Disney Era Analysis – The Rescuers
As mentioned in the first blog post in this series, I’ll be writing analysis content on all 60+ Disney animated feature films and their film making eras.
The fourth era is the Bronze Age, which ran from 1970 to 1988 and started with The Aristocats. As mentioned in a previous blog post, the Bronze Age is also known as the “Dark Age,” as the films during this era were the first ones made after Walt Disney’s death.
Without Walt Disney’s creative direction, the animators tried new things with the animation style during this era, which ended up being criticised as cheap and lazy, due to their use of xerography and recycling animation. As well as the heavy use of xerography and recycling animation, this era is also known for its darker and edgier films, which were the brainchild of the then-new generation of animators from Cal Arts.
So how well did The Rescuers measure up to these famous features, and was it the right film to mark the halfway point of the era?
Use of xerography and recycling animation:
According to the film’s IMDb page, this film is the first to improve the xerography process. While the film’s predecessors had a sketchier look and used a black toner, this film used a medium-gray toner for softer-looking lines and was the first film where purple outlines were used, with other colours developed during the making of future films. Admittedly, I did notice that this film didn’t seem to have as many black lines, and now I know why.
In regards to recycling animation, Penny is clearly Mowgli from The Jungle Book but with blonde hair in pigtails and feminised. Madame Medusa’s mannerisms and driving were eerily similar to that of Cruella DeVil, however they weren’t recycled, mere inspiration. According to the film’s IMDb page, this film recycles animation from its own scenes as the film progresses. The IMDb page provides the examples of Orville’s take off to Devil’s Bayou being recycled at the end when Bernard and Bianca begin their second mission, Snoops running down the stairs as Penny runs away being used again when Medusa calls him down after Bernard and Bianca discuss their escape plan, and Brutus holding Penny upside down with her fists swinging at him when the crocodiles bring her back to the riverboat being used again when Brutus is about to carry Penny off from the black hole.
Being a darker and edgier film:
This film was definitely a darker and edgier film, and I’d say the first of the Era, and considering that this Era is known for its darker and edgier films, I feel that this feature came too late.
This feature touched on dark themes like child slavery and exploitation and kidnapping, and the art and animation matched its dark themes and setting. According to the film’s IMDb page, Madame Medusa appears to be a crueller and angrier villain than usual Disney villains. This is due to her scheme beginning months prior to the events of the start of the film, and by the time she makes her first appearance in the film, her patience for Penny and Mr. Snoops has run out.
My overall thoughts:
Overall, I enjoyed the film, with the opening marking one of its unique traits by having the mice delegates be counterparts to their humans, right down to their outfits, as well as being set in relatively contemporary times (one theory is that the film was set in 1967, ten years before the film was released). I found the majority of the characters in the film charming, specifically the Rescue Aid Society, the leads, and Orville.
I also appreciated the historical elements at play with this film, especially with the Rescue Aid Society, with some continents being represented by one delegate (with Africa being the main standout due to the many conflicts going on at the time, with the film makers choosing to represent lasting nations, such as Egypt, independently, in an effort not to date the film, and have a female representative with the intention of being inclusive for the 1970s, which would most likely be seen as politically incorrect by today’s standards). It was also noticeably taking a feminist approach with its female character portrayals of Madame Medusa, Ellie Mae, and Miss Bianca assuming the dominant role over their passive partners, and Penny trying to rescue herself, inverting the ‘damsel in distress’ trope.
However, I did feel that the film’s tone was uneven as it was comedic when it came to the Rescue Aid Society and positively portrayed characters, and dark when it came to Medusa and her underlings. The film’s efforts to balance the two were jarring and unsuccessful overall.
The next part of the Disney Era Analysis series will focus on The Fox and the Hound.
Fun Facts and Trivia (according to the film’s IMDb page):
- This film was the first Disney animated feature film to inspire a sequel.
- This film was the last to feature a cast member who was born in the 19th century.
- At the Rescue Aid Society meeting, there is a delegate representing Latvia. However, Latvia was not an independent country at the time but part of the Soviet Union.
References:
Loveday Writing 