Oliver & Company (1988)

At times, I have been extremely patient and generous to Disney animated films. I recognized little advancements and stylistic qualities amidst the monotonous package films of the 1940s. I accepted lackluster films such as The Sword in the Stone and The Black Cauldron as, at the very least, entertainment. This however, is the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

An adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist (which I have not read), Oliver & Company is the story of an orphaned kitten (voiced by Joey Lawrence) looking for a home. Initially taken in by a petty thief named Fagin (Dom DeLuise) and his pets (voiced by Billy Joel, Cheech Marin and more), Oliver falls into the lap of luxury when a young rich girl named Jenny adopts him. Fagin’s loan shark boss (Robert Loggia) looks to exploit the situation for monetary gain, forcing Oliver and his friends to band together to protect Jenny, and each other, from danger.

This film is by no means a disaster. Children will more than easily plop down in front of the TV and take this in like candy. It’s got cute animal characters, funny antics, and songs. What’s not to like? First, there are a few too many characters, leaving most flat and forgettable. Second, the songs are all equally forgettable. Third, the animation is weaker than any of the films preceding it.

Disney probably thought they had a winner on their hands. They had the vocal talents of a bunch of stars popular with adults and all the cuteness needed from the animal characters to make kids want to see the film. Too bad it turned out to be style over substance. Given the films modern setting, I understand the decision to have Billy Joel, then one of the hottest songwriters around, do the music. The problem with going the ‘modern’ route with the music is that it all feels very dated now. The beauty of Disney’s best songs is that they possess a timeless quality. Oliver & Company is missing that.

By far, the worst element of this film is the animation. The main characters all look fine but the background images are a borderline abomination to the name Disney. There is little in the way of crisp lines, definition or depth. What’s left is a mish-mash of pastels running together in loosely-defined shapes. At times, the scenery reminded me of what the world looks like when I take my eyeglasses off. While I understand that Disney has every right to adjust and change their animation style over time, standards have been set for their animation quality over the years. Too much divergence from that standard is a bad thing.

Is this film still entertaining? Yes. It’s difficult to not enjoy a Disney film. Oliver & Company simply is not as enjoyable any of the films that came before it. With a plot that drags in places to help hide how thin it is, Disney commits the cardinal sin of cinema- it bores you at times. Add on top of this some dark content that might upset some youngsters and you have the first Disney film that is only ‘okay.’ They had an astounding 50-year run of good and great films, so it’s about time Disney stumbled.

RATING: 2.75 out of 5

History of the World Part I (1981)

Mel Brooks’ career features a number of standout hits but, as with any director, he is capable of missing the mark. Some of his films remain as classics, some have been forgotten about and other remain somewhere in between. History of the World Part I falls into that awkward middle ground. While Brooks has been successful in spoofing westerns and monster movies, this bold attempt to skewer several Hollywood genres and history at the same time falls short along the way.

The film is broken into five main components. ‘The Dawn of Man’ focuses on the evolution of cavemen as they move towards becoming a more sophisticated species. Brooks covers the creation of fire, marriage, art, music and comedy. We then move on to a brief synopsis of ‘The Old Testament,’ where Brooks appears as Moses irreverently proclaiming God’s commandments unto the Hebrew people.

Jumping forward a few centuries, Brooks lays into ‘The Roman Empire,’ where he plays a stand-up philosopher named Comicus. He falls in love with one of Caesar’s virgins (Mary-Margaret Humes) and befriends an Ethiopian slave (Gregory Hines). Caesar (Dom DeLuise) is not impressed by Comicus’ act. The philosopher and his new pals flea the wrath of Caesar, bumping into Jesus Christ along the way.

We then move ahead to a goofy, Broadway-esque song and dance number for ‘The Spanish Inquisition.’ We then segue into ‘The French Revolution,’ where Cloris Leachman, as Madame Defarge, leads an uprising against the aristocracy. Catching wind to the tide of change, shifty King Louis of France (Brooks again) looks for a way to avoid the guillotine.

For the most part, History of the World Part I is enjoyable. Between Orson Welles’ absurdly serious narration and some amusing references to great films of yesteryear, there’s enough going on between the lines so to speak to keep a film buff chuckling. For those who have never seen 2001: A Space Odyssey (spoofed during ‘The Dawn of Man’) or any of the ‘sword-and-sandal’ flicks Brooks takes aim at, some of the humor is lost.

Part of the problem is probably because we are so far removed from the Bible epics of the 1950s. Everyone knows about the clichés and conventions of monster movies and westerns, which is why Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles worked so well for Brooks. But by 1981, films like Ben-Hur and The Ten Commandments, while still appreciated, were considered relics of the past by many moviegoers. Had this film come out in the 70s, the satire might have seemed fresher and more people could have gotten the jokes.

Perhaps the scope is also part of the problem. History of the World Part I, while sounding like it limits itself, takes on a bit too much and ends up delivering too little. The Roman and French pieces make up a bulk of the film but even they seem to drag on a tad too long by the end of it all. It’s a shame that a 92-minute film could be described as feeling long. To be fair though, had this film been little more than vignettes lampooning historical moments, it would have seemed like a half-baked Monty Python clone. I guess Mel Brooks was bound to lose either way.

If you’re a fan of Brooks’ other work, this film is worth seeing. The laughs are more gimmick-oriented but Mel hasn’t lost his touch yet. For the rest of you out there, if you happen upon this film on TV, feel free to check it out. Clever it may be but there’s no need to rush out for a copy.

RATING: 3.25 out of 5

An American Tail (1986)

This animated classic is a piece of nostalgia that I am dearly fond of. Before even watching it for the first time in a few years I knew exactly how this film would rate. That doesn’t mean I didn’t give this film a fair assessment though. The animation, the music, the emotions- just about everything in this film is marvelous.

An American Tail is the story of immigration and hope. The Mousekewitz family lives in Russia under a time of great duress. They decide to flee to America, where everything is supposed to be better and they will be free from the tyranny of cats, who have tormented mice relentlessly in their homeland. Along the way, the only son gets lost at sea but makes it to America, only to start a frantic search to find his family. He is helped along the way by a number of colorful characters. Some are good and some are bad, and all of them have some kind of symbolic quality.

All of the mice represent the immigrants from Europe to America during the turn of the century, a period of significant immigration. Cats are the antagonists, representing the worst in Americans. They seek to eliminate the mice, doing anything they can to drive them from their homes. Some of them pretend to want to help the mice by offering them employment as indentured servants in mills and industry. A very few number of cats are actually kind and caring, thought they fit very awkwardly in with the rest of their kind.

It’s not really the cheeriest depiction of how the US handled immigration and I’m not sure it’s an entirely fair one. Producers David Kirschner and Steven Spielberg are both Jewish and Spielberg has a knack for highlighting the plight of the Jews when possible. It’s not that I don’t believe Jews and immigrants were mistreated, it’s just that the extent to which they are mistreated in this film seems suspect to me. For every case of abuse and exploitation, I’m sure there is an example of an immigrant who found a happy niche and succeeded in the New World.

But that’s really the only complaint I have about this film. It will easily go over a child’s head but it is an interesting side note for adults to ruminate on while watching this delightful film. The animation is very rich and I even would go as far as to say that it is better in quality than what Disney was producing at the time. Instead of glossing over everything, An American Tail isn’t afraid to be very detailed about the grit and grime associated with the slums of the New World.

The music is also fantastic. The film is full of memorable songs that get stuck in your head and stay stuck for years. It’s one thing to have catchy songs in your animated film, but to make them so enjoyable and endearing is something special. If you’ve seen this movie, you know what I’m talking about. I you haven’t seen An American Tail, you don’t know what you’re missing!

Plain and simple, An American Tail is a darling of a film that is perfectly suited to be watched by children and adults and will surely become a favorite for all ages. Even if you think you’re too “grown up” for a film like this, you’ll be surprised. An American Tail will melt your heart again and again.

RATING: 3.75 out of 5