An American Tail (1986)

Director:

Don Bluth

Writers:

Judy Freudberg (screenplay)
Judy Freudberg (story)

Release Date:

21 November 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Drama | Family | Musical

Tagline:

Meet Fievel. In his search to find his family, he discovered America.

Plot:

While emigrating to the United States, a young Russian mouse gets seperated from his family and must relocate them while trying to survive in a new country.

Plot Keywords:

1880s | Statue Of Liberty | Cat Versus Mouse | Mouse | Immigration

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 wins & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. May 25	8:15 AM	HBO
Fri. May 30	6:30 AM	HBO

Cast

Erica Yohn	...	Mama Mousekewitz (voice)
Nehemiah Persoff	...	Papa Mousekewitz (voice)
Amy Green	...	Tanya Mousekewitz (voice)
Phillip Glasser	...	Fievel Mousekewitz (voice)
Christopher Plummer	...	Henri (voice)
John Finnegan	...	Warren T. Rat (voice)
Will Ryan	...	Digit (voice)
Hal Smith	...	Moe (voice)
Pat Musick	...	Tony Toponi (voice)
Cathianne Blore	...	Bridget (voice)
Neil Ross	...	Honest John (voice)
Madeline Kahn	...	Gussie Mausheimer (voice)
Dom DeLuise	...	Tiger (voice)

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:F (Ontario) | Finland:S (1991) | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Australia:G | Portugal:M/6 | Finland:K-6 (1987) | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Iceland:L | Peru:PT | Singapore:G | Sweden:7 | UK:U | USA:G | West Germany:6

Company:

Amblin Entertainment

Trivia:

When Tony and Bridget emerge from the wreckage after the cat attack at the market, a bottle of "Pomeroy Hair Tonic", named after co-producer John Pomeroy, can be seen in the background.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the establishing shot of the water tower where Bridget leaves Fievel, the moon is high in the sky. A couple of shots later, as Fievel starts singing "Somewhere Out There", the moon is just rising over the horizon.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Mama Mousekewitz: Fievel! Tanya! Stop that twirling, twirling! I mean it!
Papa Mousekewitz: But Mama, it's Hannukah.
Mama Mousekewitz: For you, every night is Hannukah.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Bob Saget/TLC (#20.19)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

A Duo

This film is an animation classic

Not only is An American Tail easily one of the best animated features ever made, but it proves to be leaps beyond the efforts of recent Disney movies by refusing to be constricted to an all-too-familiar formula. This movie does not stay within the cozy, comfortable guidelines that Disney adheres to in order to make money. Instead, it tells a truly unique tale, one not borrowed from any other source, and one overflowing with artistic wonder and originality.

The characters you will see here are not stock, not pulled from the typical Disney hat. The story is not a chuckle-a-minute, lowbrow attempt to take the easy way out in pandering to children. The main character, Fievel, suffers real hardships and tragedy, and stares into the despair of his own soul before the movie is finished. This, of course, makes the ending that much more satisfying, an infinitely more significant and authentic moment than any cardboard cut-out Disney plot.

If you want to see what animation was meant to be as an art form, if you want to feel the power and emotion that can truly be reaped from this under-appreciated and over-commercialized medium, look no further than An American Tail.