"They're Off" is a 6.5-minute cartoon from 1948, so this one will have its 70th anniversary next year and it from the glory era of cartoons of course. The words in the title are usually spoken at the beginning of a race at the racetrack, but this one here is not about cars, motorbikes or even boats, but about horse racing. It is another of these "educational" short films starring Goofy and I must admit I quite like these indeed. This one here is probably not among my very favorites from the series, also because horse racing was never too high on my priority list, but they gave it a nice and entertaining (as always) execution I guess, by including fun references about the horses, jockeys, viewers in the stands and of course the gamblers as this is one of the most popular betting sports and apparently also was over half a century ago. As usual in these, all the characters are played by Goofy lookalikes and this also adds a certain humor to it. Of course, it is a Disney production. Good watch overall. I give it a thumbs-up and recommend checking it out.

After a bit of a hectic week,I started to get in the mood for an easy-going,cheerful final viewing of the week. Remembering that I still had the last 2 titles on the Complete collection to view,I got set for the Goofy races.The plot:Being masters of spotting the winner, the wealthy members of the public put bets on Snapshot III winning the horse race. As the race kicks off, everyone discovers that Snapshot III is a bit too in love with all the attention. View on the film:Taking over from regular Goofy narrator John McLeish, Harlow Wilcox gives a wonderfully witty narration which keeps the racing energetic as Wilcox droll voice give the movie a playfulness. Gathering a whole bundle of Goofy's at the race track,the screenplay by Riley Thomson & Campbell Grant displays a sharp whip in giving each Goofy "their moment" and making them stand out in the crowd. Running round the entire track,director Jack Hannah gives the animation an incredible flow,with the difficult design of the horses each having a detailed,lively appearance,as Goofy crosses the finish line.

A very good start to the 1948 series of Goofy shorts. It is not one of Goofy's or the How to...series' best, with the narrator not voiced by John McLeish a bit of a shock. The narrator still does a very good job, very droll and commanding, but lacking McLeish's more sardonic and thoughtful approach. Even with this change, as said before They're Off is still immensely enjoyable. The animation is vibrant and flows well from frame to frame, and the music is lush and lively with some witty sound effects. The narration still manages to entertain with some funny interaction- the gem has always been that Goofy often does the exact opposite to what the narrator says- and also to teach, I know next to nothing about horse-riding/racing and I learnt a good deal from They're Off. The gags are funny and well-timed, Goofy takes on multiple character roles again- except with a more dramatic rather than physical approach- and excels hugely and the fact that the horses had their own individual character was very nice. Overall, even if you don't know much about the subject, seeing as it's Goofy you're guaranteed to have some degree of fun, I certainly did. 9/10 Bethany Cox

A Walt Disney GOOFY Cartoon.Snapshot III is odds on favorite to win today's race, but the course is crowded and they all have a chance to win....except poor Old Moe. "THEY'RE OFF."Here is another typical entry in the Goofy Athletics field of films - the animation is routine, but the gags are enjoyable as the Sport of Kings comes in for gentle spoofing throughout.Look very closely during Goofy's moment of madness early on to spot a brief glimpse of the galloping baby unicorns from FANTASIA (1940).Walt Disney (1901-1966) was always intrigued by drawings. As a lad in Marceline, Missouri, he sketched farm animals on scraps of paper; later, as an ambulance driver in France during the First World War, he drew figures on the sides of his vehicle.Back in Kansas City, along with artist Ub Iwerks, Walt developed a primitive animation studio that provided animated commercials and tiny cartoons for the local movie theaters.Always the innovator, his ALICE IN CARTOONLAND series broke ground in placing a live figure in a cartoon universe. Business reversals sent Disney & Iwerks to Hollywood in 1923, where Walt's older brother Roy became his lifelong business manager & counselor. When a mildly successful series with Oswald The Lucky Rabbit was snatched away by the distributor, the character of Mickey Mouse sprung into Walt's imagination, ensuring Disney's immortality. The happy arrival of sound technology made Mickey's screen debut, STEAMBOAT WILLIE (1928), a tremendous audience success with its use of synchronized music. The SILLY SYMPHONIES soon appeared, and Walt's growing crew of marvelously talented animators were quickly conquering new territory with full color, illusions of depth and radical advancements in personality development, an arena in which Walt's genius was unbeatable. Mickey's feisty, naughty behavior had captured millions of fans, but the was soon to be joined by other animated companions: temperamental Donald Duck, intellectually-challenged Goofy and energetic Pluto. All this was in preparation for Walt's grandest dream - feature length animated films. Against a blizzard of doomsayers, Walt persevered and over the next decades delighted children of all ages with the adventures of Snow White, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Bambi & Peter Pan. Walt never forgot that his fortunes were all started by a mouse, or that simplicity of message and lots of hard work always pay off.