Don Bluth Movies
Fresh out of Brigham Young University, Don Bluth joined the Walt Disney animation staff in 1956. Though he occasionally free-lanced at Filmation Studios, Bluth continued returning to the Disney fold in the 1970s, functioning as animation director on such cartoon features as Robin Hood (1973) and The Rescuers (1977). In 1979, dissatisfied with the hidebound atmosphere at Disney, Bluth and several fellow animators broke away to form Don Bluth Productions. Only the moderately successful The Secret of NIMH emerged from the Bluth factory before he combined his operation with Sullivan Studios in 1986. Disney's inability in the mid-1980s to deliver feature-length cartoons at a faster pace enabled Bluth to corner the market with such films as An American Tail (1986) and The Land Before Time (1988). Upon the inauguration of Disney's one-cartoon-feature-per-year policy in 1988, Bluth found his audience diminishing. It wasn't simply because the Disney folks had better distribution channels and louder publicity: the animated films of Don Bluth, while technically superb, lack the strongly defined characters and well-developed stories which have always been the hallmarks of the Disney product. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Titan A.E. combines cel and CG imagery in this science fiction saga. In 3028, after the Earth is destroyed by an invading alien race, a tiny number of surviving humans roam the universe in ragtag spaceships, trying to find each other and maintain some sense of community. Shortly before the final destruction of the planet, Cale (voice of Matt Damon) was given a map that would guide him to a space station called Titan, secretly constructed as a last hope in the event of alien Armageddon. Cale sets out in search of Titan and the fabled Ice Planet with the help of his friend Korso (voice of Bill Pullman), the beautiful Akima (voice of Drew Barrymore), and a crew of friendly aliens. Titan A.E. was directed by noted animators Don Bluth and Gary Goldman and scripted by Ben Edlund, creator of the comic book series The Tick. Other members of the voice cast include Nathan Lane, Janeane Garofalo, John Leguizamo, and Tone Loc. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Matt Damon, Drew Barrymore, (more)
Ace animator Don Bluth directed this direct-to-video follow-up to his 1997 hit Anastasia, concentrating on the adventures of Bartok the Albino Bat (voice of Hank Azaria). Bartok and his best friend, Zozi the Bear (voice of Kelsey Grammer), are now making their way as street performers, but they find themselves drawn in when Prince Ivan is kidnapped by the wicked Ludmilla, who wants to get rid of the man who stands in her way as heir to the throne. Bartok and Zozi decide they must come to Prince Ivan's rescue, and they confront the evil and powerful witch Baba Yaga. Along with Azaria and Grammer, who repeat their roles from the original, Bartok the Magnificent features voice performances from Jennifer Tilly, Catherine O'Hara, and Tim Curry. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Hank Azaria, Kelsey Grammer, (more)
The first feature from the 20th Century-Fox animation unit in Phoenix, Arizona, this is the ninth film produced and directed by the Don Bluth/Gary Goldman duo (An American Tail) and the first animated feature to be made in CinemaScope since Disney's Sleeping Beauty (1959). This $50 million animated fantasy retells the story of Anastasia, daughter of Czar Nicholas, beginning with her childhood in 1916 Russia. After Rasputin's curse on the Romanovs, little Anastasia is separated from her grandmother, the Dowager Empress Maria. After growing up in an orphanage, Anastasia emerges as a young woman called Anya. With no clear memory of her youth, Anya encounters entrepreneurs who seek an Anastasia look-alike in hopes of collecting a reward in Paris from the aged Dowager Empress. Despite demonic interference from Rasputin, the three travel to Paris where another problem awaits: the Dowager Empress is now skeptical of the parade of imposters. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Meg Ryan, John Cusack, (more)
This heartwarming animated tale--reportedly inspired by a National Geographic documentary--follows the exploits of a shy penguin, Hubie, who is hopelessly enamored with Marina, but must compete with the ultra macho, puffed up Drake, who wants her to be his life mate. In order to win her, one of them must present her with a suitable pebble. Hubie finds a doozy of an emerald-like stone to give her, but before he can deliver it, the wicked Drake pushes him into the roiling sea and Hubi is swept away. Eventually Hubie is captured by traders. He must make it home within 10 days or Drake will claim his beloved Mariana. Songs are sung, action ensues, and ultimately, happiness prevails. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Martin Short, Annie Golden, (more)
The voices of Carol Channing, John Hurt, Jodi Benson and Gilbert Gottfried help bring this wonderful Hans Christian Andersen story to life. Barry Manilow contributed heavily to the film's music. Children still seem to enjoy this story about a young girl who was the size of a human thumb. She was kidnapped by a toad, just when she hoped to continue her life with Cornelius the Fairy Prince. This is a good "family film" with few, if any, parts that might be considered questionable for children. Kids are likely to enjoy how Gilbert Gottfried does the voice of a strange beetle and how Carol Channing breathes life into Ms. Fieldmouse. ~ Elizabeth Smith, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jodi Benson, Carol Channing, (more)
This animated feature from Don Bluth is aimed toward very young children. It follows the exploits of Stanley, the nicest troll in Troll Land. Unfortunately, the other trolls do not like too much niceness, and Stanley is banished from his homeland by the nasty Gnorga. He is sent to live in New York City with the hope that the banishment will cure him of his sweetness. Stanley lands in Central, where he puts his special talent for growing pretty flowers to good use. There he meets two sad youngsters whose parents are too busy working to pay attention to them. Stanley becomes their friend. He teaches them to believe in themselves. Stanley is happy. But then, Gnorga suddenly appears and tries to destroy it all. Will she succeed? ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dom DeLuise, Cloris Leachman, (more)
- 1992
Patrick Stewart narrates this four-part look at man's ventures into space -- where we've gone, and where we're going. Space Age includes segments on the planet Mars and what we know about it, how satellites work and what functions they serve, trying to find logical patterns in the chaos of the universe, and what's next in man's research on the moon. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- 1992
- G
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When Chanticleer the Rooster (Glenn Campbell) is tricked into leaving town to seek fame as an Elvis-style Las Vegas singer, his farm is plunged into eternal darkness. This animated musical from Don Bluth centers on a young farm boy who embarks on a magical journey into the animal world to try and bring Chanticleer home. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Glen Campbell, Ellen Greene, (more)
One of the most expensive of Don Bluth's animated cartoon features, All Dogs Go to Heaven was also among the most successful. Set in late-'30s New Orleans, the story centers upon a roguish German shepherd named Charlie B. Barkin (voice of Burt Reynolds), who is killed early in the proceedings by his business partner, Carface (voice of Vic Tayback). Charlie travels to Heaven, and is promptly warned that if he heads back to Earth, he can never return; he does decide to go back to Earth, however, to exact revenge on Carface, who has kidnapped Anne-Marie, a little orphan girl who can talk to Animals.
The film also includes the vocal skills of Dom DeLuise, Charles Nelson Reilly, Vic Tayback, Melba Moore, Loni Anderson, and a host of others. All Dogs Go to Heaven was the first production of the Dublin-based Sullivan Bluth Studios. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The film also includes the vocal skills of Dom DeLuise, Charles Nelson Reilly, Vic Tayback, Melba Moore, Loni Anderson, and a host of others. All Dogs Go to Heaven was the first production of the Dublin-based Sullivan Bluth Studios. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Judith Barsi, (more)
Animation producer Don Bluth's fondness for overly cutesy characters and muddy color compositions work to the benefit of his feature-length cartoon The Land Before Time. Littlefoot, a brontosaurus child, must fend for himself when his mother is killed (shades of Bambi). With several other orphaned dinosaurs, Littlefoot seeks out the fabled Great Valley, where food and shelter is plentiful. Along the way, the kiddie dinos learn several vital (and politically correct) life lessons, all the while keeping themselves scarce whenever the fierce tyrannosauri gallumph into view. The cuteness of the characters (emphasized by the voice work) takes some of the harsh edges off the story, which makes the film eminently suitable for younger children; and the smeary color design is ideal for the time-frame of the film, which is set in the turbulent, nature-run-rampant period just before the dinosaurs died out. Apparently they didn't all die, inasmuch as a Land Before Time sequel was released on video in 1994. The earlier film inspired a 1988 Saturday morning cartoon series produced by Ruby-Spears, Dink: The Little Dinosaur. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gabriel Damon, Candy Hutson, (more)
An American Tail is a beautifully rendered animated flim that tells an overly familiar story in terms children can easily understand. Fievel Mousekewitz and his family of Russian-Jewish mice escape from their homeland in the late 1800s, boarding a boat headed toward America to evade the Czarist rule of the Russian cats. Fievel, however, is separated from his family upon his arrival in New York City, and he discovers to his horror that there are cats in America too (his father said there weren't). Fievel meets his share of friendly and hostile mice, and he eventually befriends a cat as well. Former Disney animator Don Bluth co-produced and directed this often heartwarming yarn, the first animated feature presented by Steven Spielberg, and it has its charms despite a number of cliché situations. ~ Don Kaye, Rovi
- Starring:
- Cathianne Blore, Dom DeLuise, (more)
Space Ace has discovered that the evil Borf has kidnapped his girlfriend and threatens to take over the world with his "Infanto Ray," which will turn everyone into babies. So how will Space Ace save the planet? And if he doesn't, who is going to heat the formula? Animator Don Bluth originally created Space Ace for a special laserdisc-based video game. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Frustrated with the Walt Disney studio's reluctance to produce full-length animated films, Don Bluth and a number of animators left the studio in the early '80s with the intent of creating movies in the style of Disney's classics. The Secret of NIMH is the first film Bluth produced after leaving the studio. Adapted from Robert C. O'Brien's acclaimed children's book Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of N.I.M.H., the film is about a widowed mouse whose home is threatened; also, one of her children is gravely ill. On her way to find help, she discovers NIMH, a secret society of highly-intelligent rats who have escaped from a nearby science lab. The rats help the widow to protect her family and home. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Hartman, Dom DeLuise, (more)
In this film, the mysterious Kira (Olivia Newton-John) appears to assist and inspire a young artist, Sonny Malone (Michael Beck). When she helps him meet up with the rich Danny McGuire (Gene Kelly), the two join up together to create an artistic and business success, an unique club called "Xanadu." ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi
- Starring:
- Olivia Newton-John, Gene Kelly, (more)
- 1979
A rare TV project from animator Don Bluth, Banjo the Woodpile Cat begins in somewhere in the Great Midwest, where the title character, a mischievous kitten, pulls one too many pranks on his mom and dad. Fearing severe punishment, Banjo hops a truck bound for Salt Lake City. Here he is befriended by a brace of worldly street cats named Crazy Legs and Zazu, not to mention a bevy of jazz-club showgirls. Wearying of scrounging for food, dodging dogs and braving thundershowers , Banjo prevails upon his new friends to help him get back to his old farm. Originally shown back to back with another animated special, Stanley the Ugly Duckling, Banjo the Woodpile Cat first aired May 1, 1982, on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sparky Marcus, Scatman Crothers, (more)
- 1978
The story of a poor boy who is forced to sell his pet donkey on the eve of the first Christmas. The new owners of the donkey become Biblical history. ~ Rovi
Based on a story by Hollywood old-timers Seton I. Miller and S. S. Field, Pete's Dragon divides its time between its flesh-and-blood characters and an animated green dragon. Pete (Sean Marshall), a lonely orphan boy in turn-of-the-century Maine, runs away from his abusive foster family. He stumbles upon a lovable dragon named Elliot, and the two become inseparable companions. Elliot is visible only to Pete, leading the townsfolk to assume that the boy is a trifle tetched. Pete finally finds happiness with his "new" family, lighthouse-keeper Lampie (Mickey Rooney) and his daughter Nora (Helen Reddy, who sings and sings). British comic actor Jim Dale co-stars as the wacky dentist Dr. Terminus. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Helen Reddy, Jim Dale, (more)
- 1977
- G
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The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is an hour-long compendium of the three Disney "Winnie" animated short subjects produced between 1966 and 1974. Sterling Holloway provides the voice of A.A. Milne's whimsical pooh-bear in all three cartoons, the first two of which are directed by Wolfgang Reithermann and the last by John Lounsbery. The program consists of Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (1966), Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (1968, which won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Subject), and Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too! (1974). The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh was originally prepared in 1977 for theatrical release, and has since been available primarily in home-video form. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Two fantasy novels by Margery Sharp were combined for in the Disney animated feature The Rescuers. The title characters are a pair of mice, Bernard and Miss Bianca. A little girl named Penny has been kidnapped by Miss Medusa. When the human law enforcement officials fail to locate the child, Bernard and Miss Bianca take over with the help of several colorful animal companions. In classic Disney tradition, the comedy element is offset by moments of genuine terror. Voices are provided by Bob Newhart (Bernard), Eva Gabor (Miss Bianca), Geraldine Page (Madame Medusa), Jim "Fibber McGee" Jordan, John McIntire, George "Goober" Lindsay, Joe Flynn (who died in 1974, not long into the four-year production), and a host of others. It scored at the box office, more than compensating for the $8 million investment and the half-decade of work it took to complete the film. In fact, The Rescuers remains one of the most popular of the Disney cartoon films produced after the death of Uncle Walt. A heavily-computerized sequel, The Rescuers Down Under, appeared in 1990. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Robin Hood is one of the first animated films produced by the Walt Disney Company after Walt Disney's death in 1967. For the film, the studio's animators took the Disney tradition of adding human-like animal sidekicks to established tales (Cinderella, Pinnochio) a step further by making Robin Hood's legendary characters creatures themselves. Robin Hood (Brian Bedford) is a wily fox; Maid Marian (Monica Evans) is a beautiful vixen; Little John (Phil Harris) is a burly bear; Friar Tuck (Andy Devine) is a soft-spoken badger; the Sheriff of Nottingham (Pat Buttram) is a greedy wolf; and the scheming Prince John (Peter Ustinov) is a sniveling, groveling, thumb-sucking undersized lion with a serpent sidekick named Sir Hiss (Terry Thomas). The film begins after Prince John and Sir Hiss have tricked the true King into leaving the country on a phony crusade. With the help of the Sheriff of Nottingham, they tax the life out of Nottingham's peasants, leaving them all penniless but with the courageous Robin Hood as their only hope. ~ Aubry Anne D'Arminio, Rovi
- Starring:
- Brian Bedford, Andy Devine, (more)
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