A Disney movie? For the second post?
My first must-see film was a controversial, not-so-historically accurate flick starring Spiderman's Kirsten Dunst. My second must-see film is the story of two mice who save a little, orphaned girl from the swamps of Baton Rouge. Where is this blog's credibility?
In listing some of my favorite films, I wanted to run the whole gamut. Marie Antoinette is a modern-day indie flick, and The Rescuers is a beloved, animated film from the late 1970's. Different eras, different mediums, different styles.
The Rescuers is arguably the most underrated film in the entire Disney canon, as well as one of my favorites. Bob Newhart voices the protagonist, the action is thrilling, the animation is gorgeous, and the story is startlingly heartbreaking for a kid's film (possibly an explanation for its lack of popularity today). However, despite being buried behind the likes of The Little Mermaid and The Lion King (which are also fantastic classics), at the time, The Rescuers was a financial success and received positive reviews from critics. Additionally, the film received an Academy Award nomination for the song "Someone's Waiting For You."
Although the film can certainly feel dated (especially due to the string-heavy, lazily-sung, Carol King-esque background music that accompanies several beautifully animated sequences), it should still be watched today for several reasons: the characters are charismatic (yes, they are two mice, a seagull, and a little girl), the "Someone's Waiting For You" scene with little Penny looking out at the sky hoping for a mother and a father simply tears at your heart and transcends the limitations of what an animated film can make us feel, and finally--for those adults out there--the story can be quite delightfully dark. Looking for a diamond in the skull of a pirate? Escaping a cavern that is about to be flooded? Riding about the swamps being chased by a madwoman? And this is a kid's film? It is great fun and keeps you fully entertained.
There isn't a Disney movie out there that has so many different elements playing at once. The characters are so varied and so colorful---from the villainous Madame Medusa to her sniveling assistant to her two evil alligators--you wonder how they all fit on screen. Yet no matter how ridiculous the film gets, in the end, it touches us because of its simple premise: little Penny just wants a home. It is a human story about love and family that, in terms of delivering a message and touching us, goes beyond what most animated films are able to accomplish. You leave the film with a warm feeling inside. If that isn't enough to see it, appreciate it for its aesthetics. It really is a pleasure to look at.
Rating: 5/5--"Masterpiece"
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