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One-Foot Runaway Brain Mickey Toy
 February 26, 2009 3:19 pm
Good news: Japanese toy maker Medicom Toy produced this handsome 12″ Mickey Mouse vinyl toy based on the 1995 short Runaway Brain. Bad news: It costs $194 . (Thanks, C.C.) |
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Hmm…
Nah, besides the price, Runaway Brain is one of the worst cartoons I’ve ever seen in my entire life, ever. Even Steve Martin couldn’t save it.
I have the original (and smaller) version of this figure that Medicom released a few years ago, and love it. They make some really fantastic Mickey figures.
I though that cartoon was one of the best recent Disney shorts. Nice figure.
terrifying….
What were these guys on when producing this short? It was like a sour thumb sticking out of the tamer Disney line of animated projects all the way back to the Silly Symphonies! And I was enjoying it thoroughly!!
But the price of this figure isn’t quite worth examining.
I’d call Runaway Braisn a cool experiment at being cool. Good thing Mickey didn’t took this path (action and fast pace), but as a stand alone short it’s pretty good and refreshing for Mickey.
I wouldn’t pay 200$ for a toy you can’t even touch. I can’t even dare to pay the 90$ required for some out of print Walt Disney Treasures…
Steve Martin?
I assume you mean Kelsey Grammar (Voice of Dr. Frankenollie)
unless Steve Martin had something to do with it that I don’t know about.
And if so, what could you expect? What has Steve Martin ever really saved? :)
I happened to enjoy Runaway Brain. But then again, I still laugh hysterically just thinking about The Band Concert, every time I hear William Tell I start whistling Turkey in the Straw.
OMG. i saw this when i was really young in 95 and it scared me so much and when i got older convinced myself i hallucinated. thank you disney for traumatizing me, and thank you cartoon brew for finally letting me know what it was
Ryan says: “Hmm…Nah, besides the price, Runaway Brain is one of the worst cartoons I’ve ever seen in my entire life, ever. Even Steve Martin couldn’t save it.”
Really? I thought it was a great short, showing Disney has a edge to their work.
What do you mean Steve Martin? Kelsey Grammer was in the short, not “the wild and crazy guy”.
Cool figure but it’s not worth the price mark.
That would make a damn awesome nightlight for a 4 year old.
Wow… I saw that figure and it clicked. For YEARS, I’ve been thinking I dreamed up that short. And then I realized one more thing, It’s part of why I love animation and why I want to do Animation audio production now. Took a look at it online while I could, and I have to say, I absolutely still love it, to this day. If I weren’t a poor college student, I’d be tempted to buy that, but alas, I’m said student. Thank you for the memory though!
(sigh) So is the way of the otaku, slow and painful!
You know how many shares of Disney stock you could buy with that money?
“Runaway Brain” was the best Mickey Mouse short EVER. I wish Disney would make more shorts with that kind of zany humor. Mickey finally made the leap into modern times with that superior cartoon. He proved he can hold his own with Daffy Duck and Roger Rabbit, given the right script. Hopefully any new shorts with the Mouse will have the same energy and wit.
As for the figure…I’m not in the habit of buying maquettes, or Disneyana, or I’d consider it. Pretty pricey though…
With a little effort you can get the original version of this figure for less than half the price of this larger version. To me, the smaller version is better, same quality, but it takes up less space, I bought mine less than 2 years ago for $40.
The real expensive ones are Span of Sunset’s Runaway Brain Mickey’s. They made 4 version, Red Chrome (which can still be had for the original retail price of $150), Silver Chrome, Green Tint (painted to look like a green light is shining on the figure from below) and original color. The original color version has commanded upwards of $400! All 4 versions came packaged in a faux cereal box, and came with stickers and a t-shirt, the t-shirt was blind packaged and had 3 different designs.
Then… there’s the Julius (Peg Leg Pete’s monster name in the short) made by Bounty Hunter X. A stunningly beautiful vinyl figure, and very limited. If you want it, make it a saved ebay search (I suggest “Runaway Brain Julius”) and take advantage of the current economy. This figure had an original retail of $175, I’ve seen it go for over $500, but I just saw one end on ebay for $155!!
I love Runaway Brain, it’s a whole lot of fun, creativity, and parody fit into 7 minutes. Thank goodness the “urban vinyl” community has seen fit to produce product based on this short.
Runaway Brain is one of personal favourites, in Mickey Shorts Next to SteamBoat Willie, The Band Concert, the Brave Little Tailor, The Sorceror’s Apprentice and Symphony Hour. Still that’s a lot of money.
Most 90’s-era cartoon revivals weren’t that great, but I found Runaway Brain to be really well done. Not only did they dare to give Mickey a personality, they made him a well-meaning-but-naive immature slacker and cheap boyfriend. Pretty ballsy to give a classic character such interesting faults.
Also the “dark” nature of the short isn’t too out there, it’s just cribbing the mood and action from cartoons like The Mad Doctor and Brave Little Tailor. It’s the delicious Disney Paris animation that puts it over the top.
Ryan says: “Hmm…Nah, besides the price, Runaway Brain is one of the worst cartoons I’ve ever seen in my entire life, ever. Even Steve Martin couldn’t save it.”
Roman, Richard, I thought he was referring to the Steve Martin picture “Man With Two Brains.” FWIW I thought “Runaway Brain” was much better than that. (Merv Griffin still at large!)
Ick, I admit, I got mixed up with Kelsey Grammar. I’d been up all night and that was the last thing I did before I went to bed. Sorry for the confusion there. I still don’t like it though – thinking the last good thing Mickey did was Mickey’s Christmas Carol, and even that’s all just down to nostalgia (the first VHS we ever got, ahhh…).
I did development work on RUNAWAY BRAIN, so it’s nice to hear there’re some fans out there. I believe it was director Chris Bailey’s baby all the way—Chris has a very dark sense of humor, and really wanted to see a more ballsy and assertive Mickey up on the screen. I find it to be a cartoon with some very fun moments.
Count me as another fan. I liked it more than How to Hook Up Your Home Theatre, which was great too. But this one seemed more fresh and a little more entertaining (I’ve never been a big fan of Goofy’s How To-shorts).
Runaway Brain is the only Mickey anything that ever made me laugh. Mickey’s a little calcified for my tastes. I’m a Donald Duck man, with a Goofy chaser. Those characters can get angry, act foolishly, do stupid, dangerous things, and still be the cash cows we know them to be. Mickey and Minnie are ciphers, and I don’t turn to ciphers for my entertainment.
I liked Runaway Brain for its twist on the blank Mickey-the-icon. I love this toy (and the Clash London Calling Mickey) for this exact reason.