Tom and Jerry in Real Life

An enterprising and talented fan created this real-world homage to the classic cartoon series:

Great Mouse Detective Glitches

Even the greatest films have mistakes in them. Here are some from Disney's The Great Mouse Detective. Can you spot them all?

Ratigan's jewel-headed stick changes to a plain stick instantaneously.

Olivia's bow switches to the wrong ear.

Basil puts on his Inverness which was hanging on the suit of armor, although it wasn't there a moment before.

The piano in the Rat Trap is suddenly several feet from the wall, probably so that tough mouse can knock it back.

When Olivia steps on Fidget's foot, his peg leg is the wrong leg.

Basil is certainly a quick-change artist: he exchanges his sailor disguise for his ordinary clothes in a few seconds, except for his trousers; those he somehow changes in the instant the camera's flash goes off, and all while holding Olivia in one arm and supporting Dawson with the other. More...

Storyboards from The Great Mouse Detective

Storyboards are sequences of sketches used in the planning of an animated feature. Here's your chance to view one from Disney's animated classic The Great Mouse Detective.

Happy 32nd Anniversary to The Great Mouse Detective

It was 32 years ago this date when Disney released their 26th animated feature. Happy birthday to Basil of Baker Street!

Mouse Tales: Secret Lives of Disney Mice

Mice have a great tradition in Disney animated films. From Dumbo to The Rescuers Down Under, with many examples in between, we glimpse a fascinating world that exists beneath our feet, a world where mice work, play, and live in ways hardly dreamed of by humankind. We at Whatsits Galore have compiled the information gleaned from each of these movies into a comprehensive whole that gives us a greater understanding of all our favorite Disney mice.

Why are humans unable to see mice as they really are? There is something about human perceptions that prevents most of us from seeing mice in their true form, that is, wearing clothes, standing upright, using tools, etc. No one knows exactly what causes this. This is the reason for the erroneous information one reads in zoology books, encyclopedias, etc. Below, we will dispel some of the myths perpetuated by humans about mice, while presenting the facts.

Why do some mice wear clothes while some don't? Their clothing varies greatly from one film to another. In Bambi, Oliver and Company, Lady and the Tramp, and The Lion King, the mice and rats who briefly are what we would call naturalistic: they look and behave the way we expect. These mice are simply shown from a human's perspective, and so they appear to be without clothes. Keep in mind also that the mouse Scar attempts to eat and the mouse in Goliath II may belong to primitive tribes and thus wear very little clothing. Concerning other mice, there are still great differences between the dress habits of Mrs. Judson (The Great Mouse Detective) and Bianca (The Rescuers). However, this is easily explained when one considers that they are from different centuries. Naturally, a proper Mousetorian lady dresses differently than a contemporary one; likewise, an 18th century mouse like Amos (Ben and Me) wears more clothing than a 20th century mouse like Bernard (The Rescuers). More...

Disney Celebrates The Great Mouse Detective on Instagram

Watch a neat little video Disney created for the anniversary of The Great Mouse Detective, featured on Instagram.

Toontown Rewritten

Yes, that beloved online game Disney's Toontown is back! Toontown Rewritten is no longer an official Disney product; this time around, it's fan-made. Although still in the Beta stage, it is eminently playable with a few glitches here and there. ANd, best of all, it's all FREE! That's right, every street, every gag, every option is now 100% free.

So head on over, create a character, and start battling those Cogs. Oh, and keep your eyes opened for a brown mouse named Mr. Basil. That will be me.

Glitches From The Rescuers

Mistakes from the animated classic:

Medusa leads her pet gators onto the deck of the boat with leashes, but what are the leashes tied to? No collars are visible around Nero's and Brutus' necks.

Penny's teddy loses his nightcap for an instant.

Bernard and Bianca hire Evinrude to follow the gators in order to find where they're taking Penny, and nearly drown in the process. They should've just asked the swamp critters.

Snoops can just let Medusa escape with the Devil's Eye and then make off with the gems she earlier scattered all over the floor.

Bianca suddenly has an umbrella during the climax. More...

Identify This Disney Collectible

This item was listed on eBay as a model kit. Now, I don't think there has ever been a model kit made from The Great Mouse Detective; this looks more like a maquette to me. Alas, I didn't win the auction, so I can't give you anything more than these pictures, but any information you have will be appreciated.

You may have noticed that Ratigan's tail is missing, which might have given the seller the idea that this was a model kit. Do maquette's come apart like this? Are they created in pieces? Surely someone out there knows more than I do on this subject.

Great Mouse Detective Newspaper Strip

In 1986, to advertise the premiere of The Great Mouse Detective, Disney published weekly syndicated comic strips that told the story:

Unfortunately, a few chapters are missing. More...

The Off The Record Guide to Disney's Great Mouse Detective

If you spend much time searching the Amazon website, you may have come across this volume. On the surface, the Off the Record Guide to Walt Disney's Great Mouse Detective sounds fantastic! A book about the making of this film is long overdue and would be welcomed with open arms and wallets. But let's take a closer look.

We suspected this book was bogus from the start, but as a cataloguer and reviewer of Great Mouse Detective merchandise, we thought it was necessary to see it with our own eyes, if only to inform the public. More...

Mouse History 101

Mice have a history all their own every bit as fascinating as the story of mankind. Did you know:

In 44 B.C., Emperor Julius Cheeser was murdered by his friend Brutish.

In 1683, Sir Figg Newton was struck on the head by a falling apple.

In 1927, "Lucky" Limburger was the first mouse to fly nonstop across the Atlantic. more...

A Sherlockian Seminar

Behind the Canonical Screen, a seminar co-sponsored by the UCLA School of Theatre will take place Friday, August 31 through Monday, September 3, 2012. I will be unable to attend, as I live on the opposite coast, but one of the featured speakers, Ron Clements, will be speaking about my favourite film, The Great Mouse Detective.

If anyone is planning to attend, would you consider getting me a recording, audio or visual, or a transcript? I would gladly pay for shipping or a blank disc or whatever expenses you are put through.

Somewhere out there in California, there must be a kind fellow-fan who can help me out and earn my undying gratitude in the bargain. Thanks. more...

Who's in the House?

Find out who's in the house--the House of Mouse, that is. Browse our list of Disney characters who have appeared in the TV series, from Clara Cluck to Lady Kluck, from John Darling to John Smith. more...