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25 out of 29 people found the following review useful: A forgotten Disney masterpiece., 17 October 2003 Author: Boba_Fett1138 from Groningen, The Netherlands
This is probably one of the most unknown Disney classic.For the time the movie was quite new and revolutionary and it doesn't quite fit in with the other movies Disney made in that period., perhaps that's the reason why it has been forgotten. But "The Great Mouse Detective" deserves to be known and seen.The characters are real classics and one of the best to have ever appeared in a Disney movie. Actually Professor Ratigan (voiced by the legendary Vincent Price) is quite possibly my favorite movie villain of all time. No wonder that it was Vincent Price's favorite role. His style and humor is priceless and it cracks me up every time. But the other characters are also very memorable. I especially like the character of doctor Dawson.The story is good and very pleasant and very mature compared to other Disney's from that period. But of course the idea of making a story about the mouse version of Sherlock Holmes alone is already good enough to make a fun movie about.One of the other things that makes this movie different compared to other Disney's from that period are the songs or better said the lack of it. The movie features only one song (3 if you count the bar song and the goodbye, so soon song.). But it's not a miss. The surprising magnificent musical score by famous composer Henry Mancini make up for this loss.The movie has a very spectacular final on and in the famous Big Ben. It's by far my favorite Disney movie ending.Certainly a fun movie to watch over and over again.10/10P.S.: If you're Dutch speaking, I highly recommend that you watch this movie Dutch spoken. Believe it or not it's even better and more fun then the English version! Believe me, just give it a shot.
24 out of 28 people found the following review useful: A Glorious Movie With An Unusually Developed Cast!, 25 February 2002 Author: kez (mistressofbasil)
This is, by far, one of the most underappreciated Disney classics of all, and one of the most developed as far as the character and the story. Basil is a perfect portrayal of Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes, and many don't know that it was based off a book about a mouse who lived the life of his idol, none other than Sherlock Holmes.Personally, I love this movie because it has a colorful, developed cast of characters.Basil is not your average Disney hero, having no love interest at any point in the movie; he is also a super-intelligent character and often bursts into fits of scientific observation. His facial expressions are timed well and are very well done, as well as his general movement. He is very excitable and you can tell he adores working on cases. He doesn't really like children, as you can see from the way he treats Olivia in the beginning. You really get a feel for Basil when watching him, and he's not easy to forget. Kids may not understand half of the things he's saying, but it's fun to watch.Olivia is the little heroine mouse who starts Basil on his case, losing her father to a mysterious peg-legged bat of whom Basil is aware of. She is extremely plain-drawn and has no emphasis on her gender really, save for the bow in her hair and her voice, making her very realistic. She also acts alot like a realistic little girl, in her laugh, in the way she reacts to things, even in the way she exclaims "father!" when reunited with her toymaker father. Her curiosity is classic, and she has a high adoration for Basil, though he doesn't appreciate her at the start of the story.Dawson is the elder mouse who finds Olivia looking for Basil of Baker Street. He isn't sure of who Basil is, but they end up finding him together. Dawson is, of course, Watson in mouse form, and helps Basil in his first case, being this movie.Ratigan is the villain played by the late horror film star Vincent Price, and quite well in my opinion. He has the likeness of Mr. Price in the way he moves and acts. Of course, nothing is weirder than hearing him sing, but it happens twice in the movie-- "The World's Greatest Criminal Mind" and "Goodbye, So Soon" were both written specifically for Price. He is not one of the more frightening villains as far as his looks, and is unique in that up until the climax he uses his intelligence to battle Basil, instead of the strength he obviously posesses. On a special note, Ratigan dislikes being called a rat for some reason, though I cannot remember why.Fidget is probably one of the darkest villain henchmen in a Disney movie. He is frightening to children in appearance and voice, and the music accompanying him adds a comical aura. Fidget is by far my favorite Disney henchman, just because he's funny. The one thing that bothers me, though, is that a few times in the movie, his peg leg switches from right to left. I think it was just for the reuniting scene in which Olivia steps on his only foot, so it was switched.The movie has many fast-paced scenes, including "Investigation At The Toy Shop" and "Big Ben Chase", among others. My personal favorite is "Big Ben Chase," because it is one of the longest Disney climaxes and it is a very unlikely setting. The movie itself is about Olivia's toymaker father being kidnapped by Fidget, and her turning to Basil for help. Basil's nemesis, Ratigan, is linked to the bat, and Basil, who was reluctant and annoyed by Olivia's protest at first, jumps at the oppertunity to see if he can finally defeat Ratigan. The movie goes from there with its "many twists and turns", to quote Basil.If you want a fun-filled, unpredictable adventure, The Great Mouse Detective is your best bet. Especially if you're a Sherlockian or Eve Titus fan who has yet to see this exiciting portrayal of Basil of Baker Street.
16 out of 16 people found the following review useful: A very cute Disney movie, one of my favorites!, 27 January 2004 Author: Kristine (kristinedrama14@msn.com) from Chicago, Illinois
The Great Mouse Detective is one of my favorite Disney films of all time, it's also one of the most under rated in my opinion. I think just because I love the story so much and it always brought up good memories, this was the funniest Disney animated movie I had seen at the time. It's just such a cute film, it has fun animation, catchy songs, and such a touching story that anyone could easily fall in love with. My parents and I watched this movie together all the time when I was a child, still to this day, I don't mind sitting down to watch it, it's just that much fun.A young little mouse girl and her toy shop father are celebrating her birthday, but her father is quickly taken away by a rotten gang of mice who are led by a giant rat, Ratigan, who is planning to over throw the queen and become leader of the mouse world. Olivia, the daughter, goes to Basil of Baker Street, he's a mad detective who has been chasing Ratigan for a long time. Along with the help of an average mouse, Dr. Dawson, Olivia, and Basil go after Ratigan to make sure that his plan fails.The Great Mouse Detective is such a cute film. I'm very sure that you'll enjoy it, it's one of my personal favorites, I really do think this is one of the better Disney films and is an under rated treasure. I just loved Basil, his madness was just so funny and enjoyable to watch. I also loved Ratigan's song of why he is so great, not to mention how he thinks he's a mouse is just priceless. This is a fun family film to watch, I highly recommend it.10/10
13 out of 13 people found the following review useful: One of Vincent Price's Favorite Roles, 15 January 2001 Author: Baroque
I enjoy this film for one main thing, besides the attention to detail concerning Victorian England...the performance of Vincent Price as Ratigan in his scenery-chewing glory. Yes, it's another mice-beneath-your-feet story, but it's so well done. Holmesians will enjoy it's inside jokes and references to other works about the famous fictional sleuth.Fans of "Ducktales" may note that Alan Young, the voice of toymaker Hiram Flaversham, parlayed his near-perfect Scottish accent into being appointed the official voice of Scrooge McDuck. But it's Vincent Price in what he later called one of his most favorite roles ever (He even had two original songs written for him!) that draws me back to this film again and again. He clearly enjoyed this role, and the exaggerated movements of Ratigan are obviously his.An oddly gothic cartoon from Disney, and well worth viewing.
13 out of 14 people found the following review useful: Forgotten Classic with Some of the Best Animation in History, 3 July 2004 Author: dbborroughs from Glen Cove, New York
Having revisited this film on the anniversary of its first release I was shocked at how good it is. I was also left to wonder why Disney never did anything with it since its release since its a very good film.The plot is simple, Basil of Baker Street helps a young girl find her kidnapped father who is the clutches of the evil Ratigan. There's more to it than that but thats a place to start.Vincent Price, probably having the time of his life, is the foul villain and he seems to be having a complete ball. What ever joy he was feeling must have been infectious since the work the animators did carried over and its fun to watch Price's animated alter ego mug for the camera.This is the last of the un-politically correct films from The Mouse House. Characters smoke, which as we all know is now a no no since Disney is now going back and digitally erasing all trace of that "bad habit" from all of their earlier films. Characters die. Yes the villain still dies these days, and perhaps a Mom to get the plot going, but here we have several characters die, one simply for insulting the villain.The final sequence of this film, a battle in and on Big Ben was promoted as Disney's first major use of computer animation. The sequence is spectacular and one of the greatest animated pieces I've ever witnessed even today. The whole thing lasts maybe five minutes but it pushes the art of animation as far as Disney has ever gone and shows us what a loss the politically correct, story formula has been in the realm of artistic animation. Disney learned how to make money but not films that pushed the envelope of what was possible. What might have happened if they had expanded on this one sequence?See this movie. I give it 8 out of 10. Its not perfect but it is funny and exciting in ways that the films that followed rarely were. The film also contains several moments that prove that Pixar are not the only ones who can make movies that reflect the Warner Brothers style.
14 out of 16 people found the following review useful: I love it!, 26 June 2003 Author: TEENQUEEN1171987 from United States
Great Mouse Detective is one of the best Disney movies I've seen yet. The animation is that classic Disney style and (thank Goodness) it lacks all of those annoying songs. As a true Sherlockian, I can only say that this is as good as it gets as far as Holmes goes. No matter what everyone says, It is still great. Kids may not get some parts f it, but every Sherlockian knows what's going on. While Ratigan may be no Moriarty, he's still the perfect example of the classic Disney villain. Vincent Price is a terrific actor, and Alan Young as Flaversham was the perfect fit. Young Susanne Pollatschek is the perfect Olivia and no one could do a better Basil than Barrie Ingham. Val Bettin makes a lovable Dawson. Fidget is the classic evil crony. This is absolutely a must see. For all you baby-sitters out there, and I know from personal experience, take this to your next job and the kids won't even blink for over an hour. It's one of the most memorable Disney movies of it's age. Although Beauty and the Beast will always be my favorite, GMD runs an extremely close second! I give it 11/10! It's that good!I always say when I write these, I loved this movie, but you may not. So how do you decide if you like it? See it! Form your own opinion! After all, one man's trash and all like that! Hope you find a good one!
8 out of 9 people found the following review useful: an overlooked masterpiece, 13 October 2006 Author: That_Beatles_Girl from Canada
"The Great Mouse Detective" is one of Disney's best films, in my opinion, because it doesn't pander to children. In this movie, the characters go to a bar, get into fights, and stripping is alluded to. However, that's not to say it isn't appropriate for children. I watched this movie when I was very young and I was so innocent that I didn't realize what those things meant. Now that I am older, I still enjoy the film. That's what makes it so great- it's enjoyable for both children and adults. Vincent Price is amazing in this film playing one of Disney's best villains. I don't know the other voice actors, but they were also great, especially the person playing Olivia. Her Scottish accent was spot-on and so darn cute. Strong characterization is one of the stronger points in this movie. Although Basil may appear cynical on the outside, he is really a sucker for Olivia. Dawson is charming and kind, Fidget is 10 times more hilarious than your average bumbling sidekick, and as I said already, Ratigan and Olivia are sublime. The Great Mouse Detective also has great music. It features 3 original songs, "World's Greatest Criminal Mind" and "Goodbye So Soon" performed by Vincent Price, and "Let Me Be Good to You" performed by Melissa Manchester as the white dancer mouse. I am proud to say that LMBGTY is one of my favorite songs of all time. Also, an excellent original score is prevalent in this movie- I wish I knew somewhere were I could get my hands on a soundtrack!! The animation is dark and moody- generally not what you'd expect from a Disney movie, and the Big Ben scene is impressive even 20 years later.I highly recommend this movie for all Disney fans, and even for non-Disney fans. Great Mouse Detective is a diamond in the rough!!
8 out of 9 people found the following review useful: Wonderful!, 12 February 2004 Author: MovieAddict2009 from UK
Very enjoyable Disney cartoon has Basil of Baker Street (equal to our own Sherlock Holmes) as a mouse on the trail of a missing mouse's toymaker father. Quite scary at times for the little ones, but this is a surprisingly excellent modern-day Disney film with some good animation, good ideas, good execution, catchy songs, a grand finale worthy of applause, and some fine in-jokes for the older audience members who have some knowledge of Holmes's tales.**** 1/2 / *****
6 out of 7 people found the following review useful: Disney`s darkest movie, 1 September 2000 Author: action-6 from Froland, Norway
"The Great Mouse Detective" has got to be one of the darkest of Disney`s movies. I didn`t see the entire movie untill recently, and I liked it as a different Disney-movie. The setting is brilliant. London in the 19th century is very atmospheric, and Disney`s animation makes it look good. The villains are great, and I used to think that Ratigan was a quite scary character. He is still good. It is indeed a watchable movie, and you should see this instead of "Pocahontas" and "Tarzan". 8/10
4 out of 6 people found the following review useful: Oh, Ratigan!, 30 September 2007 Author: Salazar from New Zealand
This diamond in the rough, "Robin Hood" and "Brave Little Toaster" are, in my opinion the best post "Bednobs and Broomsticks" pre "Little Mermaid" films to come out in that time where Disney flicks were only nominated but didn't win any Oscars 'till "Mermaid". A lot of people have never heard of "Great Mouse Detective", but they really should watch it. Ratigan is one of my favourite Diney villains next to Frollo ("Hunchback of Notre Dame") and Prince John ("Robin Hood). If it wasn't for this "Little Mermaid" would never of been made and thus the Disney renaissance would never of started so it really was THIS film that actually sparked it off.All in all go see this film- you won't be disappointed. Honest.
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