SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.

It is both painfully honest and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

First off, give credits to where they are due: Basil and Professor Ratigan (Oh, Ratigan. Oh, Ratigan) are very entertaining characters voiced perfectly by Barrie Ingham and Vincent Price, respectively.Second, I'd like to praise the film's animation. Considering its a 1980s film, the animation is mostly not outdated.Lastly, I'd like to say that "The Great Mouse Detective" is very entertaining. It's fun from start to end, mostly thanks to the characters whom I cared for. I cared for them so much, I found myself cheering for them at a certain scene in the movie. (I never thought I'd cheer for them, but I did!).THIS IS A MUST SEE ENTERTAINING FILM!

In 1986, Disney released this film with much success. The movie was based on the children's book series, 'Basil of Baker Street' by Eve Titus, which in return, draws heavily on the character of Sherlock Holmes by author, Arthur Conan Doyle and the 1930s/1940s film series, that star Basil Rathbone as the iconic character and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson. Directed by four directors, Ron Clements, Burny Mattinson, David Michener, & John Musker, the film set in 19th century, Victorian London, tells the story of a anthropomorphic mouse detective, Basil (Voiced by Barrie Ingham) & his associate, Major Dr. David Q. Dawson (Voiced by Val Bettin) on their quest to find a missing girl's parents, while uncovering a master plan by their arch-enemy, Professor Ratigan (Voiced by Vincent Price) to overthrow the British monarchy. Without spoiling the movie, too much, I have to say, the idea of a toymaker, being apparently capable of building a life-size mechanical figure in the space of a few days is a bit, unrealistic, but it's something that you have suspense your disbelief about. Another thing is, how there are a few differences between Basil in the book series and in the film version, such as mood swings, the musical instrument in which he plays, and the type of animal that Basil's enemy is. One of the biggest changes, during production was the character of Olivia Flaversham (Voiced by Susanne Pollatschek), who was originally intended to be older and a love-interest, before it was decided that she should be a child to appeal to kids. I think, the decision to turn her into a child, gave the movie, so much, more weight, as it allow, Basil to become a well-rounded person, than a selfish-driven moody jerk, like Holmes was. I also like, how while, Basil and Dawson were visually based on actor, Rathbone and Bruce's version of the Holmes & Watson; their voices and personalities were not. Basil's voice was based on Leslie Howard's portrayal of Henry Higgins in the 1938 film, 'Pygmalion' while Dawson's voice was based on Disney animation legend, Eric Larson. Ingham was a great choice for Basil, as he was able to show the incredibly expressive, hyperactive unless quite visibly depressed, always overdramatic side of Basil. The actor was also known to give dramatic hand gesturing when speaking, allowing the animators to have a lots of raw film material to work with! In fact, even Vincent Price was the same. Price's every word as the dastardly Ratigan is delightful deliciously and his singing voice wasn't half-bad. By far, the music in this film are some of the best, Disney has ever produce. Songs like 'The World's Greatest Criminal Mind', 'Let me be good to you' and 'Goodbye, So Soon' are wonderful. Even the background music by composter Henry Mancini was amazing to hear. It has that epic adventurous tone to it. Another thing that I love, about this film is the humor, both in slapstick and its clever use of language and film/novel references. All the scenes between Basil, Dawson and Olivia, together, had this charm with them. I love the running gag of Basil's mispronouncing Olivia's last name. It was very funny. I also love, the fact, for a G-rated movie, this movie has gotten away with a lot of PG and even a bit of PG-13 material, with its sex appeal. Ask anybody, what was the most appealing part about this film, and some of them, would mention, the stripping mouse named Miss Kitty (Voiced by Melissa Manchester). It's surely left an impact on me. Talk about having a boner for a furry character. Another thing, good about this film is the intense action. The toy store and the clock-tower sequences, are some of the best action scenes, I have ever seen in a Disney movie. I also like how the city of London plays as a big a role in the plot as any of the characters. Because of things like that, I found the film to be, well done, despite the film, having a troublesome production. After the box office failure of the 1985's 'The Black Cauldron', the future of Disney animation department was in financial trouble. In the interest of saving what he believed to be the studio's core business, co-owner Roy E. Disney persuaded then CEO Michael Eisner to let him supervise the animation department in the hopes of improving its affluences. With the help of Eisner and film studio executive, Jeffrey Katzenberg, they somewhat did, with some very controversial choices. One of their roles, was to removed, the two animators that create the last bomb, Ron Clement & John Musker from this film and had them on other works. Second off, they had to cut the film's budget in half in order to save the film from being shelfed. They did this, by allowing the much-cheaper computer animation into the climax of the film, to cut the cost of hand-drawn animation & shorten the production schedule and multiple story rewrites. Most of their ideas kinda work. Others, maybe not too much, like the studio's decision to name the film, 'The Great Mouse Detective' and not 'Basil of Baker Street', because he felt that Basil sounded too English. The name change earned a good deal of scorn and infamy, even from inside the studio. The results of it, set off a chain of events that left the company's odd decisions, to be immortalized in a famous January 1987 episode of game-show, 'Jeopardy!' where it was highly mock. It didn't help that the movie was overshadowed at the box office at the time, by Don Bluth's 1986's 'An American Tail'. It would take years for Disney to recover from that. Overall: While, this movie was made during the company's dark period. I have to say, this 26th film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics, is an underrated classic that needs to be watch, a lot more than it's been getting. So go see it.

One of the most underrated films from Disney that never got the respect it deserves.The Great Mouse Detective is like Sherlock Holmes but as a mouse, making him the greatest detective of all moused om. It's such a shame that this film doesn't get much star treatment as it deserves because it is such a good film.The story centers around Basil of Baker Street (Voiced by Barrie Ingham) who is hired by Olivia Flaversham (Voiced by Susanne Pollatschek)to help find her father Hiram Flaversham (Voiced by Alan Young) Basil along with Dr.David Q.Dawson (Voiced by Val Bettin) begin the investigation against Professor Ratigan (Voiced by Vincent Price) who is the criminal mind behind the kidnapping of Olivia's father. This film is what I best know Vincent Price for and listening to performance in the film he was the right choice to voiced Professor Ratigan. Barrie Ingham sold the role of Basil very well his performance was like seeing a stage actor during a play he did a very good job as the Greatest Detective of Mousedom. The Great Mouse Detective had a lot going for it and of course it being a Disney animated film you would expect nothing less.Animation for this film is so well done with great background, the fog effect really helps tell the story of the film. And the water effects are very detail as well. Lighting and thunder is very well time.The Characters are very well animated and when you watch the film it feels like you're watching a play like the animators watch each actor during the recording sessions.The voice acting is very well done and the cast helps sold the story with their performances.The music is so well done I love the score that was written for the film it is some of the best work ever in animation. Another reason to watch the film because of the music helps sold the story of the film and can build up the next scene. The setting for each scene is like the classic detective story of Sherlock Holmes and all the famous detectives in fiction.The Great Mouse Detective is one of Disney's most underrated films in their collection of animated films but once you watch the film you will appreciate the story telling and animation along with clever voice acting with strong performances by Barrie and Vincent.The whole family will enjoy this classic film and it's one of my favorites as well.Do yourself a favor and check out this classic film.I give The Great Mouse Detective an 8 out of 10

The Great Mouse Detective (1986) is one of the greatest Disney movies of all time and definitely their most underrated film in my opinion. The movie features the wonderful voice talents of Vincent Price as a great Disney villain, Professor Rattigan, basically the Moriarty character opposing the movie's "Sherlock" hero character, the titular The Great Mouse Detective, Basil of Baker Street (living under the floor of Sherlock Holmes).I don't want to give away the plot but the reason I love this movie so much is that there is a lot of great comedy in it, the hero and villain are both fantastic (and both have very entertaining cohorts), and the story is great.I love that this film is a little bit "darker" than most Disney films. Again, I don't want to give anything away, but the stakes in this movie are much higher and more "real" than most Disney films.The songs are even great and I still find myself humming a couple of them. The Rattigan song is amazing, and Vincent Price himself sings a wonderful "goodbye" song that plays on a record while he has Basil trapped.A truly great Disney movie that deserves much more praise!