19 – The Rescuers

Dream a Little Deeper

The second movie Disney released in 1977, Alex uses the history section to focus on the company’s wider changes and the way this sets up the management transition that precedes the 90s renaissance. Production of The Rescuers is especially tense as the old guard animators and new hires clash over teaching styles and production decisions, which sets the stage for what happens around the release and development of The Black Cauldron (Terra will get into it later). Terra is put off by the visual stereotyping of the mice in the Mouse UN, Alex loves the cold open at the start of the movie, and Terra sees Don Bluth’s fingerprints all over the place. Alex and Terra disagree over if we can hold the quality of the source material against the film. Alex unpacks how the movie treats Bianca and what this says about the film’s attitude towards women. Speaking of women, Terra likes Medusa, surprise surprise, and articulates why she’s better than Cruella. Alex has quibbles with some voice acting choices, and the bayou itself is a very scary place. Don’t go into strange bayous, kids. Swamps and bogs and bayous are dangerous.

Originally recorded February 26th, 2022.

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