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The Rescuers

"The Rescuers" remains one of Disney's most classical adventures for three reasons: its structure, its animation, and its villain. While the plot follows the standard formula of ups and downs, sorrow and humor, it is certainly never without a touch of that special magic that only the best animated films possess. Featuring some of the most memorable hand-drawn work ever created, with standout scenes that include the artistically beautiful opening credits and a gloomier, darker side of Disney seen in the Devil's Bayou, the animation retains the simple complexities whose details were bursting with life, before the marvels of modern technology swept standard animation under the rug. ***

But like all good Disney movies, the best and most memorable aspect of this film is its villain, Madame Medusa (voiced by Geraldine Page), the snarly, devilish pawn shop owner who has kidnapped a young orphan named Penny (Michelle Stacy) because she's the only one small enough to slide down a terrifying black hole in search of the Devil's Eye, a precious gem of uncompromising value. When Penny sends out a bottle with a plea for help inside, it comes to the attention of the Rescue Aid Society, run by mice devoted to the protection of those in need (United Nations, take note). Signing on for this search-and-rescue is Bernard (Bob Newhart), once a janitor who has now been selected as a partner by the elite Hungary representative, Miss Bianca (Eva Gabor). With the help of an albatross named Orville, they must battle Medusa's bungling partner, Snoops (Joe Flynn), not to mention her two dastardly crocodiles, Nero and Brutis. ***

It's all pretty cut-and-paste as far as the story goes, but the moments of humor and the delightful characters make it a memorable and worthy trip. Newhart is an ideal choice for the voice of the timid Bernard, as is Gabor, whose wittiness and charisma are the perfect match for Miss Bianca's upper-crust dazzle. Their adventure could give Stuart Little a run for his money, and they don't even need special effects. For truly timeless entertainment, you can do no wrong with "The Rescuers."

The 1.66:1 anamorphic picture for "The Rescuers" isn't one of Disney's finer animation transfer, but considering the movie's age, it's probably the best we could ask for. The source print features some light speckle and scratches throughout the presentation, while there are noticeable fluctuations and shimmer in some of the textures and areas where colors should be solid. Saturation is good, even terrific in places, with no bleeding or smearing, while the clarity looks very good and edges remain sharp. The picture does retain a 3-D appearance that gives the images some depth. Age hasn't been too terribly kind to the picture, but it's an admirable effort all the same. ***

The sound has been refitted in Dolby Digital 5.1, and to be honest, I was expecting another "Treasure Island" track with no surround usage and a congested feel. Color me purple when, to my ears' surprise, the rear channels actually have some life to them, and the overall track sounds better than it ever has. The wonderful music has been given a fresh new remaster that puts it in every speaker, save for the .1 LFE, which is near-absent throughout. Surrounds sound good when engaged, and dialogue and sound effects, although dated, are acceptable in form. Not 100 percent impressive, but better than it could have been.