Released on May 30, 1936, Thru the Mirror is one of Mickey Mouse’s most imaginative and visually inventive shorts. Loosely inspired by Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking-Glass”, the film follows Mickey as he steps through his bedroom mirror into a bizarre and whimsical dream world.
Inside this parallel universe, everyday objects come to life - cards dance, furniture talks, and Mickey even finds himself in a Fred Astaire-style tap dance with a pack of playing cards. The short is celebrated for its clever animation, surreal humor, and musical rhythm.
🎬 Why is it Worth Watching?
- A surreal, dreamlike Mickey Mouse adventure
- Inspired by the literary world of Lewis Carroll
- Features some of the most fluid and expressive animation of the 1930s
- Fun, fast-paced musical choreography
- A prime example of Disney’s storytelling innovation before Fantasia
🎨 Trivia
- Directed by David Hand, one of Disney’s top talents at the time
- Mickey’s dance routine was modeled on Fred Astaire’s moves
- Notable for pushing animation beyond simple gags into more artistic territory
- Often cited as a spiritual predecessor to the more ambitious sequences in Fantasia