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The Rescuers Down Under |
| The Rescuers Down Under | |
|---|---|
 Original theatrical poster |
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| Directed by | Hendel Butoy Mike Gabriel |
| Produced by | Thomas Schumacher |
| Written by | Books: Margery Sharp Animation Screenplay: Jim Cox Karey Kirkpatrick Bryon Simpson Joe Ranft |
| Starring | Bob Newhart Eva Gabor John Candy Tristan Rogers Adam Ryen George C. Scott Frank Welker Wayne Robson Russi Taylor Bernard Fox Douglas Seale |
| Music by | Bruce Broughton |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Pictures |
| Release date(s) | November 16, 1990 |
| Running time | 74 min |
| Language | English |
| Gross revenue | $47,431,461 |
| Preceded by | The Rescuers (1977) |
The Rescuers Down Under is the twenty-ninth animated feature in the Disney animated features canon, produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, and was released by Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Distribution on November 16, 1990. The film, which takes place in the Australian Outback, is the sequel (Disney's first for an animated feature) to the 1977 film The Rescuers, based on the novels of Margery Sharp. The film and Fantasia 2000 are the only Disney sequels that are part of the Disney canon. The film was part of the Disney Renaissance era that began the year before with The Little Mermaid.
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The Rescuers Down Under is notable for Disney. It was the first Disney traditionally-animated movie to completely use the new computerized CAPS process. CAPS allowed more efficient and sophisticated post-production of the Disney animated films, and made obsolete the traditional practice of hand-painting cels. As a result, The Rescuers Down Under was the first feature film for which all original film elements were completely made within a digital environment, with the exception of the backgrounds and the animators' drawings, which were done the traditional way and then scanned into the computers. (However, the film's marketing approach did not call attention to the use of the CAPS process).1 It is Disney's second animated feature that does not include any musical numbers, the first being Disney's The Black Cauldron. The film also uses CGI elements throughout such as the field of flowers in the opening sequence, McLeach's truck, and perspective shots of Wilbur flying above Sydney Opera House and New York City.
A team of over 415 artists and technicians were required for the production of the film. Five members of the team traveled to the Australian Outback to observe, take photographs and draw sketches to properly illustrate the outback on film.2
On its initial release, The Rescuers Down Under was preceded by a short subject starring Mickey Mouse in an adaptation of The Prince and the Pauper. (This was only the second new Mickey Mouse short made since the 1950s, the first being Mickey's Christmas Carol, which was made to accompany the 1983 re-release of The Rescuers.)
The movie starts with Cody, a young boy from the Outback, who hears a distress call that leads him to find a giant great golden eagle named Marahute in a rope trap on top of a cliff. After Cody frees the eagle, he accidentally is knocked off the cliff. Marahute catches him at the last moment and gives him a ride on her back. After she shows him her eggs and gives him a feather as thanks for saving her, Cody sets off for home. On the way, he stumbles into a poacher's trap set by Percival McLeach. McLeach realizes that Cody knows Marahute's location and kidnaps the boy, intending to capture the bird and sell her. Although no other human knows of Cody's kidnapping, the mouse that was the bait of the trap rushes to a local mouse radio operator to begin a transmission relay to New York City to alert the Rescue Aid Society of the emergency.
Bernard and Bianca, the RAS' elite field agents, are assigned to the mission, interrupting Bernard's attempt to propose marriage to Bianca. They go to find Orville the albatross who aided them previously, but instead find Wilbur, Orville's brother. Bernard and Bianca convince Wilbur to fly them to Australia to save Cody. In Australia, they meet Jake, a kangaroo rat who is the RAS' local regional operative. Jake later flirts with Bianca, much to Bernard's chagrin. He serves as their guide and protector in search of the boy. Wilbur is immobilized when his spinal column is bent out of its natural shape, convincing Jake to consign him to hospital. When he refuses to undergo surgery and instead attempts to flee, Wilbur's back is unintentionally straightened by the efforts of the mouse medical staff to prevent him escaping through a window. Cured, he departs in search of his friends.
At McLeach's ranch, Cody has been thrown into a cage with several of McLeach's captured animals after refusing to give up Marahute's whereabouts. Cody tries to free the animals, but is thwarted by Joanna (McLeach's pet goanna). McLeach ultimately tells Cody that someone else has shot Marahute, tricking Cody into leading him to Marahute's nest. Bernard, Bianca, and Jake, half-aware of what is happening, jump onto McLeach's Halftrack to follow him.
At Marahute's nest, the three mice try to warn Cody that he has been followed; just as they do, McLeach arrives and captures Cody, along with Marahute, Jake, and Bianca. Wilbur arrives at the nest, whereupon Bernard convinces him to sit on the eagle's eggs, which Bernard had saved from Joanna moments before. McLeach takes Cody and Marahute to Crocodile Falls, where he ties Cody up and hangs him over the eponymous crocodiles. Bernard, riding a type of wild pig called a "razorback", which he had tamed using a technique earlier used by Jake, follows and disables McLeach's vehicle, preventing the use of its crane to put Cody at risk. McLeach then tries to shoot the rope holding Cody above the water. To save Cody, Bernard tricks Joanna into crashing into McLeach, sending them both into the water. The crocodiles chase McLeach, while behind them the damaged rope holding Cody breaks apart. Although McLeach manages to fight off the crocodiles, only Joanna makes it to the shore while McLeach falls to his death off a cataract.
Bernard dives into the water to try to save Cody, but fails. Jake and Bianca free Marahute just in time for her to burst free and retrieve Cody and Bernard. Bernard, desperate to avoid any further incidents, proposes to marry Bianca, who accepts eagerly while Jake salutes him with a newfound respect. All of them depart for Cody's home. Wilbur, whom they have neglected to relieve of his task, incubates the eggs until they hatch, much to his dismay.
The Rescuers Down Under features three characters from the first film: Bianca, Bernard, and the Chairmouse.
Most critics praised the film. On Rotten Tomatoes, 77% of the critics reviews were positive. But despite the fair critical success, the film underperformed at the box office, grossing only $27 million. The film's poor box-office performance discouraged Disney Studios to release any sequels to animated Disney movies theatrically.citation needed Only when they were fully convinced that the sequel would be a success would they release it theatrically,citation needed such as The Jungle Book 2 and Return to Never Land, both of which were successful. But the film was nominated for four awards when it was released. Even one for George C. Scott's performence as McCleach
The Rescuers Down Under is the only box-office failure of the Disney Renaissance era (1989-1999) because of its poor box-office performance as well as its lack of musical numbers, ironic given the success of the original The Rescuers and despite its reasonable critical reviews. However, despite its poor reception, a third movie was later planned for 1996 (presumably due to its successful home video release), but Eva Gabor suddenly died the previous year from respiratory failure from complications of pneumonia. Therefore, the planned movie and all future Rescuers sequels were scrapped.citation needed
| The Rescuers Down Under | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Soundtrack | ||
| Released | 1990 | |
| Recorded | 1990 | |
| Label | Walt Disney Records | |
| Producer | Bruce Broughton | |
| Professional reviews | ||
The Rescuers Down Under was released in the Walt Disney Home Video video series in 1993 on VHS like The Rescuers. However, unlike The Rescuers, the film did not make it to the Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection. It was released on DVD on August 1, 2000 as part of the Walt Disney Gold Classic Collection. It has yet to join the several other Disney films in the "Platinum/Special Edition" DVDs.
1991 - Genesis Awards- Feature Film - Family: Nominated
1990 - Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards- Best Animation: Nomimated
1991 - Motion Picture Sound Editors - Best Sound Editing - Animated Feature: Nominated
1991 - Young Artist Awards- Most Entertaining Family Youth Motion Picture - Animation: Nominated
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