It's the only black and white cartoon among this set.

On Ice (1935) (8:05)
It's a snowy winter day and everyone's down at the frozen pond. Mickey tries to give Minnie a skating lesson, Goofy does battle with tobacco-spitting fish, and Donald discovers Pluto whose ineptitude at skating gives the duck reason to laugh. It's nice to see the different storylines all come together for this amusing short's finale.

Pluto's Quin-puplets (1937) (9:04)
In this, the first official "Pluto short", Pluto struggles to watch over five puppies when their mother goes out. As the quintuplets deal with a wayward hose shooting out compressed air, paint cans leave them all to sport a variety of colorful designs.

Beach Picnic (1939) (8:24)
Having fun in the water with his inflatable seahorse, Donald spots Pluto and doesn't miss the opportunity to make the dog look silly. Later, a tribe of colorful ants try to claim the bountiful picnic offerings and Pluto has a run-in with some fly paper.

Donald torments Pluto with an inflatable seahorse in "Beach Picnic" A bit of "Bone Trouble" leads to some fun in a house of mirrors. Before there was "Mickey and the Seal", there was a seal and Pluto in "Pluto's Playmate."

Bone Trouble (1940) (8:40)
Pluto is in search of a good bone, but stealing one from the neighbor dog isn't a very good idea. The bulldog's pursuit leads them both to a carnival,
where there's some fun animation as Pluto takes in a variety of distorted reflections at a fun house.

Pluto's Playmate (1941) (7:59)
Pluto is having a good time at the beach with his red ball, until a playful seal comes along and takes it. Pluto's efforts to retrieve the ball put him in a snafu with a pesky octopus.

Canine Caddy (1941) (7:28)
Mickey hits the links for a bit of golf, and Pluto proves to be a most helpful caddy. The whole short offers sight gags as Pluto resourcefully aids Mickey's play and then duels with a gopher in a way that would make Carl Spackler proud.

Lend a Paw (1941) (8:07)
Pluto rescues a poor, defenseless kitten. The kitten follows Pluto home, where it starts getting Mickey's attention and eating Pluto's food. Angel and devil Plutos help the dog evaluate the unfortunate situation that stems from his heroism. This cartoon won the Oscar for Best Short and it's clearly one of the highlights of this set, with its inspired story and animation. The short also turned up on the Oliver & Company DVD.

Mickey tees off of Pluto's bum in "Canine Caddy." A devilish visitor from Pluto's subconscious in "Lend a Paw." Is that Samuel L. Jackson in "Pup Fiction"? No, it's Pluto, Junior in "Pluto, Junior"!

Pluto, Junior (1942) (7:06)
Pluto and his son junior embark on a barrage of sight gags. A ball, a balloon, a caterpillar, and clothes lines are among the props that figure in this parade of tepid visual humor.

The Army Mascot (1942) (7:12)
Longing for the meaty meals that the mascots are treated to, Pluto tries to replace Gunther Goat, the Yoo-Hoo Division mascot. Gunther is not amused and gives him a beating. When Pluto tries to show up Gunther at the art of tobacco-chewing, it results in hallucinogenic disaster, but things work out in the end.

The Sleepwalker (1942) (7:12)
Pluto's sleepwalking antics creates a bit of chaos when he winds up giving his bone to a neighboring dachshund.

T-Bone for Two (1942) (7:05)
Pluto's lust for Butch's big bone inspires him to concoct plans to easily swipe it away from the imposing bulldog.

Pluto at the Zoo (1942) (7:45)
Pluto can't resist the massive bone he sees in a lion's cage at the zoo. In trying to claim the bone, he encounters a mother kangaroo with child, a giant gorilla, a hungry crocodile, and eventually the lion himself. Pluto's misadventures are more entertaining than usual in this charming short.

DISK 2:

Pluto and the Armadillo (1943) (7:18)
Vacationing in Brazil with Mickey Mouse, Pluto mistakes a curled-up armadillo for his bouncy ball and wackiness ensues. The short open with "True Life Adventure"-like narration on the armadillo and American tourist, before evolving into a more routine (but funny) Pluto-and-another-animal chase and interaction comedy.
This short coincides with the goodwill trip that Walt and his staff made to South America in the early '40s, a voyage which led to the Latin-flavored anthology films Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros.

Private Pluto (1943) (6:45)
Another clear product of its era, this short showcases Pluto as a soldier. First, Pluto tries to follow marching orders, contorting himself into quite a mess. Then, he engages in hijinks with Chip and Dale who are using a cannon to store and crack their nuts, and a war of wits naturally ensues.

Springtime for Pluto (1944) (7:11)
Spring is in the air in this short, comprised of a celebration of the season of new life and a series of Pluto gags. A translucent faun awakens Pluto from his slumber. There's a song from a caterpillar who transforms into a dancing woman butterfly, a swarming horde of bees, and finally a spring thunderstorm which makes everything gloomy-looking and Pluto enraged.

First Aiders (1944) (7:30)
Minnie is practicing her First Aid skills and tries to emulate the techniques seen in her book on Pluto. But when she goes to get more supplies, she leaves a bandaged and splinted Pluto alone with the mischievous cat Figaro. And as the saying goes, when the Mouse is away, the dog and cat will play. Or something like that.

"Dog Watch" Pluto's love has him leaping in "Canine Casanova" "Canine Patrol"

Dog Watch (1945) (7:17)
Left in charge by the captain, Pluto watches over a ship and must wield off a menacing redhead rat. The two bond over stolen food, with the sly rodent always one step ahead of on-guard Pluto. Some amusing antics make this short stand out.

Canine Casanova (1945) (7:26)
Pluto has the hots for a dainty dachshund, but his efforts to woo her are futile. But when she winds up in the local pound, Pluto saves the day.

The Legend of Coyote Rock (1945) (7:20)
The narrator of this short tells the titular legend about how Pluto protected the innocent sheep from a fierce predator. There's a Warner Brothers feel to this atypical Pluto cartoon and not simply because a wily coyote is the antagonist.

Canine Patrol (1945) (7:32)
Upholding his beach patrol duties, Pluto tries to ward off a tiny trespassing turtle.

"Pluto's Kid Brother" creates havoc for Pluto. Who who who is that hot dachshund in the Netherlands, Pluto wonders in "In Dutch" Pluto doesn't want Chip 'n Dale getting too comfortable in "Squatter's Rights."

Pluto's Kid Brother (1946) (6:50)
K.B., Pluto's kid brother, gets into a lot of mischief which leads to pain for Pluto and some stolen hot dogs, too.

In Dutch (1946) (6:47)
Somehow, Pluto is back the old Netherlands delivering milk. His dachshund love interest is there too, but Pluto's efforts to impress her again are ineffective. Instead, he accidentally winds up ringing the dike emergency bell, which raises the ire of the mayor and all the townspeople. In spite of some Dutch stereotypes and frank use of the d-word, this short eschewed the controversial "From the Vault" section.

Squatter's Rights (1946) (7:06)
Pluto takes on Chip n' Dale once again here. Mickey wants to start a fire, but the stove is occupied by the chipmunks who make every effort to not get burned. It's quite funny to see how far this wacky short goes. Pluto shows his evil side in trying to toast his pesky nemeses with whatever it takes. He winds up with his nose stuck in the barrel of a rifle. A bit darker than most Disney shorts, but it delivers laughs on account of that.

The Purloined Pup (1946) (6:55)
Pluto is a rookie police dog on a dognapping case: Little Ronnie has disappeared and all signs point to Butch the bulldog. Pluto breaks out all his best undercover moves to rescue poor Ronnie. The detective story approach here offers a nice departure from more familiar Pluto short premises.

A turtle peeks in on "Pluto's Housewarming." Pluto the "Pantry Pirate." Mickey consoles Pluto in "A Gentleman's Gentleman"

Pluto's Housewarming (1947) (7:01)
Pluto's plans to move into a dream house are changed when his old turtle "friend" (seen in "Canine Patrol") shows up. What ensues is a series of attempts by Pluto to move into the house, and the turtle to displace him, until Butch the bulldog lays his claim to the house.

DISK 1:

Mail Dog
Pluto must get the mail through his arctic wilderness, despite the interruptions of a nosey snowshoe rabbit.

Pluto's Blue Note
Pluto wants to own a record player, but how can he get one? Some fun moments where the animators get around Pluto's muteness, by having him lip-synch to a record, imitating a Frank Sinatra-like crooner.

Rescue Dog
Another arctic adventure for Pluto, where he's saved from drowning by the efforts of a playful seal (the same seal, it seems, that Mickey gives a bath to in 1948's Mickey and the Seal). The scenes of Pluto trapped under the ice are quite realistic and a little scary.

Bond Bandit
Pluto must contend with a hungry gopher in his backyard. A classic example of the confrontational "underground menace" plot used often in animated films.

Pluto's Fledgling
Pluto helps a little baby bird back into his nest – when he doesn't want to go back. A sweet little short, with excellent expressions drawn for Pluto.

Pluto's Purchase
Mickey shows up, and asks Pluto to go to the butcher shop – but Pluto doesn't know that Butch the dog will want his sausage.

Bubble Bee
Pluto deals with a bumble bee who can sneak out gumballs from a gumball machine.

Pluto's Surprise Package
Pluto has to deal with a jittery little turtle that comes in the mail.

Pluto's Sweater
A very funny slapstick Pluto short, featuring Minnie Mouse and Figaro. Minnie knits a pink sweater for Pluto, and makes him go outside, wearing it.

Pueblo Pluto
While Mickey buys Indian souvenirs, Pluto gets himself trapped in a cactus ring, and a little puppy who wants Pluto's bone, is the only one who can help him out.

Sheep Dog
Pluto is guarding a herd of sheep, but high in the hills, a coyote father and son sneak in to grab a late-night snack. Very much like the Looney Tunes Wiley E. Coyote shorts.

DISK 2:

Camp Dog
The coyote father and son from Sheep Dog are back, making a mess out of Pluto's campsite. Lots of slapstick in this one.

Food for Feudin'
Chip 'n Dale meet up with Pluto, and nuts of course, are the catalyst for battle. It's nice to hear some dialogue occasionally in a Pluto short.

Pests of the West
Those coyotes from Sheep Dog and Camp Dog are back; this time, they're trying to get into the henhouse.

Pluto and the Gopher
A hungry gopher destroys Pluto and Minnie's flowers, and decides to come inside the house for a snack, as well.

Pluto's Heart Throb
Pluto falls in love with a little dachshund, but Butch is interested in her, too.

Primitive Pluto
Pluto's "primitive instinct," in diminutive dog form, guides him through the transition from domesticated pet to wild animal. Has a little bit of an edge to it, compared to other Pluto shorts.

Puss-Cafe
Two ratty cats see a lot of food potential in Pluto's homestead.

Wonder Dog
Still in love with his dachshund, Pluto tries to perform circus tricks – just like his girlfriend's hero: Wonder Dog.

Cold Storage
A wayward stork takes shelter in Pluto's doghouse – and doesn't want Pluto there anymore.

Cat Nap Pluto
Pluto needs to get some sleep, but Figaro the Cat won't let him. This Pluto short has been separated from the main grouping of shorts, and can be found in the From the Vault menu, due to depictions of Pluto wearing a coolie hat.

Cold Turkey
Pluto tries to get a turkey away from a mangy cat. This Pluto short has been separated from the main grouping of shorts, and can be found in the From the Vault menu, due to depictions of mild violence in the interplay between Pluto and the cat.

Plutopia
After arriving at their cabin, Mickey must muzzle Pluto, and make him stay outside. There, Pluto has a bizarre dream sequence. The last official Pluto starring-short from this period, Plutopia has been separated from the main grouping of shorts, and can be found in the From the Vault menu because, I can only assume, a cat character holds a shotgun to his head.