Reviews
Thumbelina (1994)
Weirdly not-quite-right
I guess Don Bluth was trying to cash in on the Hans Christian Andersen mania (Disney's "Little Mermaid," 1992). His "Thumbelina" shows a lot of talent and work, yet nothing is quite right:
1. The look of the film: essentially based in the 1930s, with rotoscoped people, rubbery comic characters, and lush rainbow palettes. That's OK with me. But then there are a few computer-animated scenes, and a painful disco sequence. Overall, incoherent.
2. Timing: never quite right. Things seem a little too slow. By this time, Disney had caught up with nineties sensibilities and was making things move faster.
3. Characters: Thumbelina is VERY cute, but doesn't have much personality. The toads are supposed to be Spaniards, and manage to insult all Hispanic culture (references to enchiladas, you name it). There is a repulsively cloying swallow named Giacomo whom you just want to slap.
4. Music: Do you want to hear some Barry Manilow tunes sung by Carol Channing and a variety of others using horrendous, grating accents? Go for it.
Having said this, I'll add that I found it oddly moving at some points, and was kind of charmed by Thumbelina. And my 3-year-old daughter enjoyed it (though she couldn't understand the horrible accents of the bad guys). Now she wants to pretend to be Thumbelina all day.
Recommended for little kids and for adults who are curious about how many things can go wrong in an animated film.
The Mysterious Mr. Wong (1934)
About Harry Stephen Keeler, inspiration for the film
This film is based on Harry Stephen Keeler's novel Sing Sing Nights. If you think the film is weird, read the book! It also inspired the movie "Sing Sing Nights." For more information on both films, see CULT MOVIES No. 26.