Finally! A place to vent my opinionated rantings of randomness! Look out, world, here I come! (Woot!...
Finally! A place to vent my opinionated rantings of randomness! Look out, world, here I come! (Woot! Blue! Thanks, all!)
Member since:01.11.2006
Reviews:21
Members who trust:9
Childhood is all about having fun, getting into mischief and watching cartoons. And the majority of truly magical memories of childhood cinema comes from none other than Walt Disney. When I was a wee nipper my grandparents bought a copy of this film (and later it's sequel, The Rescuers Down Under) so I would have something to do when visiting them besides picking my nose or jumping in the pond. And the thing was no matter how many times I saw this film, no matter how well I knew the plot and what every character was going to say next... I always sat there completely engrossed in it. Why? Because it is a masterpiece of the silver screen. Let me explain...
So on the surface The Rescuers is another kids movie with a dodgy storyline. The basic premise is that pawn shop owner Madame Medusa is desperate to get a hold of The Devil's Eye, a brilliant diamond of unimaginable wealth, and kidnaps a young orphan girl in order to retrieve it for her. The orphan, Penny, secretly drops a message in a bottle which reaches the Rescue Aid Society, an international union of mice who decide to send glamorous member Bianca, along with janitor Bernard at her request, to save her from the bayou where she is being held captive. So whilst on the surface the storyline isn't anything special, the way the story is told definitely is. Featuring a brilliant script full of witty one-liners and interesting dialogue setting up some truly memorable scenes, The Rescuers is a prime
example of how Disney are the masters of animated movies.
Being released in 1977 the animation itself is perhaps a little choppy and has a very "pencilled in then coloured" feel to it. But remember, this film was released before the age of computer graphics and ultra-clean, smooth and shiny animation was possible. And despite it's age, it still manages to throw up some genuinely beautiful scenes, and does a perfectly reasonable job throughout it's entirety. What's equally as impressive is the directing, and the way the characters behave. The Rescuers is a story of emotional conflict, and it is interesting just how well the animators have managed to represent this throughout the film. From the scene with Penny saying her prayers before bed, to the hint of romance between the films main protagonists Bianca and Bernard, the film is filled with emotive themes and it plays on them very well.
One of the films true highlights, and again tying in with the theme of emotional change, is the music. From the very first song played over the credits you can tell that The Rescuers is a beautiful movie, one of tragedy but also one of hope. Some other Disney films feature very upbeat songs and perhaps happy-go-lucky numbers like Mary Poppins, The Lion King, even Snow White has it's merry numbers. But The Rescuers plays much more at the theme of the drama and the severity of the situation. Sure the film has some brilliant gags and is genuinely funny at times, but for the most part the songs are a very slow yet beautiful affair, reminding us that not all is well at the moment, but also soothing us and reminding us that everything will be alright in the end. At least, that's the impression when I hear the songs. It really is masterful work.
I've already touched briefly on the humour, which in true Disney style can be appreciated on many levels. I remember being a kid and watching the scene where the mice meet Rufus the cat (the orphanage's cat, and friend of Penny) and feeling a very brief but very real sense of danger when they flee and hide from him before he tells them that he's too old to be chasing mice. Now, of course, I see the funny side of the situation, and it adds another level of the narrative that I may not have picked up when I was a kid. Another one, of course, is the moonshine drinking bayou mouse... I never understood that as a kid...
Speaking of humour, Orville of Albatross Airlines. He's great. Essentially used as Bianca and Bernard's primary mode of transport (despite being a bit reckless and carefree) he is an important character in terms of bringing a more visual style of humour to the film. It's a nice break from the storyline, albeit a short one, but whenever he's on screen you just know that something funny is going to happen. Unsurprisingly, he was my favourite character as a kid. Or... wait... no, it was the crocodiles. (Not gonna spoil it, but wait for the scene with the pipe-organ... classic!)
I wanna take a moment to talk about the character design. Whilst Bianca and Bernard may be your fairly typical confident female, nervous male type, and the bad guys may be even more typical of this, it is to it's credit that the role of Madame Medusa is played so well. She's just so evil that you begin to feel sorry for Mr Snoops, her jittery assistant. Her wicked laugh, her sneer, her cruel threats to Penny involving her teddy-bear, Medusa is a character you just love to hate. Definitely a classic Disney villain, yet unfortunately a seemingly forgotten one as despite the film's quality it seems to be fairly underappreciated in this day and age.... possibly due at least in part to it's 1990 sequel The Rescuers Down Under which, whilst still being funny and a good film, certainly did not receive the same acceptance from some of the fans who felt it was a bit 'Yucky'
So... I always like to bring a negative to these reviews and bring as open-minded an opinion as possible. But I'll be honest with you, I am finding it difficult to think of one right now. It's probably down to the fact that this has been one of my favourite films of all time, and watching it again recently has filled me with that special sense of nostalgia that only a film like this can do. I suppose if I'm being ultra-ULTRA critical I can point out that the voice-acting can seem a little awkward at times, but then again for the most part it's brilliant. The storyline isn't the strongest, but it's different enough to be interesting, and as I've mentioned the scripting is excellent. So why am I only giving it four stars? Well, there must be a reason that this film is so desperately underappreciated, even if I cannot find a real fault with it.
With a cast of entertaining characters, some a lot more memorable than others, The Rescuers is a classic Disney film that, while it hasn't perhaps reached the levels of popularity that it definitely deserves, proves to be a very entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable film for both kids and adults alike. My only fear is that, as essentially a kids film featuring no guns, robots or moody teenagers, I wonder how well it will be accepted by modern-day children. Still... tomorrow is another day... *
*Aaaaah, a reference that only those that have seen the film will get. See, now you have to go watch the film to understand the reference! I'm so clever...
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
What can two little mice possibly do to save an orphan girl who's fallen into evil hands? ... more
WithThe Rescuersanything is possible! As members of the mouse-run International Rescue Aid Society, Bernard and Miss Bianca respond to orphan Penny's call for hel...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
What can two little mice possibly do to save an orphan girl who's fallen into evil hands? ... more
WithThe Rescuersanything is possible! As members of the mouse-run International Rescue Aid Society, Bernard and Miss Bianca respond to orphan Penny's call for hel...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
With high-flying adventure and delightful charm The Rescuers follows the courageous ... more
exploits of two brave mice to the marshy swamps of Devil's Bayou to rescue a missing orphan named Penny! The excitement begins when Penny's bottled note for help land...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: Great story, songs and characters; all of the elements from the best Disney classics. Disadvantages: The DVD edition is very disappointing, with poor picture quality and lack of interesting material.
Advantages: Easy to watch for under ten age group, keeps their attention, constantly moving Disadvantages: Not as up to date with effects and memorable characters like Toy Story for example
Advantages: Great story, songs and characters; all of the elements from the best Disney classics. Disadvantages: The DVD edition is very disappointing, with poor picture quality and lack of interesting material.
Advantages: Easy to watch for under ten age group, keeps their attention, constantly moving Disadvantages: Not as up to date with effects and memorable characters like Toy Story for example
Advantages: Great entertainment, very colourful but I guess that's the way for most animations... Disadvantages: I remember it being quite long, for a kid....
![The Rescuers [DVD] [1977]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78538824.jpg "The Rescuers [DVD] [1977]")
exceptional by (8%):
very helpful by (92%):
