The Secret of NIMHSomewhere within the dense thickets and growth surrounding the Fitzgibbons' farmstead, somewhere below the rosebush by the house, and somewhere lurking within the hollows of the trees in the forest exists a secret. The Secret of NIMH is the story of a widowed mouse named Mrs. Brisby (Elizabeth Hartman), who must find a way to relocate her family--including her son, Timmy, who has come down with pneumonia--before the dreaded "moving day" comes, the day when the farmer's plow is turned on to level the field. Her dilemma eventually leads her to discover the protected secret of the "rats of NIMH".
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The Secret of NIMH was the directorial debut of Don Bluth, a living legend in animation, and one of the most important contributors to the medium in history. Don Bluth had worked for Walt Disney Animation Studios previously, and the distinct look of his work can be seen in his contributions to films like Robin Hood and The Rescuers. But Bluth believed that the trend of animation working under Disney was no longer of the quality of work which made Disney a household name, represented in classic films like Sleeping Beauty, a film he had even worked on as an assistant in his youth. He and several other animators quit Disney to form a company of their own--Don Bluth Productions--and remained a serious competitor for Disney for years. In effect, The Secret of NIMH represents a watershed moment in the history of animated films, a "throwing down the gauntlet" which some might say necessitated Disney to step up their game, eventually leading to the important "Disney Renaissance" of 1989. Don Bluth's philosophy was to produce high-quality animated features reminiscent of the "golden age" of animation, with films that possessed an engaging story and sophisticated and exciting animation techniques, even if it meant more involved production--the artist's soul in the work. The Secret of NIMH was adapted from the novel titled, "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien; Mrs. Frisby became "Mrs. Brisby" as a result of a trademark dispute with the creators of the similarly-named toy. Distinctive special effects in the film--like the glowing eyes of Nicodemus (Derek Jacobi), the leader of the rats--resulted from a variety of clever cinematic techniques, including matte shots and color gels. A scene involving the premature start up of the tractor is done through the use of rotoscoping, which gives the farmer and the deadly tractor the look of a looming force of destruction, alien to the colorful, cartoon world of the animals in the high grass. While The Secret of NIMH is an animated feature intended for children, it avoids patronizing its audience; rather, the direction is filled with tense moments and excitement, even comedy. Mrs. Brisby befriends a crow named Jeremy--who is voiced perfectly by Dom DeLuise--whose slapstick antics and neurotic anxiety and bumbling make for a genuinely funny supporting character. All of the characters body language speaks as much for them--if not more--than even the script or voicing. The exaggerations which define the players of the story--and other aspects inherent in the "12 basic principles of animation"--confirm Don Bluth as an animator and filmmaker par excellence.
While The Secret of NIMH is, as mentioned, a film designed for children, the story is deceptively complex and layered, with the titular secret being an ominous reveal. By 1981, the portrayal of anthropomorphic mice, rats, and other wildlife in an animated film would hardly be any reason to consider it an oddity. But The Secret of NIMH deftly exploits this expectation in the audience by subtly insinuating that there is something special about the society of animals living in the undergrowth, by means of the special secret endowed unto the rats which hide beneath the rosebush by the house, stealing away electricity from the farmer for unspecified reasons. Mrs. Brisby lives in a house built around a cement block, but the local physician, a mouse named Mr. Ages (Arthur Malet), tends to a large, industrial machine, a form of technology which is far more advanced than even the normal mice in this microcosm could fathom. And when Mrs. Brisby is directed to visit Nicodemus at the behest of the legendary--and terrifying--Great Owl (John Carradine), she discovers the underground realm of the rats to be brimming with technology, some of which seems to be more like magic than electrically driven. The rats of NIMH--and that is an acronym--are endowed with a heightened intelligence and awareness; it is said that their gift also slows the aging process, which begs the question just how old Nicodemus really is. The aged leader of the rats has proposed the overall popular plan to leave their domicile and move away to Thorn Valley, thus averting the risks inherent in stealing electricity from the farm and constantly struggling to drug the house cat, Dragon, a process which led to the death of Mrs. Brisby's late husband, Jonathan. The plan is supported by the majority of the council of rats, including the captain of the guard, Justin (Peter Strauss), although it is attacked by the villainous Jenner (Paul Shenar), who believes that not stealing is antithetical to their nature, and is willing to plot and manipulate to achieve his ends. When Mrs. Brisby finally meets Nicodemus, he reveals much to her: about the nature of her husband's death, about how to save her family, and also about the secret of NIMH; he also imparts "the stone" to her, which, he says, will help her when it is needed, and it supports those with the rare gift of "courage of the heart". The Secret of NIMH is a story about courage, and how Mrs. Brisby finds it. Each episode--even those prior to her meeting the rats--seems to have been designed to give her the strength of heart needed to save her family, from her willingness to save Jeremy from himself when he was caught in the string, when she decides to meet The Great Owl, and even when she volunteers to put the drugs in Dragon's food. Mrs. Brisby shows that even the courage of a lion can be found in the unlikely form of a mouse when called upon to act.
Recommended for: Fans of a brilliant animated feature and labor of love and dedication. For fans of gorgeous animation, a thrilling story, with enchanting characters and a unique reveal which puts a novel spin on animated films of this sort. A film that is a genuine treat not just for children but adults as well.
While The Secret of NIMH is, as mentioned, a film designed for children, the story is deceptively complex and layered, with the titular secret being an ominous reveal. By 1981, the portrayal of anthropomorphic mice, rats, and other wildlife in an animated film would hardly be any reason to consider it an oddity. But The Secret of NIMH deftly exploits this expectation in the audience by subtly insinuating that there is something special about the society of animals living in the undergrowth, by means of the special secret endowed unto the rats which hide beneath the rosebush by the house, stealing away electricity from the farmer for unspecified reasons. Mrs. Brisby lives in a house built around a cement block, but the local physician, a mouse named Mr. Ages (Arthur Malet), tends to a large, industrial machine, a form of technology which is far more advanced than even the normal mice in this microcosm could fathom. And when Mrs. Brisby is directed to visit Nicodemus at the behest of the legendary--and terrifying--Great Owl (John Carradine), she discovers the underground realm of the rats to be brimming with technology, some of which seems to be more like magic than electrically driven. The rats of NIMH--and that is an acronym--are endowed with a heightened intelligence and awareness; it is said that their gift also slows the aging process, which begs the question just how old Nicodemus really is. The aged leader of the rats has proposed the overall popular plan to leave their domicile and move away to Thorn Valley, thus averting the risks inherent in stealing electricity from the farm and constantly struggling to drug the house cat, Dragon, a process which led to the death of Mrs. Brisby's late husband, Jonathan. The plan is supported by the majority of the council of rats, including the captain of the guard, Justin (Peter Strauss), although it is attacked by the villainous Jenner (Paul Shenar), who believes that not stealing is antithetical to their nature, and is willing to plot and manipulate to achieve his ends. When Mrs. Brisby finally meets Nicodemus, he reveals much to her: about the nature of her husband's death, about how to save her family, and also about the secret of NIMH; he also imparts "the stone" to her, which, he says, will help her when it is needed, and it supports those with the rare gift of "courage of the heart". The Secret of NIMH is a story about courage, and how Mrs. Brisby finds it. Each episode--even those prior to her meeting the rats--seems to have been designed to give her the strength of heart needed to save her family, from her willingness to save Jeremy from himself when he was caught in the string, when she decides to meet The Great Owl, and even when she volunteers to put the drugs in Dragon's food. Mrs. Brisby shows that even the courage of a lion can be found in the unlikely form of a mouse when called upon to act.
Recommended for: Fans of a brilliant animated feature and labor of love and dedication. For fans of gorgeous animation, a thrilling story, with enchanting characters and a unique reveal which puts a novel spin on animated films of this sort. A film that is a genuine treat not just for children but adults as well.