Amazon.com

Duchess and her three kittens are enjoying the high life with theirdevoted human mistress until the wicked butler Edgar, with his eyes on a big inheritance, decides to dope them and get them out of the picture. How can these fragile creatures cope in the unfamiliar countryside and the meaner streets of Paris? Only by meeting the irrepressible alley cat O'Malley, a rough diamond with romance in his heart. After they get a taste of the wide dangerous world, he guides them home, and Edgar gets his just desserts at the wrong end of a horse. As always, it's really the voices rather than the animation that are the heart of the Disney magic: Phil Harris is brilliant as O'Malley, Eva Gabor as Duchess is... well... Eva Gabor; but perhaps the most memorable turns are by Pat Buttram and George Lindsay, who turn the old hounds Napoleon and Lafayette into a couple of bumbling Southern-fried rednecks. Their scenes with Edgar, and the musical numbers with Scat Cat and his cool-dude band, are classic. Most striking about seeing The Aristocats now is how deeply Disney's style of animation has changed since this was at the cutting edge in 1970. Perhaps the nostalgic, dated feel are just a result of being plonked down in Belle Epoque Paris, but the illustrations are fussier (a pity) and the animation and overall pace much less frenetic (sometimes a relief) than in more recent efforts such as Aladdin. --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (70)

"Everybody wants to be a cat"
I would have to give this 5 stars for the movie and 2 stars for the rest of the dvd. The Aristcats could also be called a sequel to 101 Dalmations, but this time it is only 4 cats that has to find thier way home instead of 15. Then you enter an ally cat name Thomas O'Malley thas aksed for help in return to the city of Paris in 1910. This movie took the Disney animators almost 4 years to make. Looks like every animators are still from Walt Disney days including Frank Thomas (who at the time of this writing) is still alive, but not very active, in fact looks like the last movie he worked on is The Fox and the Hound. As the movie opens, a woman named Madame Adelaide Bonfamille (Hermoine Baddeley) has come hom to her mansion, and awaits her lawyer (Charles Lane) to do her will in which, because of she has no living relatives, she decides to leave her house to her cats, and after the cats die, then the house goes to her butler Edgar (Roddy Maude-Roxby), and when Edgar over hears Madame's plane over a speaker, he decides to kid nap her cat Duchess (Eva Garbor) and kitness Marie (Liz English), Berlioz (Dean Clark), Toulouse (Gary Dubin), and he does that. And the Duchess and the kitness along with an alley cat named Thomas O'Malloy (Phill Harris), they make thier journey into Paris. This film was orginnlay intented to be a live action movie, but then somebody or somehow it got changed to an animated movie. And maybe some day a live action movie of this may be made, but if that does happen, for now you have this cartoon movie. This movie is a must for Disney or animated movie fans.

"Lady & the Tramp" for aileurophiles
(That's cat-lovers, by the way.) Disney here remakes his canine classic with feline leads and succeeds wonderfully. Duchess (voiced by Eva Gabor) is the pampered pet who (with her three kittens, Marie, Berlioz, and Toulouse) is forced out into the cruel world, and O'Malley (Phil Harris) the gallant alley cat who comes to their rescue and wins her love. Unlike the original, here we find a genuine villain--Edgar (Roddy Maude-Roxby), butler to Duchess's wealthy "Madame," who stands to inherit her estate after the cats have lived out their lives, and wants to hurry things up so he can get the money while he's still able to enjoy it. With the help of Froufrou the carriage horse (Nancy Kulp), Roquefort the mouse (Sterling Holloway), and Scat Cat (Scatman Crothers) and his (jazz) band of Alley Cats, O'Malley succeeds in foiling Edgar's plot, and Edgar gets his just desserts. True, the two hound dogs Napoleon and Lafayette (Pat Buttram and George Lindsey) are a bit over-the-top (where are they supposed to be from, the South of France?), but they do provide a laugh-out-loud comic interlude. With humor and suspense aplenty and a delightful array of characters, this movie might even convert the cat-haters in the family. Definitely one of my favorites.

The Purr-fect Film
This may be one of the best Disney movies that I have ever seen!The movie is about some of the rarest kinds of cats you could find just about anywhere in the world. The story shows some tips on how to respect oters, How to share, and how to show others how much you care about them. If you havent seen this movie, then plan to see it. This movie is for everyone, no matter how young you are, or how old you get.

One the Best Disney Films EVER!
I love everything about this movie. Ava Gabor is wonderful as the voice of Duchess. The kittens in the story are sooo sweet. This is a must have for anyone who is a true Disney fan.

No Aging, cute cats
How is it that Disney movies don't seem to age? Even Snow White seems pretty normal nowadays. The Aristocats is not the best, prettiest or funniest Disney movie ever made but people who like sweet cats will enjoy the drawing of the cute little cats in this movie.

The drawing of the people is very realistic and the animals all have their own personality, the jazzy alley-cats are my favorites. It's about 80 minutes long so perfect for young children. ... Read more

Reviews (160)

Mary Poppins on DVD
This is probably one of Walt Disney's best films, if not the best. It is the most excellent realized combination of live action and animation. It contains eternal charm, wit, and magic as it introduces us to the "practically perfect" nanny who brings profound change to the Banks family of London in the early twentieth century. Every song composed by Richard and Robert Sherman is pure magic. The believable visual effects, the heartfelt scripting, and the solid performances by Julie Andrews and the heart rendering Dick Van Dyke are truly eternal. Every element of production came together at their zenith to create a treasure of cinematic endearment. The DVD is excellent. The supplemental material is very good and nostalgic. One of the best films ever made. The superb cast also includes: David Tomlinson, Glynis Johns, Elsa Lanchester, Arthur Treacher, Ed Wynn, Hermione Baddeley, Reginald Owen and Jane Darwell as The Bird Woman. Director, Robert Stevenson is at his best.

Do Movies get much better than this???
This is my favorite musical of all time. It's wonderfully done, and the story is excellent. Julie Andrews did a great job in her first ever cinematic role, she plays a magical nanny that comes to a rich man's house in order to bring the family back together. What I love about her performance is that she looks very confident and so straight forward and firm, not as playful as you may think. The film also has Dick Van Dyke in the role of Bert, who is a very good friend of Mary Poppins and also handles magic very well. That role was funny and very entertaining(the accent is a bit confusing though), and i loved all of his dance numbers, especially Step In Time, the dance on the roof-top. Another excellent performance was David Tomlinson, who did the role of George Banks, the father of the children. He is very firm and strict, but he can also be very clumsy and forgetful, which is another reason I liked him. His song The Life I Lead was also great. This film was prized with five well-deserved Academy Awards, for the excellent Film Editing, the Visual Effects, like the jump into the pavement picture, the tea party on the ceiling and the smoke ladder, the excellent score, the song Chim Chim Cheree, which may have not been the best song, but one of them had to win, and last but not least, the excellent (oscar-winning) performance by Julie Andrews. I cannot find any more words for this film, so I'll leave you with one word. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

"Perfect Nanny"
Mary Poppins is my favorite movie. I love the charictors, the singing, the dancing. It is fun for the whole family. When I was alittle girl I watched it over and over again. I love to dance with the chimeny sweeps; I can't do everything they do, but still. This is the best master piece Walt Disney ever created besides Micky and friends. I love it and I am a teen.

It is about a fun nanny who has magic. That is probobly why I like her. There is never a dull moment when Mary Poppins is around: fox hunting, laughing in the air, riding a merry-go-round without the going arout. One of the best parts of all, supercalafagilisticexpialadocious.

My Kids Love it!
I have a preschooler and a kindergartener. They both watch it together. They get up and dance to "Step in Time" and "A Spoon Full of Sugar". We purchased the music CD, and listening in the car, makes the time go faster.

This Movie is Defintately a "Jolly Holiday"
I had not seen this movie for a very long time until last week I borrowed a copy from my cousin and it was very good.It was so much better than I remembered.My favorite part of this movie is the scene where Mary,Bert,and the children go into the painting and they see the pinguin waiters who do a very funny dance with bert,and they sing my favorite song in the movie called "Jolly Holiday".This is a very good movie.I recomend this movie to anyone. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In his book, Robert C. O'Brien called his brave widow mouse "Mrs. Frisby," but Disney escapee animator Don Bluth must have thought kids would laugh the wrong way at that. They renamed her "Mrs. Brisby" for NIMH. That acronym stands for the National Institute of Mental Health, and the rats that live near Mrs. Brisby came from NIMH--they have strange ways. But they're the only ones who can save her house and her children, so Brisby seeks them out with the help of a humorous crow (Dom DeLuise). The magic gets laid on a little thick but this is Don Bluth's most successful attempt to achieve a complete, sincere, animated film. It's often forgotten, but it's a true surprise and a rare treat in the vast wasteland of insubstantial children's fare. --Keith Simanton ... Read more

Reviews (106)

the ultimate in animated movies
I'd give this movie 10 stars if possible. I watched this movie everyday when I was a kid and when i watch it now, i can still recite it. This is such a great movie. As some of the other reviewers said, this movie is a little more realistic, a little grittier.
This movie truly does have something for everyone. Children will love the talking creatures, the ridiculous crow, Jeremy, (voiced with perfection by Dom DeLuise), and they'll recognize the overwhelming, self-sacrificing love Mrs. Brisby (the mother) displays for her family. Adults will enjoy the more subtle humor as well as the message of pure love conquering all obstacles. This movie (along with my role model mother) formed my image of how mothers should be: loving, strong and self-sacrificing. Even when Mrs. Brisby if forced to face her deepest fears (an owl, the cat), she does it, not without fear, but to save her son's life. This is a touching movie.
Another point of appreciation for this movie is that it does not try to simply dumb things down for kids. I like most Disney movies but this aims a little higher. There are some deep issues, such as death, jealousy, fear and hate, that aren't dwelt on but are brought up and as children grow older, they will grow to understand and love this movie more and more.

An enduring tale of love, courage and trust
Don Bluth's "The Secret Of NIMH," based upon the novel "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH," was released in 1982 and was quickly forgotten at the box office in favour of Steven Spielberg's E.T. (which was released around the same time). I picked this up for less than ten dollars on DVD and I haven't stopped playing it since. It has been at least fifteen years since I had last seen it, and I enjoy it more than ever.

Bluth and close to two dozen Disney animators defected from Disney's studios in favour of having a chance to express and explore their artistic visions and creativity. One of their first animated films was "The Secret of NIMH." Other Bluth films include "Anastasia," and "An American Tail." But no other animated film captures the sense of magic and wonder like "The Secret of NIMH."

Mrs. Brisby, a recently widowed field mouse, tries desperately to protect her invalid son Timothy from Moving Day, when the farmer's plough will destroy their underground home. She is led to a colony of superintelligent rats, ex-subjects of laboratory experiments at the National Institute of Mental Health. They are led by wise old Nicodemus, a friend of Mrs. Brisby's late husband Jonathan, also an escaped lab mouse from NIMH.

The somewhat dark tale does feature light-hearted comedic relief in the form of Jeremy, a trouble-prone young crow voiced by Dom Deluise. The story sticks fairly close to the book version, although several new elements are added and some side plots are cut due to time restraints. The artwork is breathtaking; vibrant backgrounds, clever special effects, the play of light and shadow. The characters are real and you quickly become attached to them. No one breaks into song every five minutes, although there is a very beautiful lullaby on the soundtrack that Mrs. Brisby sings to Timothy.

To me, this film is deeper, darker, and more imaginative than anything that Disney has produced. There are no fancy CGI effects, only the skilful work of animators that love what they do. The film carries a message of courage, love, and trust without being preachy or simple. There are plenty of tense, dark scenes, some of which might upset smaller children. But "Secret of NIMH" is a beautiful, intelligent movie that is so much more than a cartoon or a children's fable.

filled with wonder
As a kid in the 1980's, this was a favorite film of mine. I remember thinking how cool and imaginative this was compared to the sludge of rerun 80's tv cartoons (did anyone else have to suffer through the "USA network cartoon train" as a kid?) like "The Flintstones."

Don Bluth, like Tim Burton, was a very talented artist and animator who broke away from Disney. Both Burton and Bluth could not stand redrawing the same animation cells for other people all day long. Burton found profit, Bluth, sadly, did not. However, that is not to say that Bluth did not create some very fascinating films along the way.

This is a tale of wonder and imagination. Watching this film is almost like seeing the equivalent of an American film with Miyazaki style and presentation. If you have ever seen "Spirited Away" or "Kiki's Delivery Service" there is an obvious similarity here between Miyazaki and Bluth. However, Bluth is very much an American, as is the setting for this imaginative tale.

It is a tale of rats who were experimented on by humans, who became very intelligent, strange, and different as a result of what the humans had done to them. Eventually, these creatures managed to escape their bondage from humans, and formed their own kingdom far out in the country. This is the tale of Mrs. Brisby encountering this strange race of rats, but it is so much more.

Please check it out and experience one of the more unique animated films ever made. This is not Disney, this is a new and different style. Sadly, these films just didn't catch on with the 80's crowd and Bluth was forced to go underground and now, today, makes a living in the straight-to-video kid market (He churns out those Land Before Time sequels just about every month).

Not the same as the book, but just as good anyway!
While this movie is a bit more fantasy-like than the book, I think it's just as good. The first time I saw this was several years ago when Nickelodeon used to play movies on Sundays. Once I saw it, I immediately went after the book, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Told in the style of Poppy or Watership Down, both the movie and the story have the same main plot: A family of mice must move out of their home before the tractor comes for the yearly harvest. The problem is, little Timothy mouse is sick with pnemonia (forgive my spelling) and if he goes out of the house, he will die. Now Mrs. Frisby must look to the Rats, a race of intelligent rodents, to help them to be able to survive the tractor without leaving their home.

A childhood classic
This had been my favorite cartoon movie since I was six years old. I knew every line Mrs. Brisby spoke. This is the stuff that flying dreams are made of and will always be treasured in my heart.

A great tale of bravery and overcoming the odds with a touch of magic. ... Read more

Reviews (160)

Mary Poppins on DVD
This is probably one of Walt Disney's best films, if not the best. It is the most excellent realized combination of live action and animation. It contains eternal charm, wit, and magic as it introduces us to the "practically perfect" nanny who brings profound change to the Banks family of London in the early twentieth century. Every song composed by Richard and Robert Sherman is pure magic. The believable visual effects, the heartfelt scripting, and the solid performances by Julie Andrews and the heart rendering Dick Van Dyke are truly eternal. Every element of production came together at their zenith to create a treasure of cinematic endearment. The DVD is excellent. The supplemental material is very good and nostalgic. One of the best films ever made. The superb cast also includes: David Tomlinson, Glynis Johns, Elsa Lanchester, Arthur Treacher, Ed Wynn, Hermione Baddeley, Reginald Owen and Jane Darwell as The Bird Woman. Director, Robert Stevenson is at his best.

Do Movies get much better than this???
This is my favorite musical of all time. It's wonderfully done, and the story is excellent. Julie Andrews did a great job in her first ever cinematic role, she plays a magical nanny that comes to a rich man's house in order to bring the family back together. What I love about her performance is that she looks very confident and so straight forward and firm, not as playful as you may think. The film also has Dick Van Dyke in the role of Bert, who is a very good friend of Mary Poppins and also handles magic very well. That role was funny and very entertaining(the accent is a bit confusing though), and i loved all of his dance numbers, especially Step In Time, the dance on the roof-top. Another excellent performance was David Tomlinson, who did the role of George Banks, the father of the children. He is very firm and strict, but he can also be very clumsy and forgetful, which is another reason I liked him. His song The Life I Lead was also great. This film was prized with five well-deserved Academy Awards, for the excellent Film Editing, the Visual Effects, like the jump into the pavement picture, the tea party on the ceiling and the smoke ladder, the excellent score, the song Chim Chim Cheree, which may have not been the best song, but one of them had to win, and last but not least, the excellent (oscar-winning) performance by Julie Andrews. I cannot find any more words for this film, so I'll leave you with one word. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

"Perfect Nanny"
Mary Poppins is my favorite movie. I love the charictors, the singing, the dancing. It is fun for the whole family. When I was alittle girl I watched it over and over again. I love to dance with the chimeny sweeps; I can't do everything they do, but still. This is the best master piece Walt Disney ever created besides Micky and friends. I love it and I am a teen.

It is about a fun nanny who has magic. That is probobly why I like her. There is never a dull moment when Mary Poppins is around: fox hunting, laughing in the air, riding a merry-go-round without the going arout. One of the best parts of all, supercalafagilisticexpialadocious.

My Kids Love it!
I have a preschooler and a kindergartener. They both watch it together. They get up and dance to "Step in Time" and "A Spoon Full of Sugar". We purchased the music CD, and listening in the car, makes the time go faster.

This Movie is Defintately a "Jolly Holiday"
I had not seen this movie for a very long time until last week I borrowed a copy from my cousin and it was very good.It was so much better than I remembered.My favorite part of this movie is the scene where Mary,Bert,and the children go into the painting and they see the pinguin waiters who do a very funny dance with bert,and they sing my favorite song in the movie called "Jolly Holiday".This is a very good movie.I recomend this movie to anyone. ... Read more

Description

Disney's 20th full-length animated masterpiece, THE ARISTOCATS is an unforgettable mix of wild adventure, colorful characters, and jazzy music your family will find absolutely irresistible! This enchanting tale begins in Paris, when a kind and eccentric millionairess wills her entire estate to her family -- a family of adorable high-society cats. But when Edgar, the greedy butler, overhears her plan, he catnaps Duchess, the elegant, soft-spoken mother, and her three mischievous kittens and abandons them in the French countryside. Soon, they're being escorted home by the charming Thomas O'Malley, a rough-and-tumble alley cat, who takes them to his "pad" along the way, where Scat Cat and his band of swingin' jazz cats perform the memorable "Ev'rybody Wants To Be A Cat." Enriched by "high-style Disney animation" (The New Yorker) and toe-tapping music by Academy Award(R)-winning songwriters the Sherman brothers (MARY POPPINS), THE ARISTOCATS is a timeless treasure and the last animated feature to get the nod from Walt Disney himself. ... Read more

Reviews (70)

"Everybody wants to be a cat"
I would have to give this 5 stars for the movie and 2 stars for the rest of the dvd. The Aristcats could also be called a sequel to 101 Dalmations, but this time it is only 4 cats that has to find thier way home instead of 15. Then you enter an ally cat name Thomas O'Malley thas aksed for help in return to the city of Paris in 1910. This movie took the Disney animators almost 4 years to make. Looks like every animators are still from Walt Disney days including Frank Thomas (who at the time of this writing) is still alive, but not very active, in fact looks like the last movie he worked on is The Fox and the Hound. As the movie opens, a woman named Madame Adelaide Bonfamille (Hermoine Baddeley) has come hom to her mansion, and awaits her lawyer (Charles Lane) to do her will in which, because of she has no living relatives, she decides to leave her house to her cats, and after the cats die, then the house goes to her butler Edgar (Roddy Maude-Roxby), and when Edgar over hears Madame's plane over a speaker, he decides to kid nap her cat Duchess (Eva Garbor) and kitness Marie (Liz English), Berlioz (Dean Clark), Toulouse (Gary Dubin), and he does that. And the Duchess and the kitness along with an alley cat named Thomas O'Malloy (Phill Harris), they make thier journey into Paris. This film was orginnlay intented to be a live action movie, but then somebody or somehow it got changed to an animated movie. And maybe some day a live action movie of this may be made, but if that does happen, for now you have this cartoon movie. This movie is a must for Disney or animated movie fans.

"Lady & the Tramp" for aileurophiles
(That's cat-lovers, by the way.) Disney here remakes his canine classic with feline leads and succeeds wonderfully. Duchess (voiced by Eva Gabor) is the pampered pet who (with her three kittens, Marie, Berlioz, and Toulouse) is forced out into the cruel world, and O'Malley (Phil Harris) the gallant alley cat who comes to their rescue and wins her love. Unlike the original, here we find a genuine villain--Edgar (Roddy Maude-Roxby), butler to Duchess's wealthy "Madame," who stands to inherit her estate after the cats have lived out their lives, and wants to hurry things up so he can get the money while he's still able to enjoy it. With the help of Froufrou the carriage horse (Nancy Kulp), Roquefort the mouse (Sterling Holloway), and Scat Cat (Scatman Crothers) and his (jazz) band of Alley Cats, O'Malley succeeds in foiling Edgar's plot, and Edgar gets his just desserts. True, the two hound dogs Napoleon and Lafayette (Pat Buttram and George Lindsey) are a bit over-the-top (where are they supposed to be from, the South of France?), but they do provide a laugh-out-loud comic interlude. With humor and suspense aplenty and a delightful array of characters, this movie might even convert the cat-haters in the family. Definitely one of my favorites.

The Purr-fect Film
This may be one of the best Disney movies that I have ever seen!The movie is about some of the rarest kinds of cats you could find just about anywhere in the world. The story shows some tips on how to respect oters, How to share, and how to show others how much you care about them. If you havent seen this movie, then plan to see it. This movie is for everyone, no matter how young you are, or how old you get.

One the Best Disney Films EVER!
I love everything about this movie. Ava Gabor is wonderful as the voice of Duchess. The kittens in the story are sooo sweet. This is a must have for anyone who is a true Disney fan.

No Aging, cute cats
How is it that Disney movies don't seem to age? Even Snow White seems pretty normal nowadays. The Aristocats is not the best, prettiest or funniest Disney movie ever made but people who like sweet cats will enjoy the drawing of the cute little cats in this movie.

The drawing of the people is very realistic and the animals all have their own personality, the jazzy alley-cats are my favorites. It's about 80 minutes long so perfect for young children. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

A Fairly Good Musical
THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN is a fairly good musical based on the life of a young woman who rises from rags to riches as the wife of Leadville Johnny Brown and later gains even more fame as a survivor of the sinking of the Titanic. The movie is not quite as good as the original production on Broadway starring Tammy Grimes but it is still very entertaining in spots. The most memorable song is "Belly Up To The Bar, Boys."

Debbie Reynolds does a fine job in the lead as Molly Brown and Harve Presnel repeats his successful Broadway role as Leadville Johnny Brown. The strong supporting cast for the film includes Ed Begley, Hermione Baddeley, Jack Kruschen and Vassili Lambrinos.

The movie received Oscar nominations for Best Color Cinematography, Color Costume Design, Color Art Direction and Adapted Music Score. Debbie Reynolds was nominated for Best Actress. MY FAIR LADY dominated the Academy Awards in 1964.

Debbie Is Unsinkable
This terrific 1964 film is based on the stage musical of the homespun backwoods girl at the turn of the last century from Meredith Willson and Richard Morris, but this is Debbie Reynolds' movie all the way! Her energetic performance as Molly Brown deserved an Oscar and more. This is a big good old-fashioned musical the way they used to make them. Great Choreography by Peter Gennaro and Panavision Cinematography by Daniel Fapp make this a real winner combined with Meredith Willson's music. The underrated Harve Presnell plays Johnny Brown. This guy could sing and dance! It was good to finally see him show up in a recent move in a pivital role, something called "Saving Private Ryan."

Is this real?
When I started watching this the other day, I had no idea when it was made, who it was made by, etc. Thus, in my ignorance and based on the laughable opening scenes, I thought I might be watching some really bad quality program. And so, I sat down to enjoy a really poor quality film, just to do it.

As the movie progressed, I was able to get past the jerky story-telling and one-dimensional plotline to really start appreciating the main character, Molly Brown. She reminded me of Reba, and her enthusiasm and energy were unreal! She bounced back from more let-downs than one could possibly imagine.

By the end of the flick, I got the idea that Molly Brown was based on a real person as she had turned up in "Titanic" as a much heavier Kathy Bates. Her story was unbelievable and very rich, if still somewhat poorly told in this film.

In doing a bit of research, I learned alot more about the film. I think I appreciate what it was setting out to do but am disappointed that they directors seemed more enamored with the frivolous than with the meat of Brown's story. In the true story, Molly Brown forces her fellow women to row the boats around to pick up drowning survivors from the Titanic. Here, she simply sings to those in the boat with her.

Not too bad over all, but there might be better ways to learn Molly Brown's story...or whatever her real name is.

Great Musical, Weak on Authenticity
The songs and the dances were terrific -- but Mrs. Brown's real first name was "Maggie," and this film shows the wrong side of the Titanic scraping the ice berg, better loosen your belt. Bellying up to the ice berg. Whatever.

The End of an Era
When this movie originally came out, I wouldn't have guessed that this would be one of the last great musicals out of Hollywood. Sad as that may be, I am eternally grateful that Debbie Reynolds was cast as Molly Brown. She is absolutely terrific. Of course, she's always terrific and fortunately still going strong. And Harve Presnell.....this man would have been huge in the musical genre if MGM and its musicals hadn't crashed and burned.
If you love the film musical as an art form, this is a must have for your collection. Remember, no one did them bigger or more consistently better than MGM. ... Read more

Description

Winner of five Academy Awards(R) including Best Actress (Julie Andrews), Best Song ("Chim-Chim-Cher-ee"), and Best Visual Effects, Disney's musical masterpiece MARY POPPINS has formed an unbreakable bond with audiences of all generations! In her star-making performance, Julie Andrews plays the lovable nanny who flies out of the windy London skies and into the home of a no-nonsense banker and his two mischievous children. Hoping to bridge the gap between them, "practically perfect" Mary Poppins magically turns every chore into a game and every day into a whimsical adventure, including an unforgettable rooftop dance with a carefree chimney sweep named Bert (Dick Van Dyke). Filled with spellbinding effects and many wondrous, endearing moments -- how else could you possibly describe this timeless treat but "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"! ... Read more

Reviews (160)

Mary Poppins on DVD
This is probably one of Walt Disney's best films, if not the best. It is the most excellent realized combination of live action and animation. It contains eternal charm, wit, and magic as it introduces us to the "practically perfect" nanny who brings profound change to the Banks family of London in the early twentieth century. Every song composed by Richard and Robert Sherman is pure magic. The believable visual effects, the heartfelt scripting, and the solid performances by Julie Andrews and the heart rendering Dick Van Dyke are truly eternal. Every element of production came together at their zenith to create a treasure of cinematic endearment. The DVD is excellent. The supplemental material is very good and nostalgic. One of the best films ever made. The superb cast also includes: David Tomlinson, Glynis Johns, Elsa Lanchester, Arthur Treacher, Ed Wynn, Hermione Baddeley, Reginald Owen and Jane Darwell as The Bird Woman. Director, Robert Stevenson is at his best.

Do Movies get much better than this???
This is my favorite musical of all time. It's wonderfully done, and the story is excellent. Julie Andrews did a great job in her first ever cinematic role, she plays a magical nanny that comes to a rich man's house in order to bring the family back together. What I love about her performance is that she looks very confident and so straight forward and firm, not as playful as you may think. The film also has Dick Van Dyke in the role of Bert, who is a very good friend of Mary Poppins and also handles magic very well. That role was funny and very entertaining(the accent is a bit confusing though), and i loved all of his dance numbers, especially Step In Time, the dance on the roof-top. Another excellent performance was David Tomlinson, who did the role of George Banks, the father of the children. He is very firm and strict, but he can also be very clumsy and forgetful, which is another reason I liked him. His song The Life I Lead was also great. This film was prized with five well-deserved Academy Awards, for the excellent Film Editing, the Visual Effects, like the jump into the pavement picture, the tea party on the ceiling and the smoke ladder, the excellent score, the song Chim Chim Cheree, which may have not been the best song, but one of them had to win, and last but not least, the excellent (oscar-winning) performance by Julie Andrews. I cannot find any more words for this film, so I'll leave you with one word. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

"Perfect Nanny"
Mary Poppins is my favorite movie. I love the charictors, the singing, the dancing. It is fun for the whole family. When I was alittle girl I watched it over and over again. I love to dance with the chimeny sweeps; I can't do everything they do, but still. This is the best master piece Walt Disney ever created besides Micky and friends. I love it and I am a teen.

It is about a fun nanny who has magic. That is probobly why I like her. There is never a dull moment when Mary Poppins is around: fox hunting, laughing in the air, riding a merry-go-round without the going arout. One of the best parts of all, supercalafagilisticexpialadocious.

My Kids Love it!
I have a preschooler and a kindergartener. They both watch it together. They get up and dance to "Step in Time" and "A Spoon Full of Sugar". We purchased the music CD, and listening in the car, makes the time go faster.

This Movie is Defintately a "Jolly Holiday"
I had not seen this movie for a very long time until last week I borrowed a copy from my cousin and it was very good.It was so much better than I remembered.My favorite part of this movie is the scene where Mary,Bert,and the children go into the painting and they see the pinguin waiters who do a very funny dance with bert,and they sing my favorite song in the movie called "Jolly Holiday".This is a very good movie.I recomend this movie to anyone. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

A Fairly Good Musical
THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN is a fairly good musical based on the life of a young woman who rises from rags to riches as the wife of Leadville Johnny Brown and later gains even more fame as a survivor of the sinking of the Titanic. The movie is not quite as good as the original production on Broadway starring Tammy Grimes but it is still very entertaining in spots. The most memorable song is "Belly Up To The Bar, Boys."

Debbie Reynolds does a fine job in the lead as Molly Brown and Harve Presnel repeats his successful Broadway role as Leadville Johnny Brown. The strong supporting cast for the film includes Ed Begley, Hermione Baddeley, Jack Kruschen and Vassili Lambrinos.

The movie received Oscar nominations for Best Color Cinematography, Color Costume Design, Color Art Direction and Adapted Music Score. Debbie Reynolds was nominated for Best Actress. MY FAIR LADY dominated the Academy Awards in 1964.

Debbie Is Unsinkable
This terrific 1964 film is based on the stage musical of the homespun backwoods girl at the turn of the last century from Meredith Willson and Richard Morris, but this is Debbie Reynolds' movie all the way! Her energetic performance as Molly Brown deserved an Oscar and more. This is a big good old-fashioned musical the way they used to make them. Great Choreography by Peter Gennaro and Panavision Cinematography by Daniel Fapp make this a real winner combined with Meredith Willson's music. The underrated Harve Presnell plays Johnny Brown. This guy could sing and dance! It was good to finally see him show up in a recent move in a pivital role, something called "Saving Private Ryan."

Is this real?
When I started watching this the other day, I had no idea when it was made, who it was made by, etc. Thus, in my ignorance and based on the laughable opening scenes, I thought I might be watching some really bad quality program. And so, I sat down to enjoy a really poor quality film, just to do it.

As the movie progressed, I was able to get past the jerky story-telling and one-dimensional plotline to really start appreciating the main character, Molly Brown. She reminded me of Reba, and her enthusiasm and energy were unreal! She bounced back from more let-downs than one could possibly imagine.

By the end of the flick, I got the idea that Molly Brown was based on a real person as she had turned up in "Titanic" as a much heavier Kathy Bates. Her story was unbelievable and very rich, if still somewhat poorly told in this film.

In doing a bit of research, I learned alot more about the film. I think I appreciate what it was setting out to do but am disappointed that they directors seemed more enamored with the frivolous than with the meat of Brown's story. In the true story, Molly Brown forces her fellow women to row the boats around to pick up drowning survivors from the Titanic. Here, she simply sings to those in the boat with her.

Not too bad over all, but there might be better ways to learn Molly Brown's story...or whatever her real name is.

Great Musical, Weak on Authenticity
The songs and the dances were terrific -- but Mrs. Brown's real first name was "Maggie," and this film shows the wrong side of the Titanic scraping the ice berg, better loosen your belt. Bellying up to the ice berg. Whatever.

The End of an Era
When this movie originally came out, I wouldn't have guessed that this would be one of the last great musicals out of Hollywood. Sad as that may be, I am eternally grateful that Debbie Reynolds was cast as Molly Brown. She is absolutely terrific. Of course, she's always terrific and fortunately still going strong. And Harve Presnell.....this man would have been huge in the musical genre if MGM and its musicals hadn't crashed and burned.
If you love the film musical as an art form, this is a must have for your collection. Remember, no one did them bigger or more consistently better than MGM. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is the desert-island choice of the many versions ofA Christmas Carol, with a magnificent, full-bodied portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge by Alastair Sim that leaves everyone else in the dust. Lean and direct, this film's version of the story wastes no time trying to impress viewers with the magical nature of the spirits' visitations. Director Brian Desmond Hurst keeps the focus on Scrooge's life story, beautifully simplifying and underscoring the theme of lost women with a haunting musical refrain from the folk song "Barbara Allen." Sim's commitment to the role is at times astonishing; his Scrooge's Christmas-morning ecstasy is a marvel of giddy technique. Watch for Patrick Macnee (Steed inThe Avengers) as the young Jacob Marley--the actor made his screen debut in this 1951 production.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (111)

A haunting ghost story
Somehow, across the years, the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his three ghosts has been transformed from it's spooky roots to light-hearted family fare. Scrooge is not so much evil, as grumpy. The ghost's tend to amuse rather than frighten.

This black-and-white version of "A Christmas Carol" maintains the horror roots of the story. Jacob Marley is one of the most frightening ghosts to haunt the silver screen. He grows intolerant of the idea that Scrooge is not frightened, and howls his rage and frustration. The Ghost of Christmas Past is an impersonal specter, cold and distant. Present is jolly and yet quick to anger. Future is the grim shade that he is supposed to be.

The back story of Scrooge is told in greater detail here than in any other version. He resents Fred, not because of his Christmas cheer but because his birth caused the death of Scrooge's beloved sister. He not only remembers the good times at Fezzywig's, he remembers putting Fezzywig out of business later in life. Alastair Sim brings this character to fullness more than any other actor. The Christmas morning scene is a delight, and worth the wait.

As a bonus, the Fleischer "Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer" is included on this disk. This is clearly Santa Claus by the people who gave us the first animated Superman. The animation is fluid and dynamic. One of the best extras on any DVD.

Alastair Sim IS Scrooge!
I have loved Alastair Sim's version of "A Christmas Carol" for as long as I can remember; the film certainly belongs in every collection. Sim was essentially a comic actor, which is why his portrayal of Ebeneezer Scrooge is so believable. Sim's Scrooge is a basically good and trusting man who has allowed himself to be hardened by some unfortunate life experiences. But as he is visited on Christmas Eve night by the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, we see Scrooge's cold-hearted facade gradually stripped away until he wakes up on Christmas morning a giddy, light-hearted "child." This scene is the movie's emotional peak; it is cathartic to watch Sim as he dances joyfully around his bedroom. Afterwards, it is touching to watch him try to right his past wrongs by accepting his nephew Fred's invitation to Christmas dinner (while the lovely Scottish ballad "Barbara Allen" plays in the background), and by promising to help the poor family of his clerk, Bob Cratchit. Though Sim dominates the film, the other cast members are fine indeed, while the score, by Richard Addinsell, evokes the Dickensian mood superbly (particularly memorable are the dark, pounding chords heard during the opening credits). The sets and lighting, though rather low-budget for a 1951 movie, also contribute to the atmosphere of Victorian grittiness. For me Alastair Sim's is the definitive version of "A Christmas Carol," while Sim himself will always BE Ebeneezer Scrooge.

It's Got One Thing Going For It...
...And that's Alastair Sim's definitive performance as Ebenezer Scrooge. His transformation from pathetic wretch to hysterical exuberance is beyond words. I'm not sure any actor will be able to duplicate such a performance. Other actors (like George C. Scott and Michael Caine) have been able to successfully provide their own interpretations however.

That said, I cannot bring myself to rate the 1951 version of Scrooge: A Christmas Carol as high as other versions. Though it's one of the shortest renditions at less than 90 minutes, it seems like one of the longest. Part of the reason why is that it spends so much time visiting Ebenezer Scrooge's past. Not only does the film touch on aspects that the other films do (the break-up with his girlfriend, etc), but they also cover his sister's death while giving birth, his first meeting with Jacob Marley, his and Marley's takeover of the business (I don't care what anyone says, no child watching this "family" film will be interested in watching business transactions like the one depicted in this scene - neither will some adults), and they even show Marley on his deathbed. I haven't counted, but this film must devote at least 30 minutes to Scrooge's past, which doesn't leave much room to cover his present and future. This is a problem, because they spend more time on how Scrooge became a bitter old miser and less time on his emotional transformation toward good-heartedness...thank goodness they had Sim to pick up the slack.

As much as it pains me to say I also have a problem with how dated the film seems to be. This movie looks more like it's from the 30's or 40's instead of 1951. I don't know if it's due to budget constraints or if they just haven't taken good care of the original film. It just looks old and washed out...and I love films from the 50's many of my favorites are from that era.

There's one more thing. It's not a big deal, but have you noticed the young actor playing Tiny Tim? I mean, he has to be at least 15 years old! I might be wrong, but I don't think "Tiny" Tim was in his mid-teens! The sight of Bob Cratchet carrying around this adolescent on one of his shoulders is hilariously absurd.

For years, the 1951 production of A Christmas Carol has been considered by many to be the best interpretation of the Dickens' classic, thanks primarily to Alastair Sim's brilliant portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge. To that, I say "Bah, humbug!" The best treatment of this tale not only needs a great performance from its lead actor, but from the entire cast. The film should also be told with just the right atmosphere and pacing. The 1951 version meets none of these criteria. When regarding the classic story of A Christmas Carol, we don't have to settle for a film that rides on the coattails of its lead actor's performance! For my money, the 1984 production of A Christmas Carol with George C. Scott has always been the best...and after viewing the 1999 Patrick Stewart film, it still is!

50+ Years a Fan!
I was 15 when this film was first shown, in 1951, and I have watched it as often as possible, ever since. Since the advent of home video machines, I have watched it every year, and not only at Christmastime. In my opinion, this production of A Christmas Carol is by far the best one ever done. The direction and casting were brilliant, the supporting cast was excellent, and Alastair Sim was/is the quintessential Scrooge. I doubt that anyone else could ever equal Sim's masterful portrayal, both subtle and powerful, poignent and moving. He truly brought Scrooge to life. Who could possibly forget the joyful awakening on Christmas morning? And, for that matter, who could forget actor Mervyn Johns' portrayal of Bob Cratchit, as he was greeted by Scrooge upon his late arrival at work the following morning? Perfect and priceless! A superb film!

Best of the Litter
This version emotionally takes you back to the time and spirit of Dickens. You will need to look out the window every once in a while to make sure you have not been time transported to 160 years ago. It is very close to the original manuscript which I read once per year just before Christmas as well as viewing this version of the video. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Wild schoolgirl hijinks
"The Belles of St. Trinians" is an old-fashioned wacky school comedy, full of wild kids and clueless adults.  Set in an English private school, the girls of St. Trinians might just have been the first to establish this familiar film genre.

The girls are VERY wild, sometimes shockingly so, brewing up gin in chemistry class and then selling it through a local bootlegger, Flash Harry, or winning field hockey games by putting the opposing team and the referee in the hospital by whacking them with their hockey sticks.   In light of current "PC" times, kids in films just aren't this wild anymore.  Plenty of the humor just comes from seeing these kids in action.

Alistair Sim does good service in his double role as the corrupt Clarence and his twin sister, the optimistic yet still slightly corrupt Mrs. Fritton.  The other adults in this film range from clueless to incompetent, such as the Board of Education inspectors who like the school so much they just never seem to leave.

"The Belles of St. Trinians" is a bit dated, but that is part of its fun as well.

An innovative British comedy
Alastair Sim reprises, after a fashion, his barmy schoolmaster role from the 1950 film, "The Happiest Days Of Your Life," only this time he's playing Margaret Rutheford's character, performing in drag as Miss Fritton, a dotty headmistress whose belief in a liberal, unstructured education has led to complete lawlessness and havoc at her private girl's school. Sim also plays Miss Fritton's twin brother, a crooked bookie who locks horns with his sister over a rigged horse racing scam. The joy of this movie comes from the anarchic behavior of the ill-mannered, blithely menacing students, who are surly, dishevelled and perhaps a bit worldly beyond their years. (The film was based on a series of drawings by cartoonist Ronald Searle, sort of a "Pippi Longstocking" meets "Lord Of The Flies" scenario...) There are also several choice character roles: Sims' gender-bending aside, there is a magnificent performance by George Cole, as "Flash Harry", a fast-talking but quite loveable con artist who helps sell the bootleg liquor the Fourth Form girls make in chemistry class, and Joyce Grenfell as a horsey, inept policewoman who is sent in undercover to find out just what's going on at St. Trinian's. As with many postwar British comedies, the underlying theme is of a crass new age threatening to overtake the decorum of the old, established order, as typified by the hypocrisies of the adults in the film (Sim and the slovenly, venal school staff) and the more likeable slickness and unapologetic hucksterism of the Flash Harry character. The depictation of the chaotic, unruly, cigarette smoking girls -- American style juvenile delinquents! Egad! -- is also pretty funny. The film runs at a brisk, slapstick pace, and the humor is often rather obvious and unsubtle, but when it hits the mark, it's a delight.

Jolly Hockeysticks
"The Belles of St Trinian's" is a British comedy produced in the 50s. It centres around St. Trinian's--a school for girls, and this is the first film in the series of four. St Trinian's has a terrible reputation--both with the local constabulary and also with the Ministry of Education, but when a wealthy Arab sheik decides to send his daughter, Fatima, to St Trinian's, he is blissfully unaware of the school's awful reputation but is rather impressed by the school's proximity to the racetrack.

St. Trinian's is beleaguered by financial problems, and the headmistress, Miss Fritton, has been forced to pawn the school trophies, so it is with delight that the teachers and headmistress receive the wealthy Princess Fatima and her allowance of one hundred pounds. Clarence, Miss Fritton's evil twin brother--an avid gambler is also delighted that Fatima is attending the school. He intends--along with his daughter (another St Trinian's pupil)--to nobble the Sheik's horse, Arab Boy in the upcoming races and thereby win a bundle. To complicate matters, Miss Fritton also bets on Arab Boy to win.

Things turn ugly when the fourth form (who put aside their gin-making temporarily) battle against the sixth form, and it's every man for himself on Parent's Day when war wages between the besieged fourth formers and the aggressive sixth. Fortunately, a bus full of 'old girls' comes to the rescue armed with Zulu spears and shields.

Meanwhile the Ministry of Education's attempts to reign in this out-of-control school for delinquents has led to the mysterious disappearence of several school inspectors, and the subsequent formation of 'the lotus eaters' in the school's greenhouse. This really has to be seen to be believed. Alasdair Sim doubles for both the delightfully distracted Miss Fritton and her twin brother conniving Clarence. Joyce Grenfell is extremely funny as the besotted police woman Ruby Gates--persuaded against her better judgement to operate undercover as Creepy Crawlie, St Trinian's Games Mistress. And George Cole is marvellous as Flash Harry--the odd character who haunts the bushes of St Trinian's--and who imagines that he is the soul of discretion. This film is highly recommended for British comedy fanatics.

A classic
Before the Goon show and Monty Python there was the Trinian series. Examples of innovative British comedy. Some of the later Trinian films are real stinkers. This is the original and it is simply one of the funniest films ever made-period. If you watch this and the 1951 version of "A Christmas Carol" and do not come away convinced that Alastair Sim was one of the great actors of all time, there's no hope for you.

Inspired Lunacy
In this and the sequel movies about "St. Trinian's School for Girls" an inspired British ensemble cast, led by the matchless Alastair Sim, carry on in the most inspired tradition of British comedy. Alastair Sim plays a dual role, both as headmistress of the school and as her shady uncle. Paraphrasing the words of the headmistress, "Other schools for young girls sadly do not prepare young girls for the cold cruel world, but in the case of St. Trinian's girls, it is the cold cruel world which is not prepared." I cannot WAIT, I PLEAD, for the someday release of a DVD set of the entire St. Trinian's series, an "All Class Reunion."

If the madcap humor of Monty Python or Mel Brooks is your cup of tea, do not miss St. Trinian's!! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Dickens' 1st novel, But His Abilities Really Show!
Overall, these people did a really good job of fitting Charles Dickens' 800 page book into 2 hours. It deletes some material to be sure. But most of the major events are left in tact. Mr. Pickwick shines as a typical Dickens type hero. (He is human; he has some faults; and he is a regular everyday person who triumphs over great trouble.) Jingle comes off well as a typical Dickens villain. (He is very bad in some ways; but he carries a charm that makes him likable; and he does show redeeming qualities.) Dodson and Fogg are great as the corrupt money making lawyers. Perker is fine as the honest and benevolent lawyer. Sam Weller is great as the eccentric but loyal servant of Mr. Pickwick. It is amazing how Charles Dickens is able to mix everyday normal life with some extraordinary events to create comedy that is NEVER low level. (These days, it seems that people can only create low humor that makes some audiences feel very offended and insulted.) If you haven't had much exposure to Charles Dickens, this movie is a wonderful way to start. It is not only really funny, but it shows Dickens' talent for creating fully 3 D characters, eccentrics, likable villains with redeeming qualities, situational comedy, and the power of deception in the courts. If you like this movie, be sure to get "David Copperfield" with Edna May Oliver as Aunt Betsey and W.C. Fields as Mr. Micawber.

Superb production of Dickens' comic masterpiece, but
If you have read Dickens' The Posthumus Papers of the Pickwick Club, you wonder how they could possibly make a movie of that sprawling, episodic masterpiece. This 1952 British film does an excellent job of hitting the highlights including Mr. Pickwick finding out he's in a strange lady's bed, Mr. Tupman's love affairs, Mr. Winkle's duel, Mr. Jingle's tricks, and the great trial and jailing of Pickwick. As you might imagine, casting this tale is difficult, but they found the perfect Pickwick in James Hayter. The other members of the Pickwick Club are also just like the book, and Harry Fowler IS Sam Weller! The only problem with this video is the poor quality of the picture and especially the sound. It looks like a poor quality 16 mm transfer with a disturbing buzz on the soundtrack. Hopefully, they will try to put out a better quality video in the future.

lighthearted but intense
Sweet and funny like the book. Shows how people have always been the same, and always will be. We're all just a bunch of silly old buggers. ... Read more

Description

What do you do when you have a beautiful house, two great children, and a Marriage on the Rocks? If you're bored Val Edwards (Deborah Karr), you swap your fuddy-duddy hubby Dan (Frank SInatra) for his swingin' bachelor best friend Ernie (Dean Martin) - and watch the spraks fly. Ol' Blue Eyes breezes through this romantic comedy romp at the head of an all-star cast. Along for the laughs are frequent Sinatra co-stars Martin, Cesar Romero, and Tony Bill, plud daughter Nancy Sinatra and Kerr. The fun starts when the Edwards take a second honeymoon in Mexico and fall into the hands of the quickie-divorce/quickie-marriage lawyer Romero. Faster then jumping beans, everybody's unhitched, rehitched, confused, confounded, and cohabitating. But Dan has the right attitude. "We had a bad marriage", he says. "Let's have a happy divorce!" ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Delight
This is a great movie. If you love Frank Sinatra, you'll love this one. It is a light hearted comedy, with all the charm and pizazz that Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin give the screen. You will smile all from beginning to end at all the confusion that erupts. It is must see for all the fans of 1950s and 1060s movies. ... Read more

Reviews (106)

the ultimate in animated movies
I'd give this movie 10 stars if possible. I watched this movie everyday when I was a kid and when i watch it now, i can still recite it. This is such a great movie. As some of the other reviewers said, this movie is a little more realistic, a little grittier.
This movie truly does have something for everyone. Children will love the talking creatures, the ridiculous crow, Jeremy, (voiced with perfection by Dom DeLuise), and they'll recognize the overwhelming, self-sacrificing love Mrs. Brisby (the mother) displays for her family. Adults will enjoy the more subtle humor as well as the message of pure love conquering all obstacles. This movie (along with my role model mother) formed my image of how mothers should be: loving, strong and self-sacrificing. Even when Mrs. Brisby if forced to face her deepest fears (an owl, the cat), she does it, not without fear, but to save her son's life. This is a touching movie.
Another point of appreciation for this movie is that it does not try to simply dumb things down for kids. I like most Disney movies but this aims a little higher. There are some deep issues, such as death, jealousy, fear and hate, that aren't dwelt on but are brought up and as children grow older, they will grow to understand and love this movie more and more.

An enduring tale of love, courage and trust
Don Bluth's "The Secret Of NIMH," based upon the novel "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH," was released in 1982 and was quickly forgotten at the box office in favour of Steven Spielberg's E.T. (which was released around the same time). I picked this up for less than ten dollars on DVD and I haven't stopped playing it since. It has been at least fifteen years since I had last seen it, and I enjoy it more than ever.

Bluth and close to two dozen Disney animators defected from Disney's studios in favour of having a chance to express and explore their artistic visions and creativity. One of their first animated films was "The Secret of NIMH." Other Bluth films include "Anastasia," and "An American Tail." But no other animated film captures the sense of magic and wonder like "The Secret of NIMH."

Mrs. Brisby, a recently widowed field mouse, tries desperately to protect her invalid son Timothy from Moving Day, when the farmer's plough will destroy their underground home. She is led to a colony of superintelligent rats, ex-subjects of laboratory experiments at the National Institute of Mental Health. They are led by wise old Nicodemus, a friend of Mrs. Brisby's late husband Jonathan, also an escaped lab mouse from NIMH.

The somewhat dark tale does feature light-hearted comedic relief in the form of Jeremy, a trouble-prone young crow voiced by Dom Deluise. The story sticks fairly close to the book version, although several new elements are added and some side plots are cut due to time restraints. The artwork is breathtaking; vibrant backgrounds, clever special effects, the play of light and shadow. The characters are real and you quickly become attached to them. No one breaks into song every five minutes, although there is a very beautiful lullaby on the soundtrack that Mrs. Brisby sings to Timothy.

To me, this film is deeper, darker, and more imaginative than anything that Disney has produced. There are no fancy CGI effects, only the skilful work of animators that love what they do. The film carries a message of courage, love, and trust without being preachy or simple. There are plenty of tense, dark scenes, some of which might upset smaller children. But "Secret of NIMH" is a beautiful, intelligent movie that is so much more than a cartoon or a children's fable.

filled with wonder
As a kid in the 1980's, this was a favorite film of mine. I remember thinking how cool and imaginative this was compared to the sludge of rerun 80's tv cartoons (did anyone else have to suffer through the "USA network cartoon train" as a kid?) like "The Flintstones."

Don Bluth, like Tim Burton, was a very talented artist and animator who broke away from Disney. Both Burton and Bluth could not stand redrawing the same animation cells for other people all day long. Burton found profit, Bluth, sadly, did not. However, that is not to say that Bluth did not create some very fascinating films along the way.

This is a tale of wonder and imagination. Watching this film is almost like seeing the equivalent of an American film with Miyazaki style and presentation. If you have ever seen "Spirited Away" or "Kiki's Delivery Service" there is an obvious similarity here between Miyazaki and Bluth. However, Bluth is very much an American, as is the setting for this imaginative tale.

It is a tale of rats who were experimented on by humans, who became very intelligent, strange, and different as a result of what the humans had done to them. Eventually, these creatures managed to escape their bondage from humans, and formed their own kingdom far out in the country. This is the tale of Mrs. Brisby encountering this strange race of rats, but it is so much more.

Please check it out and experience one of the more unique animated films ever made. This is not Disney, this is a new and different style. Sadly, these films just didn't catch on with the 80's crowd and Bluth was forced to go underground and now, today, makes a living in the straight-to-video kid market (He churns out those Land Before Time sequels just about every month).

Not the same as the book, but just as good anyway!
While this movie is a bit more fantasy-like than the book, I think it's just as good. The first time I saw this was several years ago when Nickelodeon used to play movies on Sundays. Once I saw it, I immediately went after the book, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Told in the style of Poppy or Watership Down, both the movie and the story have the same main plot: A family of mice must move out of their home before the tractor comes for the yearly harvest. The problem is, little Timothy mouse is sick with pnemonia (forgive my spelling) and if he goes out of the house, he will die. Now Mrs. Frisby must look to the Rats, a race of intelligent rodents, to help them to be able to survive the tractor without leaving their home.

A childhood classic
This had been my favorite cartoon movie since I was six years old. I knew every line Mrs. Brisby spoke. This is the stuff that flying dreams are made of and will always be treasured in my heart.

A great tale of bravery and overcoming the odds with a touch of magic. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

A Fairly Good Musical
THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN is a fairly good musical based on the life of a young woman who rises from rags to riches as the wife of Leadville Johnny Brown and later gains even more fame as a survivor of the sinking of the Titanic. The movie is not quite as good as the original production on Broadway starring Tammy Grimes but it is still very entertaining in spots. The most memorable song is "Belly Up To The Bar, Boys."

Debbie Reynolds does a fine job in the lead as Molly Brown and Harve Presnel repeats his successful Broadway role as Leadville Johnny Brown. The strong supporting cast for the film includes Ed Begley, Hermione Baddeley, Jack Kruschen and Vassili Lambrinos.

The movie received Oscar nominations for Best Color Cinematography, Color Costume Design, Color Art Direction and Adapted Music Score. Debbie Reynolds was nominated for Best Actress. MY FAIR LADY dominated the Academy Awards in 1964.

Debbie Is Unsinkable
This terrific 1964 film is based on the stage musical of the homespun backwoods girl at the turn of the last century from Meredith Willson and Richard Morris, but this is Debbie Reynolds' movie all the way! Her energetic performance as Molly Brown deserved an Oscar and more. This is a big good old-fashioned musical the way they used to make them. Great Choreography by Peter Gennaro and Panavision Cinematography by Daniel Fapp make this a real winner combined with Meredith Willson's music. The underrated Harve Presnell plays Johnny Brown. This guy could sing and dance! It was good to finally see him show up in a recent move in a pivital role, something called "Saving Private Ryan."

Is this real?
When I started watching this the other day, I had no idea when it was made, who it was made by, etc. Thus, in my ignorance and based on the laughable opening scenes, I thought I might be watching some really bad quality program. And so, I sat down to enjoy a really poor quality film, just to do it.

As the movie progressed, I was able to get past the jerky story-telling and one-dimensional plotline to really start appreciating the main character, Molly Brown. She reminded me of Reba, and her enthusiasm and energy were unreal! She bounced back from more let-downs than one could possibly imagine.

By the end of the flick, I got the idea that Molly Brown was based on a real person as she had turned up in "Titanic" as a much heavier Kathy Bates. Her story was unbelievable and very rich, if still somewhat poorly told in this film.

In doing a bit of research, I learned alot more about the film. I think I appreciate what it was setting out to do but am disappointed that they directors seemed more enamored with the frivolous than with the meat of Brown's story. In the true story, Molly Brown forces her fellow women to row the boats around to pick up drowning survivors from the Titanic. Here, she simply sings to those in the boat with her.

Not too bad over all, but there might be better ways to learn Molly Brown's story...or whatever her real name is.

Great Musical, Weak on Authenticity
The songs and the dances were terrific -- but Mrs. Brown's real first name was "Maggie," and this film shows the wrong side of the Titanic scraping the ice berg, better loosen your belt. Bellying up to the ice berg. Whatever.

The End of an Era
When this movie originally came out, I wouldn't have guessed that this would be one of the last great musicals out of Hollywood. Sad as that may be, I am eternally grateful that Debbie Reynolds was cast as Molly Brown. She is absolutely terrific. Of course, she's always terrific and fortunately still going strong. And Harve Presnell.....this man would have been huge in the musical genre if MGM and its musicals hadn't crashed and burned.
If you love the film musical as an art form, this is a must have for your collection. Remember, no one did them bigger or more consistently better than MGM. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

"Be careful what you ask for...."
Throughout the 1950s, a group of young British writers were referred to as "angry young men" because, in their novels and plays, they excoriated what they perceived to be the dominant materialistic values of their society following World War Two. They included playwrights John Osborne and Kingsley Amis and novelists John Braine, John Wain, and Alan Silitoe. This film is based on Braine's novel Room at the Top; Neil Patterson received an Academy Away for best adapted screenplay. Joe Lampton (Laurence Harvey) is the focal point. Driven by smoldering ambition to overcome his modest circumstances and deeply resentful of the wealthiest man in a North Country village (Brown, played by Donald Wolfit), he finally obtains a position in Brown's company and begins his difficult journey to "the top" while including marriage to Brown's daughter Susan (Heather Sears) among his ultimate objectives. Along the way, he meets an older but still attractive Frenchwoman, Alice Aisgill (Simone Signoret) with whom he has an affair. For Joe, it is a mere dalliance along his career path; she, however, falls in love with him. Beyond the passionate sex which she enjoys as much as he does, Alice also helps Joe to refine his social graces and increase his understanding and appreciation of the cultural arts. (Signoret received an Academy Award as best actress for her performance in this film.) Joe seems grateful for her contributions to his self-improvement but really has no long-term interest in her. He remains obsessed with reaching "the top" with wife Susan at his side, possessing great wealth, power, and prestige.

And then he learns from Susan that....

Alice is the most sympathetic character in the film, largely because Joe exploits her so callously. As for Brown, "what you see is what you get": a class-conscious, hard-driving, no-nonsense capitalist. Unlike Joe, no need for dissembling. Brown is at "the top" and (by God) he intends to remain there. Susan is of great importance to Joe (and to her father, of course) but is of little importance to the film's story line except as one of the ambitious goals which motivate Joe. He really cares little for her as a person, one way or the other. Were she in his own social class, Joe would probably have little to do with her...except, perhaps, for occasional sexual gratification (for himself). At least Alice offered more than sex...she offered unconditional love. Only at the end of the film does Joe begin to realize what he has gained by reaching "the top" and at what a cost. Both in the novel and in this film, Joe symbolizes just about everything which enrage