Day 23: The Rescuers

The Rescuers (1977)

Starring: Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, Geraldine Page, Michelle Stacy, Joe Flynn, Jim Jordan, John McIntire, Jeanette Nolan, Pat Buttram, Jimmy MacDonald, Candy Candido, Bernard Fox, George Lindsey, Larry Clemmons, Dub Taylor, John Fielder, Shelby Flint, Bill McMillian 

Songs: "The Journey," "Rescue Aid Society," "Tomorrow is Another Day," "Someone's Waiting for You" 

The Rescuers is the twenty-third Disney animated feature film, based on the books The Rescuers and Miss Bianca by Margery Sharp.  It tells the story of Bernard and Miss Bianca, two mice from the Rescue Aid Society, an international charitable mouse organization whose headquarters is located inside the UN, going to rescue an orphan named Penny from the clutches of the nasty Madame Medusa.

This film started development in the early 1960s, but production didn't begin until around 1973, alongside another project called Scruffy that was eventually abandoned.  This movie went on to be the most successful animated feature the studio had made since The Jungle Book, and the first and last smash success without Walt Disney until The Little Mermaid began the era known as Disney's Renaissance.

This movie looks and sounds fairly different than any other Disney movie up until now.  Like Bambi, most of the songs are not sung by the characters, but are a part of the narrative.  And the backgrounds in this film are very muted and have much warmer, moodier colors than previous features.  This film also has a different look in terms of the outlines around the characters.  When xerography was first used, it produced thick, black outlines that were much more noticeable.  By the time this film was made, however, they were able to make subtler lines.  This film is also less comedic than most of the films that preceded it in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

This isn't a movie I had strong feelings about as a kid.  I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it.  I would say I liked it well enough and I feel about the same now.  However now that I'm older (and more knowledgeable about old sitcoms), this one is a bit nostalgic for me because it has Dr. Bob Hartley from The Bob Newhart Show, and Lisa Douglas from Green Acres!  

What I Liked: Bob Newhart and Eva Gabor.  I mean c'mon.  The voices are great for those characters.  Also, Madame Medusa's character design and the fact that she looks like Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan in Annie.

What I Disliked: I wouldn't say I hated the music, but it does sound dated and scream 1970s to me.  Not my favorite Disney soundtrack.

Should You Watch This Movie:  Ehh, it's not a must see, in my opinion.  Worth it to watch at least once though, probably... especially for Disney diehards and fans of Bob Newhart.