The Secret of NIMH (And its Wannabe Sequel, Timmy to the Rescue) (And apparently, the Books, too)

I've had conversations about Secret of NIMH with Green Penguino and Ziggy in my introduction thread, so I know there are at LEAST two secret of NIMH fans on this forum.

Here, we can talk about both the movie AND its horrible sequel.

To start off, I'd like to point out similarities between The Secret of NIMH and Star Wars:

The Originals...

both have a scene involving using telekinesis to move something big out of a swamp.

both have comic relief characters.

both have one sequence where the female lead isn't wearing enough clothing.

Their Follow-Ups...

both use low-quality animation/effects.

both have an annoying "comic relief" character.  (I've already made several cracks at this on this forum)

both involve a whiny kid being the "chosen one" who eventually fulfills his destiny.  (The only difference is that Anakin actually DID do something to fulfill his destiny; all Timmy did was...  wait...  what DID Timmy do?)

Well, I guess that's it with the comparisons.

Well, you have Wham-o Inc. to blame for that.  When I first saw the movie, I thought Brisby was a little bit hard to pronounce.  'Course, now, I'm used to it.  I've read the entire Rats of NIMH trilogy shortly after seeing the movie and direct-to-video sequel.  I think Racso and the Rats of NIMH is my favorite of the books, particularly because Mrs. Frisby got more screen time in it than Mrs. Brisby did in Timmy to the Rescue.  Why couldn't they have made Secret of NIMH 2 based around that?

DoubleKO said:

I didn't know there was a trilogy. Or even a second one.

There are two movies and three books.  The second book is called Racso and the Rats of NIMH, and the third book is called RT, Margaret, and the Rats of NIMH.  You should check them out of the library when you get the chance.  The only thing I don't like is that they keep changing the main characters in each book.  Quit passing the stupid torch already!  (Hmm...  Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, Racso and the Rats of NIMH, RT Margaret and the Rats of NIMH...  Indiana Jones and the Rats of NIMH?)

Chewtobacca said:

I hadn't realized that there were other films either, so I'd be curious to see them, even if they are terrible.  I'm a fan of the original film (and the book) too. :)

Technically, it's sequel isn't so much a film, as it is a telecine.  Believe me, one view is enough.

DuracellEnergizer said:

I saw The Secret of NIMH once, back in seventh grade, and didn't like it because it deviated too much from the book, which I really liked.

I felt the same way about the new Chronicles of Narnia movies, but in the end it turned out that I liked them.  Maybe you'll like Secret of NIMH, too.

Ziggy Stardust said:

Some of the best animation in a movie, ever.

I love the gritty style of the animation!  Rough-lookin' pencil lines, beautiful matte-painting backgrounds...  It's all awesome!  If only more animation today was like that...

Chewtobacca said:

Pennsylvania Jones said: Believe me, one view is enough.

I can well believe it.  :)

Has anyone seen the BD of The Secret of Nimh yet?

Well, the first time I saw the film was on Netflix Instant Watch in HD, though I have no doubt that the Blu-Ray is much better quality.  Too bad about that dirtiness.  It seems that a Blu-Ray movie made from a good transfer is pretty hard to find.

darth_ender said:

Don Bluth was the only competition to Disney for some time, and he did it on a fraction of the budget.  He really was brilliant, and his other three great successes in my mind were An American Tail, Anastasia, and Land Before Time.  Not much of a fan of All Dogs Go to Heaven, and Titan AE was only okay.  Still, his style, grit, and depth far exceeds the superficiality of most Disney films.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy many Disney movies, but I really find Bluth brilliant.  Yep, yep, yep!

Of those, I've seen American Tail (both Bluth Theatrical films and both direct-to-video sequels), Anastasia (barely remember it, though, other than the dismembered bad guy), Land Before Time (not sure how many of them I've seen, but there were a lot of them), and Titan AE (Something to pass the time along).  I don't mind the American Tale direct-to-video movies as much as I do Timmy to the Rescue.  That's because with American Tail, you're EXPECTING it to be a musical.  The movies are SUPPOSED to be about Fievel.  Secret of NIMH is NOT supposed to be a musical, nor is it about a bratty Timothy.  The songs in both definitely could've been better, though.

Ziggy Stardust said:

Pennsylvania Jones totally NIMHs skyjedi.

Meaning?

darth_ender said:

Pennsylvania Jones said:

darth_ender said:

Don Bluth was the only competition to Disney for some time, and he did it on a fraction of the budget.  He really was brilliant, and his other three great successes in my mind were An American Tail, Anastasia, and Land Before Time.  Not much of a fan of All Dogs Go to Heaven, and Titan AE was only okay.  Still, his style, grit, and depth far exceeds the superficiality of most Disney films.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy many Disney movies, but I really find Bluth brilliant.  Yep, yep, yep!

Of those, I've seen American Tail (both Bluth films and both direct-to-video sequels), Anastasia (barely remember it, though, other than the dismembered bad guy), Land Before Time (not sure how many of them I've seen, but there were a lot of them), and Titan AE (Something to pass the time along).  I don't mind the American Tale direct-to-video movies as much as I do Timmy to the Rescue.  That's because with American Tail, you're EXPECTING it to be a musical.  The movies are SUPPOSED to be about Fievel.  Secret of NIMH is NOT supposed to be a musical, nor is it about a bratty Timothy.  The songs in both definitely could've been better, though.

FYI Bluth did not take part in any sequel to any of these series.  He only did the first film establishing a legacy that others could make cheesy and/or crappy sequels to.

I did read Mrs. Frisby, followed by Racso, by the way, and was impressed with the first book, and surprisingly equally enjoyed the second, though written by a different author many years after the first.  The successor managed to capture both the style and the characters in my opinion.  Of course that had to be at least 15 years ago for me, but still...

He did Fievel Goes West.  It was MGM's idea to do those dumb sequels.

I suppose you haven't read RT, Margaret, and the Rats of NIMH yet?

Well, this is interesting.  I go to IMDB and look up the credits for Fievel Goes West, and I couldn't find Don Bluth's name anywhere.  I could've sworn he did this one...

In any case, Fievel Goes West was still a theatrical sequel, and, IMO, is the best Bluth sequel ever made.  Now, if only Secret of NIMH got the same treatment.  (Just saying...)

If I had to guess, I would say you just saw either the first or second movie for the first time. The '90s were great for so-bad-it's-good straight to video gold.

bkev said:

If I had to guess, I would say you just saw either the first or second movie for the first time. The '90s were great for so-bad-it's-good straight to video gold.

I've only ever seen Timmy to the Rescue once, and I have no intention of watching it again.  The original, I've seen regularly since I first watched it.  That was months ago.  Heck, I'm even editing videos using clips from Secret of NIMH!  Unless you're talking about American Tail, which I remember from WAAAAAAY back into my childhood.  Come to think of it, I do remember in my childhood watching Secret of NIMH.  I remembered illness being involved (perhaps my own?) and that one shot of Mr. Ages slamming the door in Mrs. Brisby's face.  In French.

In French? Oh-la-la, classy guy over here.

bkev said:

In French? Oh-la-la, classy guy over here.

Yes, I remember it vividly...

Mrs. Brisby said:

Merci-

*SLAM!!!*

Mrs. Brisby said:

Bocu.

I was obsessed with French at the time, because of two movies: Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown and Herbie goes to Monte Carlo.  I'll bet I have to start a Charlie Brown thread and a Herbie thread.