Rikki-Tikki-TaviA little kindness can guarantee you a steadfast ally for life. That's how Rikki-Tikki-Tavi begins, as a waterlogged mongoose is saved from exposure by a young English boy living in India with his parents. Subsequently, the fleet-footed mongoose becomes a family pet and guardian, driving away deadly snakes that creep their way into the family's garden. Rikki is a skillful and clever fighter, but faces his greatest challenge--by way of a two-to-one disadvantage--comes in the form of a pair of black cobras named Nag and Nagaina, slithering tyrants who plot to kill the family to make a home for their own brood of unhatched snakes.
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Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is written, directed, and animated by the legendary Chuck Jones, and is adapted from the short story of the same name from Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book". Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is also narrated by Orson Welles, whose familiar voice, filled with a mix of warmth and wit, helps establish the tone for the tale. Jones's animation should be familiar to anyone who grew up with the "Looney Tunes" or "Tom and Jerry" cartoons, though Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is a far different kind of story. Rikki and the snakes move with fluidity and vibrancy, feeling like a mix between the animals they are based on and the kind of people that might match their personalities. Fittingly for a mongoose, Rikki has a pathological hatred for the snakes, which are uniformly sinister and murderous. He becomes the hero of the animated short because he stands up to these serpents, tracks them and ambushes them before they can slaughter the human family that has taken him in. Rikki learns of Nag and Nagaina courtesy of a pair of birds who lost one of their eggs to the snakes, a tragedy which also puts Rikki in the role of an avenger. As Welles narrates, Rikki essentially wages a "one-mongoose war" for dominion in the garden; the other denizens are not equipped to deal with such reptilian villainy. Rikki is also aided by a craven muskrat who hides in the dirt, but helpfully informs Rikki of where Nag and Nagaina keep their clutch of eggs. Rikki sees the writing on the wall, and takes it upon himself to root out the snakes after one such would-be assassin of a snake almost claims the life of the boy who loves him so much. Even when it puts Rikki in harm's way--like when he chases Nagaina down into her underground nest--Rikki has a single-minded determination to eliminate his enemies.
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi was developed as a program for children; as such, almost all of the violence is handled off-screen, with the most intense sequence being one shown by silhouette, as Rikki lunges on Nag's neck while the cobra thrashes about to dislodge him. Rikki is an unusual mix of mirth and menace for such a program, at once sweet and feisty, enthusiastically crawling about the heads and shoulders of his humans, only to go on high alert with beaming red eyes and chattering teeth, bouncing around in a fury when a snake crosses his path. Although such an depiction might unnerve younger audiences--for whom the movie is intended--it also underscores that in the wild, aggression is how animals exert themselves, and its absence can be taken as an invitation by predators to attack. The motto among Rikki's mongoose brethren is "run and find out", speaking to his quick nature and natural inquisitiveness. These mark Rikki as an intelligent and athletic protagonist, in addition to being a heroic and virtuous one. Despite being expecting parents themselves, Nag and Nagaina put no value on the lives of others, and are more than comfortable destroying them for their own convenience. Although our society should embody different values than the "kill-or-be-killed" philosophy found in the jungle, Rikki stands as a manifestation of the universal need for heroes to rise up and resist bullies, rather than live in perpetual fear; a strong and moral message for children, and one meant to the sow seeds of virtue in their young minds.
Recommended for: Fans of a charming (if occasionally violent) children's program about a valiant mongoose who protects his keepers from venomous serpents, which serves as a metaphor for the merits of heroism and bravery. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is an animation classic, which will also be appreciated by fans of the medium largely because of an animation icon like Chuck Jones at the helm.
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi was developed as a program for children; as such, almost all of the violence is handled off-screen, with the most intense sequence being one shown by silhouette, as Rikki lunges on Nag's neck while the cobra thrashes about to dislodge him. Rikki is an unusual mix of mirth and menace for such a program, at once sweet and feisty, enthusiastically crawling about the heads and shoulders of his humans, only to go on high alert with beaming red eyes and chattering teeth, bouncing around in a fury when a snake crosses his path. Although such an depiction might unnerve younger audiences--for whom the movie is intended--it also underscores that in the wild, aggression is how animals exert themselves, and its absence can be taken as an invitation by predators to attack. The motto among Rikki's mongoose brethren is "run and find out", speaking to his quick nature and natural inquisitiveness. These mark Rikki as an intelligent and athletic protagonist, in addition to being a heroic and virtuous one. Despite being expecting parents themselves, Nag and Nagaina put no value on the lives of others, and are more than comfortable destroying them for their own convenience. Although our society should embody different values than the "kill-or-be-killed" philosophy found in the jungle, Rikki stands as a manifestation of the universal need for heroes to rise up and resist bullies, rather than live in perpetual fear; a strong and moral message for children, and one meant to the sow seeds of virtue in their young minds.
Recommended for: Fans of a charming (if occasionally violent) children's program about a valiant mongoose who protects his keepers from venomous serpents, which serves as a metaphor for the merits of heroism and bravery. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is an animation classic, which will also be appreciated by fans of the medium largely because of an animation icon like Chuck Jones at the helm.