The Great Mouse Detective

.

Title: The Great Mouse Detective

Year of Release: 1986

Date Viewed: July 23rd, 2011

MPAA Rating: G

"I only hope we never lose sight of one thing. That it was all started with a mouse."

- Walt Disney

In the past few weeks, sales of mouse traps have increased at the department store I'm employed at. The surge occurred right around the time of my viewing of The Great Mouse Detective; Disney's adaptation of Eve Titus and Paul Galdone's children's book Basil of Baker Street. Just a funny coincidence I'm sure. But for the conspiracy enthusiasts, here's some food for thought. Perhaps the Disney animators were trying to warn us of a coming rodent apocalypse through the subtle guise of a kid's detective story. Consider for a moment that the movie is scientifically accurate. That means for every human that resides in a living space, there is a mouse counterpart hiding somewhere within the interior, imitating the lifestyle of the larger being. If you're a chef, there's a creature that makes his own specialty dishes using the food that spills off your table. If you're an accountant, something is auditing your grocery receipts as we speak. As for what could reside in my home, there's probably a mouse sitting in our attic somewhere typing movie reviews on a smart phone while munching on gummy soda bottles.

The title character is the mouse counterpart to the one and only Sherlock Holmes. Basil of Baker Street's (voice of Barrie Ingham) reputation of crime-fighting case-solving exploits reaches every corner of underground London. His most fateful mission begins when a scary yet clumsy bat creature kidnaps a local toymaker, orphaning his young daughter Olivia (voice of Susanne Pollatschek). The somber opening is quickly counterbalanced with Henry Mancini's catchy and uplifting music, reassuring us that a fun ride awaits.

Following a fortunate meeting with off-duty military doctor David Dawson (voice of Val Bettin), the pair inquires Basil to help them reunite Olivia with her father. Basil is an eccentric personality and barely even acknowledges his clients' presence on the first meeting. But he devotes himself to the case upon realizing that it's masterminded by his hated nemesis Professor Ratigan (voice of the legendary Vincent Price); the city's biggest crime boss. This villain doesn't act all that intimidating, but those who make the mistake of underestimating him or point out that he's a rat will end up as food for his pet rancor cat. Ratigan is not the most inspired villain created from the Disney studios but that doesn't stop Vincent Price from having the time of his life. Someone with that level of talent can transit charisma without any layover. Price owns this show like a tycoon.

Even for something conceived to be Sherlock Holmes-lite, the plot is disappointingly too straight forward. The "clues" don't really add up to anything since the heroes end up locating most important things by accident anyway. Basil's genius can only be appreciated in a single scene which also happens to be one of the best. He and Dawson are stuck in the most unnecessarily elaborate death trap. Basil considers each possible component for weaknesses all while trying to fight back his depressed mind. At the last possible moment, he supports one of my favorite personal thesis' which states that sometimes the hardest problems have the easiest solutions.

Today's youth may overlook the fact that The Great Mouse Detective was a technical leap forward for animated films. While the majority of the illustrations result from traditional hand-drawn two dimensional pictures, the best sequences could stand beside those of the twenty-first century. How did they do it? ("It's elementary, my dear Dawson.") By using a computer generated background, it became possible to sequence events like how live-action directors could shoot things from multiple angles. The technique helps bridge the gap that we the audience have from observing the animated subjects within their own line of sight. The final clock tower chase is a masterpiece because of how credibly lifelike the setting becomes.

The music fare is far lower in quantity that what was typical in 1980s animation. The World's Greatest Criminal Mind is a simple and fitting anthem for Ratigan. I'd love to visit a dueling piano bar that plays that song for a spirited crowd, if any such wonderful venue exists. Let Me Be Good To You is an out of place tune for an out of place scene. The movie ends with a brief number titled Goodbye So Soon which pretty much sums up my reaction to this seventy-four minute long treat. I enjoyed what I've seen, but would an encore be too much trouble?

Rating: 6

Aliens

Title: Aliens

Year of Release: 1986

Date Viewed: November 18th, 2010

MPAA Rating: R

How do you make a story about a dangerous alien even more exciting? Add more aliens, of course.

James Cameron takes over directing duties from Ridley Scott in this sequel to the blockbuster hit Alien. Instead of slapping on a tacky catchphrase title to differentiate itself from the original, they simply added an "s". That's all the foreshadowing you need. Brilliant.

This story takes place fifty-seven years after the events of the first film. But in the mind of Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), it is tomorrow. The sole survivor of the Nostromo spaceship incident, Ripley awakens from cryogenic sleep to an unfamiliar world. The world doesn't know what to make of her either. When questioned about the incident, Ripley explains the outrageous truth to the company that had employed her. Nobody is convinced because all evidence of the alien stowaway that killed her comrades was destroyed along with the ship. Furthermore, the planet that was inhabited by the alien species (now known as LV-426) had been undergoing colonization for the past thirty years. No alien activity had ever been reported. Deemed as mentally unstable and unfit for her former job of piloting, Ripley is relegated to working with forklifts aboard Gateway Station, the space facility that had rescued her.

She soon receives an unexpected visit from Marine representatives. Communication with the LV-426 colony had been lost. Fearing that a tragedy had occurred, Ripley is offered the opportunity to accompany a military squad to investigate the planet. She agrees to act as a consultant for the mission in return for the reinstatement of her prior duties. Successful completion could also mean some much needed peace to the reoccurring nightmares from past trauma.

Ripley's new comrades may have bigger weapons, but they have smaller brains. They act more like new recruits showing off for their college fraternity instead of soldiers. I guess the idea was for us to grow annoyed enough with their immaturity that we don't mind so much when they are inevitably killed off. Two things are wrong with that. It's the opposite direction taken by the original Alien, where every human casualty was a felt loss. Also, the characters are too obnoxious for the viewer. Since all the soldiers are given the same personality, I didn't care enough to see them live or hate anyone enough to want them dead.

On the flip side, there are two superbly written characters here. Ripley and franchise newcomer Rebecca "Newt" Jorden (Carrie Henn in her only acting role). The movie's greatest pleasure is witnessing Ripley's transition from cookie-cutter damsel in distress to a full fledged selfless hero. The much ballyhooed alien foes actually take a backseat to this character development drama. When Ripley's finest moment happens during the movie's final act, I was more than ready to cheer her on. The story reason for the evolution is Ripley's relationship to Newt. Newt is an eleven year old girl and part of a family that lived on the LV-426 colony before the aliens wiped everyone out. She is the sole survivor of a traumatic event with no family left in her life, the same situation Ripley is struggling with. This story angle is believable in both its inception and execution.

A franchise like this cannot afford to deviate from its ironclad humans versus aliens set up. To make the film his own, James Cameron followed the "bigger is better" philosophy. The production values increased and so did the body count. Cameron is less interested in frightening his audience as he is with merely thrilling them. He does this with ease. Yet it was the little things that made Ridley Scott's Alien truly memorable. Sure, it's fun to see slimy aliens get blasted away from high-tech gunfire. But it comes at the cost of the added mystery of the enemies' whereabouts. Rather than having self-standing drama, this movie turns to the perilous situations for the drama. It's a change that has divided opinion over which offering is preferable.

The part that doesn't deserve much debate is the rewarding conclusion. By this time, Ripley earns self respect, Newt has a new reason for hope and the alien creatures have one last adrenaline rush to unleash upon the audience. It's the sort of stuff that Cameron prides himself on, as he should.

Aliens was perfect for its time. And based on other written reactions, it's still perfect for a lot of people. Although I found the writing to be inconsistent in quality, the rest hits the bullseye. I can't imagine anyone except for the most snobbish of critics to entirely denounce this movie.

Rating: 7