The Great Mouse Detective – Mystery in the Mist Edition

Written by Hombre Divertido

Prior to the release of The Little Mermaid in 1989, the1980s were generally considered to be somewhat of a black hole for Disney when it comes to animated films. From The Fox and the Hound (1981) to Oliver and Company (1988) Disney failed to achieve the success that it had established in decades past. The Black Cauldron (1985) and The Great Mouse Detective (1986) find themselves sandwiched in this period.

In reviewing the aforementioned films, one may find that they have missed some entertaining movies. That is certainly the case with The Great Mouse Detective. No, certainly not in the same league as the wonderful films that Disney would release in the 1990s, but it is a cute movie.

Based on the Eve Titus' book Basil of Baker Street, The Great Mouse Detective follows the adventures of Basil (Barrie Ingham), the Sherlock Holmes-esque mouse detective, and his newly found sidekick, Dr. David Q. Dawson (Val Bettin), as they help young Olivia (Susanne Pollatschek) find her father Hiram (Alan Young) who has been kidnapped by the evil Professor Ratigan (Vincent Price).

It is the vocal talents of the above-mentioned artists and the direction of Ron Clements, Burny Mattinson, David Michener, and John Musker, that allows this simple story to over achieve. This is just simple storytelling done well with energetic and extremely likeable characters.

Almost eight years after the first DVD, Disney releases the digitally restored Mystery in the Mist edition with an all-new “So You Think You Can Sleuth Challenge” and the bonus material that was included in 2002: “The Making of The Great Mouse Detective” and the “The World's Greatest Criminal Mind” sing-along song. Unfortunately, two animated shorts included with 2002 disc have been replaced by “Dylan & Cole Sprouses: Blu-ray Is Suite!” and “Learn How to Take Your Favorite Movies On the Go” which really have no right being listed as bonus features.

The digitally restored film looks great, but the “So You Think You Can Sleuth Challenge” will prove to be disappointing to children. “The Making of The Great Mouse Detective” is an interesting and entertaining look into the development and production of this film. Though the fact that CGI was used for the first time in a Disney film to create the chase through the workings of a clock is highlighted in the featurette, said scene still manages to be distracting as it looks too different from the animation utilized in the rest of the film. The Sing-along song is fun for all who choose to join in.

Recommendation: The Great Mouse Detective has been overlooked for too long. The performance of the legendary Vincent Price as the power-hungry Professor Ratigan alone is worth the 71-minute investment. This film is great for the whole family, though the barroom scene is a bit racy for young children. The overall energy of the film is perfect for kids, and adults will appreciate the Sherlock Holmes references including a vocal cameo by Basil Rathbone himself. There is not enough new material her to warrant the purchase of the Mystery in the Mist edition if you already own the 2002 release.

"On the Trail":

The Fly Collection

Written by Hombre Divertido

Uttering “Help me, please help me” in a high-pitched squeal will still get looks of recognition almost fifty years later, because The Fly is a classic science fiction film that was subtle in its brilliant storytelling.

In The Fly we are introduced to the Delambre family. Francois (Vincent Price) is in love with Helene (Patricia Owens), the wife of Andre (David “Al” Hedison), his scientist brother. Interestingly this triangle remains unexplored as we are thrust into the scene of a murder and the events are told to us in a wonderful retrospective fashion. Andre has developed a machine capable of teleporting items from one place to another much like that which would be utilized on Star Trek less then a decade later. In this case, it is 1958, and it is necessary to try it on a human for the first time (Insert dramatic music here). Shot in just eighteen days, this is 94 minutes of Saturday afternoon fun. Vincent Price is at his intense best, though his performance in the theatrical trailer may actually outdo his effort in the actual film.

Since The Fly was such a huge success, production began almost immediately on The Return of the Fly, which was shot in black and white instead of color like the original, was completed in eleven days, and released in 1959. Brett Halsey takes on the lead role of Philippe, Andres’s son, who is a brilliant scientist in his own right, and out to continue the family business by reconstructing the machine that lead to his father’s death, much to the objection of his uncle (Price again).

Though the Return of the Fly is faster paced than the original, and the story has more depth, it suffers from the expediency with which it was created. It simply seems thrown together, as we watch the stuntman in the fly-head, which is much larger than the original, holding his mask when he moves, or the podium in the transportation chamber disappear and reappear as if it had been transported out when objects too large are transported in. Nonetheless, it is difficult to go wrong with Vincent Price and a monster taking his revenge during the 80-minute romp.

Unfortunately, not only is there no Vincent Price in our third installment, The Curse of the Fly, there is no fly. There are other members of the Delambre family, though it is a little unclear how they are related to the characters from the original, and they are still teleporting. They have now set up stations in their basements located in America and Europe. Unfortunately there have still been problems, and the results of said problems are being stored in cells out back.

This film has more of an Island of Dr. Moreau feel to it than a connection to The Fly, and considering it was released in 1965, the black-and-white filming only adds to its B-status. This film is worth watching simply for curiosity factor as it is obvious that the writer and producer are literally stuck between the movies of the sixties, and the classic science fiction B-movies of the fifties. The original two movies would never open with an underwear-clad woman (Carole Gray) literally running down a country road after escaping from an asylum, only to be picked up by our hero (George Baker), and find our two characters married a week later. If only poor Patricia knew that she was running from one asylum to another.

The fourth disc in the set The Fly Collection Disc of Horrors contains a biography on Price, a too-short featurette on the series, lots of artwork, and the theatrical trailers. There is good stuff here, though the best extra in the set may be the audio narration on the first film by Hedison and film historian David Del Valle. Hedison is very comfortable in telling stories, and obviously has a great appreciation for the film. His recollections are priceless.

Recommendation: Perfect for a rainy day, and a great way to introduce kids to the classic B-movies of the fifties. The extras alone make it worth picking up the set.

WITCHFINDER GENERAL

Written by Fantasma el Rey

For Vincent Price’s 75th role we see him as Matthew Hopkins in 1968’s Witchfinder General, directed by Michael Reeves and based on the historical novel by Ronald Bassett. It is a tale of horror in the sense that for the most part these events did take place and people like Hopkins did exist.

Hopkins roams the countryside in Cromwell-era England searching for witches and doing God’s work by condemning them to death after torturing them into confessions of guilt. In reality these women and men (mostly young women) are innocent and a confession can be a murmur just before they pass out from blood loss. The accused are brought before Hopkins after he’s been paid by the town folk to basically exterminate the people that they find annoying or troublesome. After Hopkins enjoys carnal pleasures with the accused young women, they are tortured, mostly by Hopkins assistant, who likes to watch and hear their screams, and then hung. Amidst the chaos of civil war, Hopkins slips under the radar of the authorities and plays off the fears and religious beliefs of the common man to mask his sadist fetishes.

Hopkins’ reign of terror begins to unravel after he tortures and abuses a young woman whose soldier husband vows to avenge his wife’s honor. From there, we have scenes of Hopkins in various towns and villages doing his best to rid the world of the “foul ungodliness in women kind.” Now that along with the whole torture/sex thing says to me that Hopkins had a bad run with women throughout his life. Maybe his mother abused him or he is a bastard son of many possible men. Perhaps his wife left him or became the town doorknob. Who knows such things? All I know is that we have a wonderful vehicle for Vincent Price to prove once more that he is the greatest ghoul, well maybe second or third, or tied for first with Lugosi and Karloff.

The last ten minutes or so is where this cult classic is best. Throughout we get to see torture, hangings, and chicks being burned alive, but here in the final moments we get to see the end of a madman and the creation of two more. Unlike the historical Matthew Hopkins, who passed peacefully in his own bed, our ghoulish hero dies beautifully at the end of an ax, hacked to pieces by the soldier.

In the soldier’s pursuit, he loses himself and goes insane with revenge while his wife goes bananas after the whole ordeal of lies, torture, and death. The film closes with her screams of insanity ringing in our ears like the bells of a grand cathedral ringing though out the countryside.

This low-budget English classic was also released in the U.S. as Edger Allen Poe’s The Conqueror Worm but has nothing to with the Poe poem. Figuring that American audiences would be more willing to see a Poe adaptation than some British flick an additional intro was added to the film, some voice work by Price reading Poe I imagine, and that was it. Whatever you call it though it is a fun movie to watch and as a DVD extra there is a half hour look at the film, "Witchfinder General: Michael Reeves Horror Classic," which is insightful and just as entertaining.

Witchfinder General isn’t the greatest horror/thriller there is, but with the days getting shorter and the nights becoming longer it’s a good film for those late nights when the moon is shining bright and your groovy ghoulie girly is in your arms. Remember, ghoulies, it’s only make believe…or is it?