( 25 reviews )
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Posted: 08-08-2009
Traditional animation is a lost art. Sadly, skilled artisans of the silver screen have been replaced by computers. They can do it cheaper, and they can do it quicker in today's world. Yet, they can't do it as good. This movie is an animated lovers dream. It's absolutly stunning. When you think that in 1982 they were still doing this stuff without computers. They were hand painting the animation cells and photographing them onto film one shot at a time. This wasn't just a job to these guys back then. Don Bluth left Disney because he felt they had dropped in their standards for animation. I'd say he is right. This movie puts modern animated films to shame. While there have been some great Disney films in the modern age: The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King they don't look nearly as beautiful as this film. There are so many rich colors and an overall more organic atmosphere. Computers just can't capture the passion and the love that animators had in their films 30 or 40 years ago. It wasn't all about the $$$$$$$$$ back then. I loved this when I was a kid and now that I'm an adult I appreciate it much more. They don't make them like this anymore gang. Perhaps I'm just getting old, but this is a must own classic to me.
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Posted: 08-08-2009
Having seen this movie all those years ago when it first came out, it amazes me that it can still move me - from the graceful, energetic animation to the passionate, moving voice performances, The "Secret of NIMH" is a classic in my book. While I am uncertain if I would recommend it for very young children, I have always been impressed at how this film deals with such serious subjects as responsibility, loneliness and mortality in a way that doesn't talk down to kids. I'm quite happy that TSON is now finally available in widescreen with this edition. I do wish that this film would get the conscientious remastering of which it is so deserving. While the picture is generally clean, some scenes appear rather washed out, and the whole movie suffers a bit from "telecine jitter". I would love to see a deluxe remaster treatment a al "Wizard of Oz" for this movie with an audio redo in Dolby 5.1 -- I'd buy that edition in a heartbeat. All in all, though, whether you have kids or not, do yourself a favor and get this classic movie for your collection.
