"In the beginning, we were ordinary street rats, stealing our daily bread, and living off the efforts of man's work. We were captured, put in cages, and sent to a place called NIMH..."
-Nicodemus, discussing the organization which apparently never had to change its name after this movie came out
"The Secret of NIMH is more important as Bon Bluth's declaration of dependence on a form of popular art that can infuse every corner of the imagination with its rainbow light. If Uncle Walt were to gaze on his renegade nephews, even he might approve."
-Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine
-Nicodemus, discussing the organization which apparently never had to change its name after this movie came out
"The Secret of NIMH is more important as Bon Bluth's declaration of dependence on a form of popular art that can infuse every corner of the imagination with its rainbow light. If Uncle Walt were to gaze on his renegade nephews, even he might approve."
-Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine
"The film concentrates on Disney horror and trauma without the relief of Disney charm. With its strong maternal theme, it suggests a less cute version of Poltergeist. Not enthralling, but worth seeing for anyone interested in the mechanics of this arcane art."
-Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
“The soundtrack alone is just…perfect.”
-A buddy of mine
“I dunno. It’s too Disney-fied for me.”
-Me, on the above
“What? If that was the case, there’d be random musical numbers everywhere. Of course, there was that sequel…”
-A buddy of mine, on the above
-A buddy of mine, on the above
“The Secret of NIMH” is a 1982 animated film by acclaimed animation director Don Bluth, whose other works include the original “Land Before Time,” “Not All Dogs Go To Heaven,” “Titan A.E.,” and a slew of other animated films. Despite his extensive resume, though, “The Secret of NIMH” is generally considered his magnum opus, as well as one of the greatest (if underrated) animated films of all time.
The first thing we, as viewers, must consider when reviewing a Don Bluth film is that while Bluth has worked on his share of Disney movies, Bluth and Disney are not the same thing. Bluth is one of those people who believed cartoons could be made as much (if not more) for adults as for children. So while Disney gives us things like talking animals who burst into song, Bluth gives us animals that will scare the crap out of you. “The Land Before Time” gave us Sharptooth, “Dogs Go To Heaven” gave us the dog version of hell, and “The Secret of NIMH” gives us, among other things, a giant spider and an even more giant murderous cat.
The basic plot alone might also be a bit much for some viewers. Star Wars, for instance, gives us the tale of a young man struggling to save the galaxy, as well as the exploits of his two bumbling droid companions and the tragic tale of one Sith lord’s utter failure to raise a family. (In other words, it’s very audience-friendly stuff.) “The Secret of NIMH” isn’t much more difficult to follow than that—if anything, the tension is palpable from the first few scenes—but the whole “genetically-engineered rats” subplot was probably a tough thing to market. “From the creator of such films as ‘The Land Before Time’ and ‘An American Tail,’ comes a tale about some rodents in someone’s backyard…”
Plot summaries aside, though, it’s easy to understand how “The Secret of NIMH” has become such a cult classic, and also why it is so doomed to obscurity. It’s dark, brooding, energetic, and epic all at once, with the top-notch animation found in many a Bluth film. It’s also nightmare-inducing, very introspective, and completely lacking in those staples of animated films such as a “message,” a musical number, or characters voiced by Robin Williams. The ending also uses an out-of-left-field plot device which leaves a lot to be desired.
However, a film is only as strong as its characters, and NIMH gives us a heroine for the ages, one Ms. Brisby, a humble farmyard mouse whose fear of the unknown is exceeded only by her determination to save her children. Her supporting cast includes a wizened old mentor who knows more than he’s been letting on, a menacing and all-knowing owl, and the pigeon…or something…who’s fallen in love with our heroine…
Yes, because if you’re going to see any kind of romance in a Bluth film, it’s going to be inter-species romance. Granted, it's still a kid's movie, but the tension between those two is not the kind you see between just friends, if you know what I mean.
The first thing we, as viewers, must consider when reviewing a Don Bluth film is that while Bluth has worked on his share of Disney movies, Bluth and Disney are not the same thing. Bluth is one of those people who believed cartoons could be made as much (if not more) for adults as for children. So while Disney gives us things like talking animals who burst into song, Bluth gives us animals that will scare the crap out of you. “The Land Before Time” gave us Sharptooth, “Dogs Go To Heaven” gave us the dog version of hell, and “The Secret of NIMH” gives us, among other things, a giant spider and an even more giant murderous cat.
The basic plot alone might also be a bit much for some viewers. Star Wars, for instance, gives us the tale of a young man struggling to save the galaxy, as well as the exploits of his two bumbling droid companions and the tragic tale of one Sith lord’s utter failure to raise a family. (In other words, it’s very audience-friendly stuff.) “The Secret of NIMH” isn’t much more difficult to follow than that—if anything, the tension is palpable from the first few scenes—but the whole “genetically-engineered rats” subplot was probably a tough thing to market. “From the creator of such films as ‘The Land Before Time’ and ‘An American Tail,’ comes a tale about some rodents in someone’s backyard…”
Plot summaries aside, though, it’s easy to understand how “The Secret of NIMH” has become such a cult classic, and also why it is so doomed to obscurity. It’s dark, brooding, energetic, and epic all at once, with the top-notch animation found in many a Bluth film. It’s also nightmare-inducing, very introspective, and completely lacking in those staples of animated films such as a “message,” a musical number, or characters voiced by Robin Williams. The ending also uses an out-of-left-field plot device which leaves a lot to be desired.
However, a film is only as strong as its characters, and NIMH gives us a heroine for the ages, one Ms. Brisby, a humble farmyard mouse whose fear of the unknown is exceeded only by her determination to save her children. Her supporting cast includes a wizened old mentor who knows more than he’s been letting on, a menacing and all-knowing owl, and the pigeon…or something…who’s fallen in love with our heroine…
Yes, because if you’re going to see any kind of romance in a Bluth film, it’s going to be inter-species romance. Granted, it's still a kid's movie, but the tension between those two is not the kind you see between just friends, if you know what I mean.
Admittedly, it still falls into many of the trappings of children’s movies. But it is a emotionally-charged and painstakingly-crafted animated adventure, and it pushes the bounds of what many would call children’s entertainment. You can find it on Hulu for free as my friend and I did, so the only thing you need is a decent Internet connection. There’s also a sequel, which I’ve heard nothing but bad things about. I look forward to not watching it any time soon.
Note: The Brewsky is an enthusiastic contributor and movie reviewer, who has resolved to post one review per week after the New Year. Be sure to watch Salvatore Giunta on New Year’s Eve. And also try to lose some weight, and stop smoking, and try to save your money. And quit hitting people.
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