The musketeer showcase
The Musketeers in animation: a comic epic through the decades
The pioneers of animation (1930s-1950s)
The world of the Musketeers captivated the first big names in animation. Bosko the Musketeer (1933) opened the ball with a slapstick version of the story. This short musical film, produced by Warner Bros., showcases the comic and creative spirit of the era. Three Blind Mouseketeers (1936) follows with a mix of adventure and humour in Disney’s own style. Next, the famous rivalry between Tom and Jerry gave rise to The Two Mouseketeers (1952), an award-winning masterpiece in which the heroes slipped into the roles of valiant mouseketeers. These productions show how the Musketeers inspired short, often comic, formats to captivate audiences.
Bosko the Musketeer (1933)
Three Blind Mouseketeers (1936)
Mouse Musketeers (1952)
Television adaptations of the 1960s and 1970s
In the 1960s, the Musketeers took over the small screen. The Laurel and Hardy Cartoon Show (1967) is a humorous version in which Laurel and Hardy are plunged into the world of Dumas. In parallel, Hanna-Barbera’s The Three Musketeers (1968) explores the classic story while adding a light-hearted tone. Animated films are not to be outdone with D’Artagnan l’Intrépide (1974), a Franco-Italian work that modernises the myth while remaining faithful to the spirit of adventure. These decades mark the beginning of longer stories that explore the characters more deeply.
The Three Musketeers (1974)
Laurel & Hardy (1967)
The Three Musketeers (1968)
The golden age of musketeer animation (1980s-1990s)
The 1980s saw an explosion of animated adaptations of The Musketeers. D’Artagnan et les Trois Mousquetaires (1981) is a Spanish-Japanese co-production that has gained a cult following for its faithfulness to the original work and its dynamic visual style. In 1987, Under the Sign of the Musketeers pushed back the boundaries with a captivating Japanese version. Finally, the 1990s saw the emergence of Albert the Fifth Musketeer (1994), a humorous series that mocked Dumas’s adventures while paying tribute to the work.
The Musketeers of the 21st century: modernity and diversity
Since 2000, animation has continued to revisit the myth of the Musketeers with a variety of approaches. Mickey, Donald and Goofy: The Three Musketeers (2004) offers a playful interpretation for children. In 2009, Barbie and the Three Musketeers re-imagined the story with a message of female empowerment. More recently, Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds (2021) and the animated series planned for 2024 show that the adventures of the Musketeers are still relevant, with modernised graphics and stories adapted for a contemporary audience.
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