The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Directors:

Ron Clements
Burny Mattinson

Writers:

Peter Young (story) &
Vance Gerry (story) ...

Release Date:

2 July 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Family | Musical | Mystery

Tagline:

Can he bring the dirty rat to justice?

Plot:

Basil, the rodent Sherlock Holmes, investigates the kidnapping of a toy-maker and uncovers its link to his archenemy, Professor Ratigan.

Plot Keywords:

Mouse | Kidnapping | Bat | Cockney | Arch Villain

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Vincent Price	...	Professor Ratigan (voice)
Barrie Ingham	...	Basil of Baker Street / Bartholomew (voice)
Val Bettin	...	Dr. David Q. Dawson / Thug Guard (voice)
Susanne Pollatschek	...	Olivia Flaversham (voice)
Candy Candido	...	Fidget (voice)
Diana Chesney	...	Mrs. Judson (voice)
Eve Brenner	...	The Mouse Queen (voice)
Alan Young	...	Hiram Flaversham (voice)
Laurie Main	...	Dr. Watson (voice)
Shani Wallis	...	Lady Mouse (voice)
Ellen Fitzhugh	...	Bar Maid (voice)
Walker Edmiston	...	Citizen / Thug Guard (voice)
Wayne Allwine	...	Thug Guard (voice)
Tony Anselmo	...	Thug Guard (voice)

Also Known As:

Basil - The Great Mouse Detective (International: English title)
Basil of Baker Street (UK)
The Adventures of the Great Mouse Detective (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

74 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Philippines:G | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/6 | New Zealand:G | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:7 | UK:U | USA:G | West Germany:6 | Canada:G

Company:

Walt Disney Feature Animation

Trivia:

The lizard in Rattigan's gang made an earlier appearance as Bill, the "lizard with a ladder" in Disney's Alice in Wonderland (1951).

Goofs:

Continuity: After escaping Ratigan's trap, Basil changes from his sailor disguise to his regular clothes. When he's done, he is clearly wearing the blue sailor pants under his coat. When posing for the camera, however, he is wearing his regular brown pants.

Quotes:

Ratigan: Fidget, you delightful little maniac! You've provided me with a singular opportunity. Poor Basil. Oh, he's in for a little surprise.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Troldspejlet: (#28.15)" (2002)

Soundtrack:

Let Me Be Good To You

Forgotten Classic with Some of the Best Animation in History

Having revisited this film on the anniversary of its first release I was shocked at how good it is. I was also left to wonder why Disney never did anything with it since its release since its a very good film.

The plot is simple, Basil of Baker Street helps a young girl find her kidnapped father who is the clutches of the evil Ratigan. There's more to it than that but thats a place to start.

Vincent Price, probably having the time of his life, is the foul villain and he seems to be having a complete ball. What ever joy he was feeling must have been infectious since the work the animators did carried over and its fun to watch Price's animated alter ego mug for the camera.

This is the last of the un-politically correct films from The Mouse House. Characters smoke, which as we all know is now a no no since Disney is now going back and digitally erasing all trace of that "bad habit" from all of their earlier films. Characters die. Yes the villain still dies these days, and perhaps a Mom to get the plot going, but here we have several characters die, one simply for insulting the villain.

The final sequence of this film, a battle in and on Big Ben was promoted as Disney's first major use of computer animation. The sequence is spectacular and one of the greatest animated pieces I've ever witnessed even today. The whole thing lasts maybe five minutes but it pushes the art of animation as far as Disney has ever gone and shows us what a loss the politically correct, story formula has been in the realm of artistic animation. Disney learned how to make money but not films that pushed the envelope of what was possible. What might have happened if they had expanded on this one sequence?

See this movie. I give it 8 out of 10. Its not perfect but it is funny and exciting in ways that the films that followed rarely were. The film also contains several moments that prove that Pixar are not the only ones who can make movies that reflect the Warner Brothers style.