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Each summer, grown-up audiences flock to theaters to see the latest summer blockbusters—big-budget releases that are packed with action and suspense. Kids, meanwhile, can stay at home and enjoy Disney’s classic take on the summer blockbuster: 1977’s mousy mystery, The Rescuers.
While the human members of the United Nations meet nearby, the mice of the Rescue Aid Society gather together to offer aid to those in need. When they find a bottle containing an appeal for help from a little girl named Penny (voiced by Michelle Stacy), they decide to send a team to her rescue. Hungarian delegate Miss Bianca (Eva Gabor) volunteers for the assignment, choosing mild-mannered janitor Bernard (Bob Newhart) to join her.
The two quickly discover that Penny has gone missing from the Morningside Orphanage. As they search for the little girl, their investigation leads them to greedy pawn shop owner Madame Medusa (Geraldine Page), who’s kidnapped Penny and put her to work at Devil’s Bayou.
They may be just a couple of mice, but Bernard and Miss Bianca have plenty of friends who are happy to help them save poor little Penny.
It may not have the superhero action or the big-budget effects of, say, The Avengers, but Disney’s The Rescuers has plenty of imaginative, kid-friendly thrills. What begins as the mystery of a missing little girl soon turns into a suspenseful rescue operation. Bernard and Miss Bianca end up battling a villain who’s pure evil—and, in the process, they find themselves soaring through the air on an albatross, chased by a pair of big, vicious crocodiles, and braving raging rapids. These daring little mice rarely get a chance to stop and catch their breath during their harrowing mission, but they get plenty of help along the way from sweet but strong-willed little Penny, who isn’t about to go down without a fight.
And that’s something that most grown-up action movies typically lack: lovable characters. Sure, they have unbalanced baddies like Madame Medusa—a creepy hag who could possibly be Cruella De Vil’s cousin. But they don’t often have heroes like prim and proper (but not too prissy) Miss Bianca or lovably bumbling Bernard. They don’t have kids like distraught but determined little Penny, who stays strong despite the circumstances—or cute supporting characters like the orphanage’s observant old cat, Rufus (John McIntire), or dependable dragonfly Evinrude.
Meanwhile, in spite of its constant action, there’s still something somewhat serene about The Rescuers. Maybe that’s because of the gorgeous watercolor backdrops—or the easy-going music. Whatever the case, though, it may be thrilling and suspenseful, but it’s still a movie that you can watch before bedtime—and you won’t have to worry about getting the kids too riled up to sleep. (Try that with The Avengers!)
You won’t find caped crusaders or giant robots in this Disney classic, but you will find plenty of action, mystery, and suspense—along with lovable characters that you’ll want to revisit time and time again. And that makes it a cute, family-friendly alternative to summer’s big-budget blockbusters.
Blu-ray Review:
There’s no shortage of extras on the 35th Anniversary Blu-ray release of Disney’s The Rescuers. As with most classic Disney releases, you’ll find all kinds of making-of features—from shorts and sing-alongs to deleted songs. As an added bonus, though, this three-disc Blu-ray/DVD release includes a second movie: the film’s 1990 sequel, The Rescuers Down Under. So if you’re a fan of Bernard and Miss Bianca and their friends from the Rescue Aid Society, be sure to pick up a copy of this loaded release—and share the fun with your whole adventure-loving family.
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