The Rescuers (1977) Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: The Rescuers
Year: 1977
Director: John Lounsberry
Country: US
Language: English

The Rescuers would signal a turning point for Walt Disney Pictures. The film would be the last hit for Disney until 1989, and would signal the close of the longest “golden age” in Disney history; spanning 30 years from the time of Cinderella.  This would also be the last animated film to be nominated for an Academy Award (Best Original Song for “Someone’s Waiting for You”) until 1989’s The Little Mermaid. With a more sombre dramatic feel, The Rescuers would define the tone of Disney throughout the late 70's and well into the 80's.

In this picture, two mice of the Rescue Aid Society search for a little girl kidnapped by unscrupulous treasure hunters.

Considering The Rescuers broke the record for the longest box office gain on opening weekend, I'd say this is a very underrated film in the Disney cannon. The characters are remarkably colourful and fleshed out. Our main heroes, Bernard and Bianca, are fairly easy to sympathize with as they feel more human than most human characters in other animated flicks. Madame Medusa is a Cruela De Ville-esque villain who can be over the top in her nefarious deeds, but is ultimately grounded in some form of reality. This makes her a legitimate threat and adds to the tension throughout the run-time.

The animation shows the xerography process has great potential. The animators utilized color inks for the first time, so the characters aren’t lined in dark blacks, but lighter colored blacks. The opening credits are painted and the paper background creates a beautiful contrast to the watercolors on top. The score is well done; Shelby Flint's melodious beats reinforce the strong plot. Perhaps not worthy enough to win the Oscar it was nominated for, the songs are quite nice and don't delay the narrative in any way.

The Rescuers is a very strong film with an impressive story. I doubt future generations will favor this over more popular Disney animation like Lion King or Aladdin, but it does deserve to be seen in the same light as those from the 90's Renaissance. I would certainly revisit this flick.