Disney Doesn’T Have Monopoly On Good, Feature-Length Animation

Since the late 1930s, the name Disney has been synonymous with quality, big-screen animation.

But the heirs of Uncle Walt don’t own a monopoly on the form. As proven by the Don Bluth film “Anastasia” (now on video, see capsule review below), there have been other animated works that have earned both popular and critical acceptance.

Following is a list of several animated examples that, if they don’t rate with Disney’s best, at least stand out on their merits.

“Animal Farm” (1955): What it lacks in quality animation, this John Halas/Joy Batchelor-directed film more than makes up for in theme. George Orwell’s anti-totalitarian (whether it be fascist or communist) fable is as important now as it was when released during the first decade of the Cold War. This answers the question of just exactly who is the smartest animal (oink-oink).

“The Brave Little Toaster” (1987): Spokane’s own Deanna Oliver was one of the brains behind this charming little film about a toaster that’s as intrepid as any little train that can. Directed by Jerry Rees, the film communicates a message about loyalty and faithfulness that is accessible to all ages.

“Fantastic Planet” (1973): Another fable about the nature of freedom, this French import, directed by Rene Laloux, has been a late-night staple of alternative theaters since its release. Eerie yet touching, and concerning a race of smallish human-like beings and their battle against the giants who have enslaved them, it is a true product of its time.

“Ferngully: The Last Rain Forest” (1992): Some people don’t like messages blended in with their cartoon adventures. But it is a staple of the form, whether we’re talking about the threat of hunters (“Bambi”) or the declining rainforest, which is what this Bill Kroyer film preaches against. Given that, it offers a good mix of animation, vocal talent (Christian Slater, Samantha Mathis and the always dependable Robin Williams), comedy and thrills.

“Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation” (1991): Produced as a straight-to-video effort, this 80-minute compilation of stories is based on the Steven Spielberg television series. It features several of the Tiny Toon characters, basically a younger generation of classic Warner Bros. characters such as Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig, and how they spend their summer vacation. Better than you might imagine, the movie boasts a musical score than ranks right alongside the tunes of Alan Mencken and Howard Ashman.

“Yellow Submarine” (1968): If the Beatles songs that make up the musical score (“Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,” “All You Need Is Love,” etc.) aren’t enough to move you, then maybe the storyline about the Beatles trying to save Pepperland from the Blue Meanies might. If that isn’t enough, then maybe the pop-art images will work. Or the acerbic humor. Taken all in all, the film is a true testament to the psychedelic ‘60s.

Anastasia ***

Proving that Disney is not the only company capable of producing quality animation, co-director/producers Don Bluth and Gary Goldman adapted this tale of the mythical lost Russian princess for 20th Century Fox. Of course, can anything even resembling animation escape the Disney influence? Hardly. Bluth is a former Disney employee, and the whole film has such a Disneyesque feel - from the voices of such stars as Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Angela Lansbury, Christopher Lloyd, Hank Azaria, Bernadette Peters and Kelsey Grammer, to the Broadway-quality songs of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens. Then there’s the heroine, the princess (Ryan) who escaped being killed with the rest of her family. There’s the scamp, Dimitri (Cusack), who wants to profit by finding anyone who will resemble the real princess. There’s the evil presence, Rasputin (Lloyd), and his pet, a bat named Bartok (Azaria). The trick of such films is to offer something for everyone, and in this “Anastasia” certainly succeeds. In fact, it does so almost as well as Disney. Rated G

Kiss or Kill ***

When one of their mugging victims accidentally dies, a street-smart couple takes off across the Australian Outback with a murderous soccer star and a pair of homicide detectives on their trail. Veteran Aussie television director Bill Bennett works the same countryside that Oliver Stone did in “Natural Born Killers,” only he prefers character development over overt violence. In the end, Bennett’s film stresses reconciliation and redemption over mere bloodletting. Rated R