Each year we devote one day to honoring the women who set us on our first steps of life's journey; our mothers. For better or for worse our mothers shape who we are and inspire who we ultimately become. Given the importance of mothers in their children's lives its bizarre how few family films focus upon mothers. This trend is so prevalent that family entertainment juggernaut Disney has jokingly become synonymous with dead or missing mothers. One film that defied this odd standard to spectacular effect is 1982's cult classic The Secret of NIMH. While it is better known today for being the first animated film to challenge Disney's dominance, The Secret of NIMH offers one of cinema's most compelling portraits of the struggles, sacrifices, and transformative power of motherhood. This mother's day join Mrs. Brisby on an unforgettable adventure to learn The Secret of NIMH.
 |
| This one's for all of the moms out there... |
The story begins with widowed field mouse Mrs. Brisby struggling to provide for her four children. The family's already fragile existence is thrown into upheaval when they learn that a nearby farmer plans to plow the field that they are living in. While her neighbors urge her to move her family to safety one of her children, Timothy, is ill with pneumonia and cannot be moved. At the advice of her wise neighbor, Mr. Ages, she seeks out the Great Owl who directs her to a colony of hyper intelligent rats living under the farmer's rose bush. She then sets out on an epic quest to save her family and discover the great and terrible secret of NIMH.
While The Secret of NIMH showcases such animated adventure staples as evil villains, magic, and comic sidekicks the film's choice of heroine sets it apart. Mrs. Brisby is not royalty and does not possess special powers. She is not saving the world or exploring unknown lands. She is merely a mother doing the best that she can to provide for and protect her children. As a result, she is perhaps the most unlikely of animated heroines; an all too relatable everywoman. It is for this reason that she is truly a heroine for our times. While most cinematic heroes are notable for their fearlessness, Mrs. Brisby begins the movie as outright timid. What makes her truly heroic is that she does not allow this fear to hold her back when her children are endangered as she routinely risks her own safety to ensure her children's. In this way, she offers an inspiring example of what we can accomplish when we face our fears. Her single-minded determination to protect her children also personifies the bravery and self-sacrifice that sets good mothers apart. As a result, she highlights the importance of maternal role models in a genre in which mothers are sorely lacking. This mother's day give your mother a call and let her in on The Secret of NIMH.
The film brings Robert C. O'Brien's novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH to brilliant life thanks to its dazzling animation and exemplary vocal performances. When Don Bluth left Disney to start his own studio he did so with the goal of reviving classic animation, and his debut feature does just that. The expressiveness of the characters, the scope of the settings, and the thrilling action sequences stand leave this reviewer longing for a return to 2D animation. The voice actors' perfectly suit their characters with Elizabeth Hartman lending the best performance of her career since 1965's A Patch of Blue. Bluth favorite Dom DeLuise lends his signature comedic skill in his uproarious turn as lovelorn crow Jeremy. Peter Strauss' charm and relatability ensure that gallant rat Justin makes for a surprisingly noble hero. Paul Shenar is a villain worthy of Vincent Price as the coup plotting rat Jenner. Together, the cast create a memorable world of heroes and villains to rival even the most celebrated of fairy tales.
At once a thrilling adventure and a heartfelt ode to motherhood it's no secret why The Secret of NIMH continues to delight the young and young at heart. The script vividly brings O'Brien's story to the screen while imbuing it with Don Bluth's signature flair. The animation is nothing short of breathtaking as it transports viewers from the pastoral beauty of an open field, to the horrors of NIMH's labs, to the dark beauty of the rats' colony. The voice performances bring each of the characters to vibrant life and ensure that viewers will root for the film's furry heroes every step of the way. For the mother of all animated adventures follow Mrs. Brisby to find The Secret of NIMH.
No comments:
Post a Comment