Disney digs up ‘The Skeleton Dance’ for Halloween inspiration

Mary Yanni August 6, 2022

1 minute read

Disney has unearthed “The Skeleton Dance” as one of its merchandise themes for Halloween.

The 1929 animated short was the first of Disney’s Silly Symphonies produced and directed by Walt Disney and animated by Ub Iwerks. In the film, the clock strikes midnight, a dog howls at the full moon, two black cats fight in the cemetery, and four human skeletons come out to dance. (Walt Disney himself is credited as the “voice” of the dog.)

It’s worth reading the review from Variety at the time:

“Title tells the story, but not the number of laughs included in this sounded cartoon short. The number is high. Peak is reached when one skeleton plays the spine of another in xylophone fashion, using a pair of thigh bones as hammers. Perfectly timed xylo accompaniment completes the effect. The skeletons hoof and frolic. One throws his skull at a hooting owl and knocks the latter’s feathers off. Four bones brothers do a unison routine that’s a howl. To set the finish, a rooster crows at the dawn. The skeletons, through for the night, dive into a nearby grave, pulling the lid down after them. Along comes a pair of feet, somehow left behind. They kick on the slab and a bony arm reaches out to pull them in. All takes place in a graveyard. Don’t bring your children.”
Variety, July 17, 1929

If you’re not familiar, you can find the Skeleton Dance on YouTube (but not on Disney+). Something tells me that 93 years later, it would be perfectly fine to show your children.

But back to the merchandise! Below you can find accessories for a Halloween cocktail party, as well as a bucket hat — and, for some reason, outfits for your nuiMOs.

While your nuiMOs can sport a Skeleton Dance outfit, so far there isn’t any matching human-sized clothing. But stay tuned!