The Rescuers Down Under

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Semaj
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The Rescuers Down Under

Post by Semaj »

Before last night, this was one of the remaining canon features that I had never seen before. I had only heard bits and pieces about it, all of which were positive except the fact that it was the forgotten entry in Disney's Renaissance movies.

Having finally seen it, I have to say, it's actually a solid film. Even if it's not one of Disney's greatest, I can't think of any way it could've been made better. There were a few main things I noticed:

-Bernard and Bianca had sort of a small role in this one, as much of the story was focused on Cody's adventure in the outback, and subplots with Wilbur and the other Australian fauna. In a way, it was the opposite of the original, where during the focus on their partnership, it takes a while before we meet the child they're assigned to rescue.

-This was one of the very few Disney movies with no songs.

-I kinda appreciated how Bernard learned how to be more assertive, without anyone explaining it throughout the film. The reason behind his motives were self-explanatory.

-One interesting tidbit revealed in the "Two Guys Named Joe"; To kick off his return to Disney after 40 years, Joe Grant did preliminary sketches of the bird that would eventually become the Golden Eagle.

-The movie never explains WHY the eagle is so damn huge! :P

-I guess it would've been redundant to have had Bernard and Bianca married off in the first film.

Overall, I'd say Down Under was about as decent as the original. More thankfully, it was the rare Disney sequel that actually builds up on the original, instead of the "sequels for sequels' sake" that became standard operating procedure for their video titles. The original Rescuers was more quiet and slow-paced, yet the story and songs perfectly matched the theme of the story; two novices going out on their first date adventure. Down Under was where, having done it before, Bernard and Bianca were more sure of themselves, as was the movie. :)
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Semaj
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Re: The Rescuers Down Under

Post by Semaj »

I just noticed that Glen Keane was one of the few artists to have worked on both Rescuers films.

Were there any others?
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Re: The Rescuers Down Under

Post by 2Disney4Ever »

Now here is a movie that I can have nothing but good things to say about.

Rescuers Down Under is an underrated classic in my book. It's the one Disney sequel that I felt really topped the original in terms of fun and excitement. And for being the first movie done in CAPS, it looked great. That whole scene of Cody flying with Marahuté pretty much showcases the true beauty of hand-drawn animation, and all the work and detail that Glen Keane put into drawing that bird (it would be too easy for today's animators to simply make it a computer model cause they don't want to draw it or have the skills to). Also, Orville's brother Wilbur made a good comic relief thanks to the late John Candy's great performance, as well as McLeach's pet lizard Joanna.

But let me just say: if Disney really does make a Frozen 2, then they may as well be beyond redemption if they want to make sequels to CG movies instead of opening their eyes and seeing those movies as mistakes. It will just tarnish their reputation as a hand-drawn studio forever.
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Semaj
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Re: The Rescuers Down Under

Post by Semaj »

2Disney4Ever wrote:Now here is a movie that I can have nothing but good things to say about.
Why don't you focus more on the movies you DO enjoy, and we won't mind if you stick around again? :)
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Re: The Rescuers Down Under

Post by 2Disney4Ever »

Semaj wrote:
2Disney4Ever wrote:Now here is a movie that I can have nothing but good things to say about.
Why don't you focus more on the movies you DO enjoy, and we won't mind if you stick around again? :)
There's just one problem with that: unless it's Princess and the Frog, a lot of the Disney movies I still love or think are good are ones that are pretty much in the past now (Walt/Eisner era stuff), and honestly, this forum seems to spend a lot more time focused on today's messed-up Disney continuing to put out CG movies that I don't think anyone should even approve of them doing.
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Semaj
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Re: The Rescuers Down Under

Post by Semaj »

I would actually love if this forum had more active discussion on Disney's past movies and shorts. The fact that no one else has responded to this topic yet proves my point.

Disney publishes a consistent stream of 'art of' titles and periodic video re-releases that leaves their film library up for rediscovery. So, it really wouldn't hurt if there was more room for vintage topics, while still allowing discussion for more modern material, since most Disney fans are open to both.
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Re: The Rescuers Down Under

Post by MeerkatKombat »

Rescuers Down under was a film I used to watch back to back when I was younger. I loved it. Loved the giant eagle and the fancy dinner scene near the beginning an the pocked knife for some reason. I then didn't watch it for years. I think I lost the use of a VHS player and it took me a few years to decide to get all the films on DVD.

When I got round to watching them both on DVD, I immediately preferred the Rescuers - I think some of the reason is the beginning song but I think I also liked Penny far more than Cody. I keep going back to the Rescuers but apart from watching Down Under once when I first got the DVD, I haven't felt the urge to revisit. It was kinda unexpected as the original Rescuers holds next to no nostalgic value for me. I had the VHS but it never grabbed me as a child and it wasn't one I watched on rotation.

I don't even think there is anything that wrong with Down Under - it's not a bad film. In my older age, it really felt a little too similar to The Rescuers, just with a boy instead of a girl. As the OP said, this focused more on Cody in the outback which would have appealed to me more than Bernard/Bianca relationship.
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Re: The Rescuers Down Under

Post by DisneyFan09 »

Semaj wrote:I would actually love if this forum had more active discussion on Disney's past movies and shorts. The fact that no one else has responded to this topic yet proves my point.
Actually I've seen past Disney films having active debates, but not all of them. What's an active debate depends on yourself, but still.

I did respond to your post, discussing the film constructively. I was going to edit it, but I've accidentally deleted it. I would like a discussion of "Rescuers Down Under" myself.

While that being said, I've always liked the film. I loved it as a kid and I still do it now.
Last edited by DisneyFan09 on Fri Sep 25, 2015 5:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Rescuers Down Under

Post by HarryCanyon »

I saw this in theaters when i was 9 4 times and loved it, such a fantastic sequel that is as equal to the original.

One of my faves.
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Re: The Rescuers Down Under

Post by calvin101 »

I've always been a big fan of this movie.

I prefer it to the first movie - partially I think becuase I saw 'The Rescuers Down Under' before I saw 'The Rescuers' as a kid, so this was my first introduction to the characters (although I would say that I think the first movie is much more balanced in terms of having a better villain and a better relationship established between Bernard, Bianca and Penny - in the second movie, Bernard and Bianca feel almost secondary to Cody's adventure and in many ways the interaction between the three characters never feels quite as pivotal to the climax of the movie).

I think the setting provides some wonderfully vivid imagery - particularly during the intro, which remains one of my favourite beginnings to any movie. I found it quite alarming as a kid, the camera rushing towards the horizon is really striking and very dramatic. The sheer scale of some of the animation is a real step up, but I can see why it's oft-forgetten in terms of significant Disney movies. It's a great little action/adventure romp, but it's not particularly distinctive amongst a swathe of similarly themed animations - the relationship between Bernard and Bianca is probably what really gives it that little touch of Disney magic.
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Re: The Rescuers Down Under

Post by HarryCanyon »

calvin101 wrote:I've always been a big fan of this movie.

I prefer it to the first movie - partially I think becuase I saw 'The Rescuers Down Under' before I saw 'The Rescuers' as a kid, so this was my first introduction to the characters (although I would say that I think the first movie is much more balanced in terms of having a better villain and a better relationship established between Bernard, Bianca and Penny - in the second movie, Bernard and Bianca feel almost secondary to Cody's adventure and in many ways the interaction between the three characters never feels quite as pivotal to the climax of the movie).

I think the setting provides some wonderfully vivid imagery - particularly during the intro, which remains one of my favourite beginnings to any movie. I found it quite alarming as a kid, the camera rushing towards the horizon is really striking and very dramatic. The sheer scale of some of the animation is a real step up, but I can see why it's oft-forgetten in terms of significant Disney movies. It's a great little action/adventure romp, but it's not particularly distinctive amongst a swathe of similarly themed animations - the relationship between Bernard and Bianca is probably what really gives it that little touch of Disney magic.
I did saw the first movie first in it's 89 re-issue when i was 7 4 times and heard about a sequel in the works in Comicscene and Starlog magazines.
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Re: The Rescuers Down Under

Post by jazzflower92 »

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-res ... enaissance

Hey, guys I just found out that Cody was originally going to be an aboriginal kid, until Katzenburg thought it was good to make him white so that it would be more commercial. Oh my gosh, that is one of the biggest missed opportunities in representation ever happened. I know this was back in 1990, where racial representation was more risky in the mainstream back then but it really reeks of ugly implications of not having someone of color just because you think it won't resonate with audiences.

:angry:

It reminds me of how at Disney Katzenburg had a habit of making very stupid decisions that affected the quality of the film or almost made it worse. These days Disney is just one of the companies that's doing more to represent so many other cultures, and if they made Cody aboriginal back then I think it would have been awesome.
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Re: The Rescuers Down Under

Post by milojthatch »

I actually like this one more than the original. I thought the villain was better, I hated the songs from the original, so was happy this one lacked songs, I felt the stakes were higher and the location was far more epic. I also loved the characters better in this one.

Of course I'd still love to see a Rescuers/ Rescue Rangers crossover. One day...
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Re: The Rescuers Down Under

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A Mice Time in the Outback: The 30th Anniversary of “The Rescuers Down Under”
http://www.animationscoop.com/a-mice-ti ... own-under/

'The Rescuers Down Under': The Untold Story of How the Sequel Changed Disney Forever
https://collider.com/disney-rescuers-do ... explained/
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Re: The Rescuers Down Under

Post by Rumpelstiltskin »

Interrsting article. Thinking about it, Rescuers Down Under has a couple of similarities with One Hundred and One Dalmatians.

One Hundred and One Dalmatians was the first feature Disney did with a modern contemporary setting, where they are watching a TV-show, which also reflects the new production method used in the movie.

Rescuers Down Under (I know I have mentioned CAPS a couple of times lately):
The artists saw a number of opportunities for an environmentally-focused tale set in Australia, which would also allow for an all-out action-adventure film, a genre that the Studio had never explored before in animation.

While not generating these tremendous box office results, the film is landmark in how it utilized new technology that would change future animation production at Disney. The Rescuers Down Under was the first film to use the Computer Animation Production System (CAPS), a digital ink-and-paint and compositing system that allowed for a faster and more efficient production, replacing the time-consuming process of hand painting animation cels.
And it is probably the first Disney feature where there are computers present.
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Re: The Rescuers Down Under

Post by blackcauldron85 »

^ What do you mean by "computers present?" I mean, not counting Tron, The Black Cauldron was the first to use computers. Do you mean more cinematography? (Because CAPS worked magic with this film.) TRDU has amazing cinematography.
The article wrote:which prompted then Studio Chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg to pull all marketing and advertisement for the film.
I get that if a film gets released alongside a blockbuster, Disney doesn't want to lose $ by promoting it, but on the flip-side, couldn't they have continued the marketing, so maybe more people would have known about it? Or maybe in a few weeks, resume the marketing, so after everyone has seen Home Alone or Harry Potter in Treasure Planet's case, they'd see the Disney film?!?
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Re: The Rescuers Down Under

Post by Rumpelstiltskin »

I mean the first time we actually sees a computer in a an animated Disney movie. Like I mentioned, One Hundred and One Dalmatians is the first time we see a TV in a Disney feature. And I think Lady and the Tramp is the first time we see cars in a Disney feature (not counting the package films, where we of course have Mr. Toad and possibly others).

And a little nitpicking; The Great Mouse Detective was actually the first in the canon that used CGI. But The Black Cauldron was released first (and both of these movies were more like a test compared to the extended use in Oliver & Company).
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Re: The Rescuers Down Under

Post by blackcauldron85 »

Sorry- It was about 3am when I read your post and replied- I understand what you mean now!!! Yes, the TBC team liked what TGMD team was doing with computers, you are right :p :)
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