The Rescuers: The Rescuers / The Rescuers Down Under, 35th Anniversary Edition

Description

To commemorate the 35th anniversary of an original
classic, Disney proudly presents a special 2-movie collection featuring all-
time family favorites, THE RESCUERS and THE RESCUERS DOWN UNDER. Join two of
the world’s bravest mice — Bernard and Bianca — as they set out on two
thrilling rescue missions full of comic adventure while soaring through the
Devil’s Bayou and flying sky high in the Australian outback. Buckle up for the
ride of your life as these tiny heroes with great big hearts outrun and outwit
their rivals to save the day. Brimming with lovable characters and
unforgettable music, this 2-movie collection is high-flying fun for the entire
family!|The Rescue Aid Society, an international organization of mice with
headquarters in the basement of the United Nations building, receives a plea
for help from a little orphan girl named Penny who has been kidnapped by an
evil woman, Madame Medusa. Medusa intends to use her to retrieve a fabulous
diamond, the Devil’s Eye, from a pirate cave. The case is taken by lovely
Bianca and Rescue Aid Society custodian Bernard, who becomes her shy
assistant. Together, after avoiding two brutish alligators, enlisting the help
of the local swamp folk, and turning Medusa and her henchman Snoops against
themselves, they rescue Penny and the diamond.|A Mickey Mouse watch can be
seen on the wall of the Rescue Aid Society, the international organization of
mice headquartered in the basement of New York City’s United Nations.|The film
was four years in the making with the combined talents of 250 people,
including 40 animators who produced approximately 330,000 drawings; there were
14 sequences with 1,039 separate scenes and 750 backgrounds.|The film was one
of the last Disney classics to be animated by members of Walt Disney’s “nine
old men,” the affectionate nickname he gave his top artists at the
time.|Animation historian/critic John Culhane was the role model for the
character Mr. Snoops. According to Culhane, he was visiting the Disney lot
when he noticed the animators taking a more-than-usual interest in him!
After Walt Disney’s death in 1966 and the release of The Jungle
Book (1967), his studio seemed to be sleepwalking, producing films that were
beautifully animated but lacked compelling stories. The Rescuers (1977) was a
welcome bright spot. The first collaboration between the animators who had
been working for Disney since the days of Snow White and a cadre of young
artists, the film displays an energy and a charm that had been sorely missing
for nearly a decade. Based on a series of children’s books by Margery Sharp,
The Rescuers sends the intrepid mouse Miss Bianca and her reluctant companion
Bernard to the rescue of the orphan girl Penny. Among the highlights of the
film are Ollie Johnston’s animation of Rufus, an aged cat who was essentially
a self-caricature, and Milt Kahl’s wonderfully flamboyant villainess, Madame
Medusa. More than three decades after its release, it’s still easy to see why
The Rescuers scored a hit with audiences and critics, outdrawing Star Wars in
France and Germany. The Rescuers Down Under (1990) is the forgotten film of
the Disney renaissance of the ’80s and ’90s. The first sequel in the studio’s
history and the first non-musical since Victory Through Air Power in 1943,
Down Under brought back Eva Gabor and Bob Newhart as the voices of Bianca and
Bernard. The dauntless agents of the mouse Rescue Aid Society go to Australia
to help Cody, a boy who’s been kidnapped while trying to save a giant eagle
from a wildlife poacher. The film includes some thrilling aerial sequences of
Cody and the eagle, inspired by the work of Hayao Miyazaki. But Cody isn’t a
terribly interesting character and much of the story feels by-the-numbers.
Although The Rescuers Down Under was eclipsed by The Little Mermaid and Beauty
and the Beast, which came before and after it, no fan of Disney animation will
want to miss this delightful double bill. The color on the Blu-ray transfer is
somewhat oversaturated, especially on the older film, so technically minded
viewers will want to adjust their TVs accordingly. (Rated G: cartoon violence,
some scary situations, alcohol use) –Charles Solomon

Features:

Product Details:

• Genre: Animation
• Format: NTSC, Color, Subtitled, Widescreen, Multiple Formats, Animated
• Contributor: Pat Buttram, Ted Berman, Bernard Fox, James MacDonald, John Fiedler, Larry Clemmons, Fred Lucky, Michelle Stacy, Burny Mattinson, Bill McMillian, Vance Gerry, Geraldine Page, Eva Gabor, Wolfgang Reitherman, Bob Newhart, Jeanette Nolan, Dub Taylor, Joe Flynn, Jim Jordan, John McIntire, David Michener, Ken Anderson See more
• Language: English
• Runtime: 1 hour and 18 minutes
• Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.66:1
• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ G (General Audience)
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 0.02 Ounces
• Item model number ‏ : ‎ WD10927400BR
• Director ‏ : ‎ Wolfgang Reitherman
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC, Color, Subtitled, Widescreen, Multiple Formats, Animated
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 18 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ August 21, 2012
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, Geraldine Page, Joe Flynn, Jeanette Nolan