Me and this movie, we have a bit of a strange history. I was aware of its existence from an early age, and seeing as how The Land Before Time and An American Tail were such staples of my childhood, you'd think I'd be more interested in another Don Bluth film. But, ehhhh, I kinda got "this looks like some sickly schmaltzy crap" vibes. And it didn't really have the pop-cultural staying power of those other two films so it vanished from the video stores rather quickly, never to return. And when chance finally came... those vibes of mine were kinda right. But also...
SO. GODDAMN. WRONG!!!
Don Bluth, you a fucked up man! This movie would, and probably has, put the fear of both Hell (Brimstone and devil cat creatures tormenting you!) and Heaven (No surprises! The spice of goddamn life, man!) into a young 'un. Not to mention drinking, gambling, smoking, drunkenly singing songs on a rickety pier, and, lest we forget, sexually confusing, flamboyant big-lipped gator creatures singing perhaps the worst Ear Worm to ever worm its way into your head when you're sick with fever and a hangover. In other words... fuck you, Don Bluth! Fuck you up the nose with a rotten hose!
Even so, I kinda fucking love this movie. I can't explain. In fact, this is what Pete Townshend didn't know he was thinking about when he wrote The Who's power pop classic, err, "I Can't Explain". I can just picture him, drunkenly convulsing in his cinema chair some long-remembered night in 1989 going "Bugger and blimey, Don Bluth totally gets it!" Ain't no movie these days got the balls to so brazenly balance between soul-crushing darkness and schmaltz that would bring forth tears from a stone. And that's worth a lot.
"You're a bad dog."
FUCK YOU DON BLUTH I JUST PASSED OUT FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES OUT OF PURE CRYING OVERDOSE AND ONLY JUST WOKE UP! ...Seriously though, that's a real problem. Doctor says it's probably narcolepsy, but fuck that guy. I told him to forward my bill to Don Motherfucking Bluth and he gave me a knowing glance.
It premiered around the same time as The Little Mermaid and while I love that movie as well, I honestly wouldn't be able to choose between the two given the chance. What kind of movie has power like that? I love you, Don Bluth, but I also hate you.
Heaven or Hell? Priest or prisoner? Acolyte or slave?
Me and this movie, we have a bit of a strange history. I was aware of its existence from an early age, and seeing as how The Land Before Time and An American Tail were such staples of my childhood, you'd think I'd be more interested in another Don Bluth film. But, ehhhh, I kinda got "this looks like some sickly schmaltzy crap" vibes. And it didn't really have the pop-cultural staying power of those other two films so it vanished from the video stores rather quickly, never to return. And when chance finally came... those vibes of mine were kinda right. But also...
SO. GODDAMN. WRONG!!!
Don Bluth, you a fucked up man! This movie would, and probably has, put the fear of both Hell (Brimstone and devil cat creatures tormenting you!) and Heaven (No surprises! The spice of goddamn life, man!) into a young 'un. Not to mention drinking, gambling, smoking, drunkenly singing songs on a rickety pier, and, lest we forget, sexually confusing, flamboyant big-lipped gator creatures singing perhaps the worst Ear Worm to ever worm its way into your head when you're sick with fever and a hangover. In other words... fuck you, Don Bluth! Fuck you up the nose with a rotten hose!
Even so, I kinda fucking love this movie. I can't explain. In fact, this is what Pete Townshend didn't know he was thinking about when he wrote The Who's power pop classic, err, "I Can't Explain". I can just picture him, drunkenly convulsing in his cinema chair some long-remembered night in 1989 going "Bugger and blimey, Don Bluth totally gets it!" Ain't no movie these days got the balls to so brazenly balance between soul-crushing darkness and schmaltz that would bring forth tears from a stone. And that's worth a lot.
"You're a bad dog."
FUCK YOU DON BLUTH I JUST PASSED OUT FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES OUT OF PURE CRYING OVERDOSE AND ONLY JUST WOKE UP! ...Seriously though, that's a real problem. Doctor says it's probably narcolepsy, but fuck that guy. I told him to forward my bill to Don Motherfucking Bluth and he gave me a knowing glance.
It premiered around the same time as The Little Mermaid and while I love that movie as well, I honestly wouldn't be able to choose between the two given the chance. What kind of movie has power like that? I love you, Don Bluth, but I also hate you.