The Failure & Redemption of The Secret of NIMH & The Disney Walk Out

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The Secret of NIMH is a 1982 American animated fantasy adventure film directed by Don Bluth in his directorial debut and based on Robert C. O'Brien's children's novel, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH.
Originally brought to Disney The Secret of NIMH became Don Bluth Studios first film after the Disney animator mass exodus and became a point of contention for Disney to defeat, a fight involving The Black Cauldon, Tron and The Fox and the Hound.
Oh, and there was also a sequel, Secret of NIMH 2... Restore the SONCU!
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[@androidsychoshocker]

This was an age when children's animation was legitimately terrifying. I miss that feeling of wonder and unease.

[@lalaslife6506]

You totally nailed it because it was legitimately terrifying and a creep factor is unlike anything today… I know what you mean though I miss that feeling too

[@captainmarvelwilson508]

It didn’t always work though. It might have worked for this movie and a few others, but absolutely failed with The Black Cauldron which to this day I will never understand getting a cult following.

[@jinpei05]

This movie freaked me out as a kid, especially when the Great Owl crushed that spider under his talon. Still a killer piece of animation and one of Don Bluth's best.

[@almightytallestred]

It freaked me out a bit when I saw it as a kid but at the same time I also really, really loved it. My parents had recorded it to a VHS from TV and I must have watched it dozens of times as a kid. But that Great Owl/spider moment was pretty scary, can't argue with that. Dragon (the cat) was also pretty terrifying to me back then.

[@griz312]

I would consider the movie as a mild horror flick. If you think about it, most of the dangers to the characters would be terrifying. Ms.Brisby encounter with dragon, the great owl, The tractor on move day and the origin of the Rats of NIHM are scary scenarios.

[@blackc1479]

Yep, yet another "80s kids movie to scar a generation " I pretty much grew up in a theater unattended, and I was around 7 then. Nicodemus and the owl were both creepy to me, and I remember being amazed when Jenner got taken out. You didn't have blood in animation back then, much less backstabs lol.

[@AlexisOmnis]

Someone commented on another 80s film & a few others that, though scary for a child, had shaped them as an adult. For me, this is is one of those movies

[@blackc1479]

@@AlexisOmnis oh yeah, totally. Anyone want to do the list? The ones that got me: Neverending story Krull Aliens (saw it first at 11ish) Raiders (for the ending) Dark crystal Nimh, obviously One that most folks don't remember was "the boys next door" Several others that I'm having a brain fart over. What were yours?

[@PaleHorseShabuShabu]

Mrs. Brisby is one of the best cinematic mothers in history. She's a small mouse without any powers or special abilities venturing into an overwhelming world full of danger all to protect her family both in the immediate time and in the future. She's scared but she does what's best for her kids, risking her own life to help her sick son, and everything she's doing is done while the death of her husband is on her mind. Even though the movie scared me when I was a kid, Mrs. Brisby's bravery, devotion, and selflessness struck a chord with me and has lingered on in my mind.

[@ZiddersRooFurry]

This is beautiful and has me in tears

[@SumDumGy]

Another strong female character that existed before Hollywood is willing to admit.

[@ZiddersRooFurry]

@@SumDumGy Please don't turn this into a strong female character thing. You're just troll-baiting. Mrs. Brisby deserves better. Besides-everyone knows Princess Leia was around way before.

[@SumDumGy]

@@ZiddersRooFurry Piss off and accept reality. It’s a bona fide fact that many in Hollywood have denied the existence of strong female lead characters in film and TV, acting like they’re blazing new trails on the last few years by creating them now. I stated a fact. Can’t handle it? That a you problem. Troll-baiting? Maybe you should be on Twitter with this kind of nonsense. You’d feel more at home.

[@darthmeow1370]

@@ZiddersRooFurry It's important though, because the modern activists are erasing history so they can claim credit for social progress they had nothing to do with and, worse still, pretending things are much worse than they are so that they can stay in the outrage business.

[@DerHerrMitR]

NIMH redefined what animated films could be for me. I have never cried more during a film than when Nicodemus died, and The Owl made me shit my pants, haunting my nightmares. Thank you, Don Bluth.

[@HandofOmega]

I think it was only in the book (?), but the Great Owl scene is all the more terrifying, as his every instinct is telling him to kill and EAT Mrs. Frisby, and ONLY his sheer strength of will was visibly holding him back the whole time!

[@cassandralyris4918]

I literally named my first pet rat Nicodemus after him, back in 1990. So incredible!

[@craigusselman546]

Secret of is a very brave animated movie I dont know if it would be made now.

[@chrish7830]

Haha, my first pet, although he was a gerbil, was named Timothy, after the character.

[@HandofOmega]

@@craigusselman546 was this the first American kids animated movie that had a "damn" in it?

[@Argumedies]

Never mess with a momma mouse especially when she wields an Infinity Stone.

[@beniverson3777]

Don Bluth is one of the greatest animation stories there is, the virtual American Tale. He tried to fight the machine and lost, but the attempt was incredibly impressive. He was really just a couple of different roles of the dice away from his own animation empire. He was just a walking bad break. I've always wanted to meet the guy, he still teaches and runs a small theatre. He's a true believer in real animation, and he's one of the last. And NIMH was one of, if not the, best film he ever put out.

[@Suisai13]

I was such a huge Don Bluth fan growing up, I think I may have been the only living person who was actively trying to track down Banjo the Woodpile Cat on VHS in the 90s. But I found it!

[@beniverson3777]

@@Suisai13 Starring Scatman Crothers. I just looked and it's thankfully on youtube. I've always had a vague idea to try to watch everything he's ever made, but I think I may still be missing 1 or 2

[@JohnDoe-wq5eu]

@@beniverson3777 The truly striking thing is as mentioned on this one about trying to be a darker version of Disney many of his other movies attempted to take much darker returns only be forced to make changes or cut entire scenes or plot lines after they were animated even. I've heard of various scenes in Land before Time and definitely one infamous scene if not 2 in All dogs go to heaven. Bluth tried to push the envelope but unlike say a Miyazaki that would be allowed to do it the Bluth simply wasn't.

[@beniverson3777]

@@JohnDoe-wq5eu and he did it knowing that Disney had just bombed with the Black cauldron. Took real grit

[@briannabanks1659]

I’d say “all dogs go to heaven” is a close second

[@TomVCunningham]

The Secret Of NIMH, An American Tail and The Land Before Time are Don Bluth's indisputable classics.

[@bribigby3539]

Don’t forget All Dogs Go to Heaven

[@TomVCunningham]

@@bribigby3539 good. But lesser than those three IMHO

[@AlexReynard]

I would also add Rock-A-Doodle, but that's primarily because I am a fan of Peepers' enormous mousebutt.

[@AntiDecepticonCampaign]

Not the other LBT Just the first land before time.

[@copilmissletoe86]

Pebble and the Penguin and Anastasia?!

[@buraddorun3043]

Nimh was an amazing movie, and I appreciate the "old" ways of animation. I know it's expensive and cumbersome, but I'd love to see an occasional new feature-length animated production done with good, old-fashioned, hand-drawn animation cels.

[@DaRealCheeseboy]

I’m convinced that this channel is one of KZbin’s hidden gems. The writing is great, the jokes are fantastic, there’s a genuine and obvious interest in each subject that is discussed. This has truly become my favorite channel here on KZbin in the short time that I’ve been watching. I try not to watch too much so that I don’t run out of content. I know that approach may not help the channel out a whole lot, but don’t worry as I’m going to be a dedicated fan for YEARS.

[@PaytonFu]

Completely agree, A+ all around. Been watching for years religiously every week. Reminds me of the old days when I had to wait a week for the next episode and i appreciate that about this channel also. Fan for life keep up the great work!

[@axiss5840]

The presentation, research and visuals are also SPOT ON. This is my comfort channel, to remind me that all those cartoons I watched as a kid weren't wasted, and other people remember them too.

[@wstine79]

The Secret of NIMH was an amazing movie. It's amazing that this was made by a Don Bluth with a few animators working on their days off in a garage

[@SumDumGy]

Amazon started in a garage. This is nothing.

[@ValkyrieTiara]

It was not. That was the previous movie, Banjo the Woodpile Cat, and it was only started in a garage. The Secret of NIMH was done in a proper studio on a budget of a little under $7,000,000

[@sentinelmoonfang]

Secret of NIMH was the first movie I remember seeing as a child. I still absolutely adore it. As an adult I've collected many cels from it, along with a set of lobby cards, both original posters and a ton of weird little collectibles including the lunchbox and press-out playset. The centerpiece of the collection, though is the little wooden sword my dad made me after seeing the movie and that I'm sure was used to vanquish an imaginary Jenner many times. I like the movie a good deal more than the book. In the book, Mrs. Frisby was really more of a device to introduce the rats and explore their story. In the movie she's a much more fleshed out character with a really great arc where she finds her courage. I still find having a very down-to-earth and relatable protagonist to be one of the movie's strongest aspects. For Mrs. Brisby, finding her courage is a process, not a magical transformation and she fails several times along the way. Mrs. Frisby on the other hand has very little agency or growth.

[@AlexReynard]

Y'know, I don't much remember the book, but this feels about right. And maybe it's *why* I don't much remember the book.

[@TrueYellowDart]

The spider, the Great Owl, Dragon the cat, Brutus, Jenner…there are so many striking and often frightening designs in this film - top tier design and animation!

[@justicierodelaliga]

This movie is AMAZING. There was something special about 80´s children movies (be them animated or live action) that were very obscure and that got lost in the 90s. PS Do a video on the similar dark movie THE LAST UNICORN please.

[@shawnlopez2317]

Yeah, most of the people who were kids in the 90's talk about how great their kids movies and shows were and I'm like "Excuse me!" The 90's are where that special magic went to die and become "Extreme!" as well as empty. Totally agree on the Last Unicorn too!

[@EricGranata]

“I can feel this body dying around me!”

[@DragonKingX78]

I agree, 80's movies have a certain "magic" to them. Though technically I would say late 70's to the early 90's. Also do videos about "The Last Unicorn" and "Flight of Dragons".

[@ToadstedCroaks]

@@DragonKingX78 A lot of it is budget, and affording the right animation studio. As more faith was put into animation you got really spectacular productions, even for TV shows. As corporations bought out the smaller studios and cut costs, they followed the coming trend of just spending enough to make a profit, regardless of the quality. So you started to see a sharp decline in all production types and writing as the 90s rolled onto the next millennium. G.I. Joe, Transformers, Batman, you could take very stunted animations and make them gorgeous .. or just make sure a quality studio and budget made them great from the start. And that held true through the 90s for a lot of productions. So it wasn't so much the 80s were so great ... it was that during the 80s you had a ton more companies willing to put faith into ambitious or quirky IPs, which held true for non animated shows / film of the time as well.

[@shawnlopez2317]

@@DragonKingX78 I agree with the time line, I say the precursor to that magic was Jaws in 1975, but i think it really began in 1977 with Star Wars, then had its last roar in the 1993 with Jurassic Park, after that it all changed.

[@bigneon_glitter]

Always thought of _Secret Of Nimh_ as a prequel to _Rock & Rule_ - both, a part of the _Watership Down_ universe. The thing about _Nimh_ that strikes me as an adult is that, to me - as a kid, Mrs. Brisby was every bit the hero that Indiana Jones was. Her hero's journey as a mother was as equally relatable as Luke Skywalker's - something cool about that.

[@russellharrell2747]

Ratatouille is the prequel to The Secret of NIMH. The rat restaurant inspired researchers at NIMH to determine exactly how intelligent rodents were and if they could be enhanced.

[@HandofOmega]

@@russellharrell2747 Now, if only we can tie in The Rescuers and The Great Mouse Detective somehow...

[@HandofOmega]

I sometimes wonder if the mythologies passed down to us only reflect the male side, if there were "women's stories" that were only passed down from mother to daughter, and were eventually lost because no one bothered writing them down. If so, it would be fascinating to see what the Heroine's Journey was, what lessons it taught girls becoming women. Even if such things could be discovered, I'm think today's culture shift in redefining gender roles would make many people reject such echoes from our past...

[@brentsimard977]

Holy smokes, I've never heard anyone talk about Rock & Rule. That would be a good Toy Galaxy video!

[@JohnDoe-wq5eu]

@@HandofOmega That's the thing this movie has a strong well-written female protagonist. Something sadly lacking in most female protagonists nowadays. A character that has to overcome extreme adversity, and put her own life on the line to protect and preserve the life of her child. You want to see how to do a movie like this wrong look at the sequel. Just a complete mess and ruins everything the first movie did so well.

[@BugsyFoga]

Don Bluth’s original classic

[@mccallosone4903]

good movie. theres a quote my best friend and i have said (paraphrased) to each other for 40 years. "if theres one thing ived learned in this life, its to take what you can!" "then youve learned nothing!" i know, not the exact line, but we still got it from nimh. lately weve been throwing a "jon snow" at the end

[@fourtwentytexas]

Oh snap, dude! I've loved this movie for all my life and it still holds up (along with Cloak & Dagger). I've always tried to live my life according to what Mrs. Frisby taught me.

[@mccallosone4903]

nah, i must disagree about cloak and dagger. loved it as a kid, thought about it for years, then finally rewatched it a few years ago and was underwhelmed. SoN is pretty good tho

[@bigneon_glitter]

Watched _Cloak & Dagger_ recently again for the first time in 35+ years - dated, but it still has it's charms. Holds up.

[@HandofOmega]

...I actually don't know what Cloak and Dagger is (beyond the marvel superheroes), but if it stands in this good company, I might have to seek it out!

[@SlyerFox666]

@@HandofOmega Don't worry I thought NIMH was a battery type

[@orcsmash9]

@@SlyerFox666 hahaha. You’re not wrong. I sold cameras back in the early 2000s and those were common types of batteries they used. Thanks for reminding me of that. Lol

[@AverageDrafter]

The Rosebush and the castle in Dragon's Lair are just utterly embedded in my imagination. Cool but dangerous and alive and lived in and begging to be explored - carefully. The only thing I've seen that comes close to capturing that feeling was Blackrock Mountain in WoW.

[@MrDgfresh83]

Blackreach via Skyrim did that for me.

[@powerbeard5653]

you should play the dark souls games bro

[@ZiddersRooFurry]

TSoN is my all-time favorite film. I was fortunate enough to be able to see it in the theater when it opened at the little Jerry Lewis theater down the street from my house. My grandmother took me and I remember my eyes going wide the first time I saw Mrs. Brisby. I didn't have a close relationship with my mom when I was a kid and to me, she was what I imagined a good mother should be. Courageous, loving, and so very, very kind. Over the years the film has helped me through a lot of emotional trauma. I would watch it any time I felt lonely and hearing Elizabeth Hartman's voice as Mrs. Brisby always made me feel better. It's why it makes me so happy whenever I see people mention how much they like the movie and love Mrs. Bris. It made me so sad when I found out Ms. Hartman had committed suicide but knowing the fan community has given her character her name as an homage goes a long way in helping me feel she is still truly loved. I won't ever not be a fan of this film. Speaking of stuffed toys I managed to find both a 10" Mrs. Brisby plush as well as an 8" Jeremy plush. Both were on Etsy for $15 each! Given how rare they are and how expensive it can be to get ahold of them I can't help feeling I was meant to find them that day. At some point, I'm hoping to be able to afford a yellow NIMH lunchbox. I had one when I was a kid but a schoolyard bully stole it from me and smashed it :( I hope they do a proper restoration of this film. The current Blu-Ray version is just the DVD version and has a bit of graininess. Thank you so much for making a video about my most beloved movie. Needless to say, this is my favorite episode you've ever done. You can be sure that It's going into my favorites list and will be watched plenty of times in the future.

[@GinoGabriel-t5c]

One of my favorite animated movies of all time. The twist of the premise was truly ahead of its time.

[@ottototo8]

A true master. So fluid. Even the Japanese are losing the touch of hand-drawing.

[@grapeshot]

Yeah I remember this movie from 1982. I like the part when Dragon the Cat was trying to catch Mrs Bisbee. And of course I love that excellent sword play at the end between Jonathan and Jenner.

[@johngavin1175]

Cool to see your comment on this channel ,I always see you on the Atheist KZbinrs' channels, and always like your comments

[@grapeshot]

@@johngavin1175 Thank you

[@johngavin1175]

@@grapeshot Do you watch Holy Kool aid? His new vid is interesting

[@DanielAspajo9930]

Mrs.Frisby is the greatest female heroe ever written nothing can stop the love of a Mother and this movie shows it perfectly.

[@HandofOmega]

I named my favorite hamster after her back then...(well, maybe second fave, Fluffy was the best!)

[@Dalpima]

I wasnt even yet a glimmer in my parent's eye when this movie came out, but as a kid when I saw it for the first time, it absolutely terrified and enthralled me at the same time. It's one of the few movies (just like the Black Cauldron, and Rock-a-Doodle and All Dogs Go To Heaven) that really pulled my interests toward animation and made me the giant Japanese animation fan that I am today. Big fan of Berserk and Gantz and other dark/horror/action anime. Animation is just great no matter the platform, but when it pushes boundaries it really speaks volumes to me. ANIMATION IS NOT JUST FOR KIDS!

[@LeatherRebel75]

I absolutely loved The Secret of NIMH when I was a kid. On top of the good story and mature themes, the animation was next level. It was a visually stunning movie to behold, with special effects incorporated into the animation that was unlike anything seen beforehand. If you've never seen this movie, do yourself a favor and go check it out.

[@AndAlltheNerdyFun]

I remember watching this in school. Being one of the few that actually had read it i was vocal about the changes made andcargued it wasnt the same story. Turns out my classmates didnt care since they got to watch a movie instead of do actual work. I like it now.

[@spoon8142]

Saw the film at the theater and loved it, always an animation fan, but later found the book at the school library. Read it and really enjoyed the story more. The book does focus differently and a lot of important details about the mystery of Jonathan are covered, where in the film they kind of gloss over. As well as the Jenner arc. If u liked the film, you'll probably really like the book. Wasn't aware of sequel books, so thanks, I'll check those out

[@jonathancook1096]

Love the callback to the Secret of NIMH theatrical commercial. I remember showing my mom this whenever it came on and going to see it at the old Northgate Cinema 6 (Chattanooga). Still considered Bluth's best work with "An American Tail" a close second. 😁

[@Knikon79]

I owned this on VHS and Betamax. Loved this movie as a kid. Also liked American Tail and All Dogs go to heaven as well. A big part of my early childhood mentioned in this video. 🙂

[@Suisai13]

This is still, to this day, my favorite animated film of all time. Well told, Toy Galaxy! This movie essentially works to maintain the magic of Disney while rebelling against Disney at the same time.

[@SumDumGy]

A worthy choice!

[@hopeatkinson4790]

I was born in '79 and I adored this movie growing up. The flashbacks to the lab always facinated and terrified me!

[@dfailsthemost]

Those animation methods really made a difference. I always felt like it looked different from any other animated movie from my childhood.

[@Scott.Sandifer]

Once again, thank you so much for the history lesson. _The Secret of NIMH_ remains one of my all time favorites, and it's great to learn more about its creation. Even now, watching as an adult, the great owl sequence _still_ blows me away.

[@JohnDoe-wq5eu]

Just stay far away from the sequel. It's bad, it's really really bad.

[@nateshandy2070]

One of my all time favorite movies, and an appropriate video following the rebranding to "SECRET GALAXY". Any chance we could hear about some of the Rankin-Bass classics as well, like "The Hobbit", "The Last Unicorn" or (pretty please) "Flight of Dragons"?

[@zabnorg]

I think they read your comment, enjoy!

[@gustavohernandeza.890]

17:27 To be honest, all movie sequels should carry the word Boogaloo in their titles

[@atquinn1975]

Loved this movie when I was a kid, especially the closing credits song! The Dark Crystal hit a similar tone and I loved that as well.

[@TorgoHiggins]

Prolly haven't seen it in some 30 years. The memories are vague but pretty fond, but that said it's amazing how much I could clearly remember each character and clip as they came up. Solid testament to the production and quality.

[@justintime343]

As you can see from my avatar, this was...and still is my favorite animated film. So dark and beautiful. The entire third act is just epic from the moment she attempts to drug the cat.

[@bunkerzero]

when we were kids, my brother and I had theories about the glowing eyes and why only Nicodemus and the great owl had them, anyway, I think the story of Don Bluth and Disney would make a great documentary! (IMO at least)

[@doktahv8837]

Curious to know what your theories were.

[@raeje]

This was one of my favorites as a kid. Still is, honestly. I still have it on DVD and have the book it's based on. Both are incredible works in their respective fields.

[@SumDumGy]

Let’s just hope no remake or re-adaptation ever gets off the ground. I simply refuse.

[@GeneralOlde]

I love how Dan busts out laughing when he starts to talk about the unfortunate sequel.

[@panelvixen]

Mrs. Brisby's got the touch She's got the power Yeah! After all is said and done She never walked, she never run She's a winner She got the moves, she know the streets Break the rules, take the heat She's nobody's fool She's at her best when when the going gets rough She's been put to the test, but it's never enough

[@UrMomsChauffer]

This and Time Bandits were two of my favorite movies as a kid. So glad we had HBO.

[@Orionscribe]

I had a graphic novel of the movie back when I was a kid, and then saw the movie months later. I loved the story, and didn't get the movie again until my freshman year of college, about 15 years later. I read the story as an adult, on my own and to my kids. I'd love to see a remake, kept in line with the original book. I think watching rats build machines would be more interesting than magic maguffins.

[@sotpseamus]

"We already have an animated mouse!" I'm not crying in Mouse Guard, YOU'RE crying in Mouse Guard!

[@refaeladir]

A cinematic masterpiece. It was never made just for kids. These are for everyone, anyone who delights in a wonderful story in sensitive and unique traditional animation. God bless you Don Bluth - Your legacy was one of a kind.

[@toddhollen]

I loved this movie as a kid and watched it so many times. And then I watched it again a few years ago and realized that I don't think I ever actually knew what the plot was bit still loved it. I was surprised how well it held up though and actually liked it even more as an adult. Also All Dogs Go to Heaven still holds up.

[@kingedwin]

I can't believe you made a video about super intelligent lab rats without one Pinky and the Brain reference.

[@freevotube]

Took me a while to realize that peppering the video with quotes from the Bluth family was not just out of your love for Arrested Development.

[@bigpoppatoulon4580]

This movie is a classic and a fav from my childhood. I hope it’s not remade or rebooted. It’s perfect and timeless.

[@JohnDoe-wq5eu]

If you saw what Netflix did to watership down you would know how true that is. I'm so glad all attempts to make a reboot of this of some kind have failed.

[@GTMQ8]

Can I just say that the use of clips from Arrested Development in this video is simply genius. Thank you Dan and Producer Greg for another great and entertaining video.

[@JohnDoe-wq5eu]

It took me way too long to figure out the joke was oh Don Bluth, the Bluth family. Well played guys, well played.

[@tartrazine5]

8:07

[@bruiserbrawler8054]

This is my favorite channel in the world right now. Man! Yes. I do so LOVE these videos.

[@RandomBitzzz]

I loved this when it came out, I think I was around 6 years old. I had the lunchbox and a comic book style adaptation of the story. It was way better than the stuff Disney was churning out in the early to mid 80s.

[@wheelsofchaoticdoom8946]

I saw this film a few times as a wee lad and loved every minute of it. I was 8 when it came out and i have fond memories of it. Great times.

[@Goose_Willis]

Don Bluth is the GOAT of animation. He's responsible for 2 of my favorite animated films, Secret of Nimh and Robin Hood. Those 2 movies were my go to films when I was a kid.

[@kevinice2841]

I think ‘The Secret of NINH’ is an underappreciated classic. Like Sisley & Ebert said, it has heart and story depth beyond most Disney productions, and is a beautiful film to watch.

[@maxordman4100]

This movie is incredible! I will never forget the first time I saw it after renting it from the video store near our house in California during dad’s sabbatical! It totally blew my mind as a kid! So many scary scenes and plot twists! This movie definitely deserved a PG! Either way though it is amazing! I love rewatching it and I do so every few years! Thank you Don Bluth, for everything you’ve done! The man is a total wizard!

[@drachezaku7919]

You deserve way more subs.

[@mnutsch81]

A special childhood memory: I spent part of the summer of '82 (before kindergarten) in the hospital. All the activity packs they gave the kids were NIMH themed, & I got the storybook too in that time. Kept the book into high school, but despite knowing everything about it I didn't see the actual movie until my 30s

[@louisdellalucca8969]

Don Bluth was a legend. Sword in the Stone was the height of Disney Animation. And Secret of NIMH has been a staple of my house for years, and Dragon’s Lair was flawless

[@TheDastard]

My parents recorded The Secret of NIMH on a VHS when I was child. It was aired during a free preview weekend of Showtime. I later purchased it on VHS, DVD, & most recently the Blu-Ray version as a digital copy. The Secret of NIMH very likely jump started my life-long love of Animation. I like to think that's exactly what Don Bluth wanted.

[@Shaeniff]

I grew up on this and freaked out my kids with it when I had them. Last Unicorn, Labyrinth, and the BFG, I'm sure, further pushed them into the land of needing counseling. Still, I'm delighted to call this one of my childhood favorites I got to share with the new generation.

[@plain_simple_garak]

15:09 Look at that incredible list of films. When is the last time we had a year like that? When is the last time you saw a new movie that belongs on a GOAT list? We used to get several truly great films every year growing up. Few and far between these days

[@MegaJessness]

I honestly love this movie the best out of all of Don Bluth's, and I have seen many. I know An American Tail was basically their big break, but really only the first of that series really holds up. I do like Fivel Goes West, though, it's one of those that's just fun. There's alot that's real and relatable about Secret of NIMH, and I think that's why it's had such big staying power.

[@CrimsonRaven86]

Fern Gully and The Secret of Nimh were two of my favorite animated movies growing up

[@JohnDoe-wq5eu]

I definitely remember FernGully more. The dark themes and of course the random off the wall hygiinx of Robin Williams as a bat with an electrode in his brain.

[@philipnapier3382]

Loved that movie when I was a kid. Still holds up today

[@TrueYellowDart]

Excuse me, pardon me…but I was in the middle of watching another video when I was this was released and IMMEDIATELY switched over!

[@delta7890]

One of my favorite animated films. Gorgeous and breathtaking. The people involved were masters of their craft and I fear we'll never see their like in traditional animation again.

[@daemian2k]

Secret of NIMH, Plague Dogs, and Watership Down are my favorite three animated movies.

[@Tricob1974]

This movie was part of what made 1982 so amazing for me. A handful of films make it on my memorabilia list, and T.S.O.N. is one. Sadly, a DVD of the movie is all I have at this point, with storybooks, board games, Blu-ray transfers, and everything else sadly missing from my ownership. Whenever it is that Don Bluth loses ownership of the company (be it from death or otherwise), I'm not hopeful of who will take his place; it seems a brutal buyout is more than likely.

[@davewhitmore1958]

R.I.P. Mrs. Richard NIMH was never on my radar but I quite enjoyed O'Brien's "Z For Zachariah", read it several times

[@MrChristianDT]

Disney: We're not making Mrs. Frisbee, we already have a mouse movie! Also Disney a shot time later: The Rescuers, The Great Mouse Detective

[@nonono7465]

Probably my all time favorite animated movie from childhood!

[@dionelr]

We read the book in 6th grade and then watched the movie. We did a lot of exercises like analyzing the characters and listing the differences between the book and the movie. I remember writing “no magic amulet” and “where’s the crow?”.

[@vigo2669]

When I was little we didn't have the actual movie on VHS, but we had it taped from a showing on the Disney Channel (ironic as that sounds) with the first few minutes cut off from the beginning. Fond memories of that. The Don Bluth animated movies from the 80's were just as much a part of my early childhood as the Disney movies, maybe even more so.

[@zabnorg]

A timeless classic. I had this recorded on a VHS tape along with The Dark Crystal and probably watched it every Saturday afternoon for at least 3-4 months in a row and then every now and then for some time after.

[@Calidude80]

This movie holds a special place for kids that got it on vhs back the day. Not sure my aunt knew what she was doing at the time but it will always be a favorite.

[@SumDumGy]

I always thought this film was brilliant and unique it’s darkness and beauty, even as a kid. Still, to this day, the magical aspect of it makes me scratch my head though with each viewing.

[@steprockmedia]

That cartoon was SO DARK and freaky. But also lavish and amazing. I don't think you can really appreciate this movie until you're an adult.

[@TerryTurner]

A childhood classic!

[@scottsmartky]

You were truly an 80s kid if you grew up watching the original Willy Wonka, this movie, and a couple of other movies every year in school.

[@ryansullivan5854]

This movie was brilliant. I remember watching it in my 20's and still loving it. I'm going to have to watch this with my kids now to see if it still stands up (which I suspect it does).

[@dylanfgarrison]

This was the first time I realized as a kid how much better books can be than movies. The film was a favorite, but man that book was amazing… always wished there’d been a sequel.

[@MentalLiberation]

Awesome! A link to Fredrik Knudsen! Down the rabbit hole we go, in the secret galaxy.

[@DoomedPaladin]

When I think of "Wizard" Nicodemus _still_ springs to mind in the top 5 examples I've seen in movies and animation.

[@SoledadTroia1976]

Thank you so much for keeping this movie alive. It scared me a little bit when I was a kid, but I adored it, as I do now.

[@skyden24195]

Since we had the movie on VHS, my brother, sister and I watched The Secret of NIMH constantly. I still love that movie.

[@fortcastellan1730]

Speak of the home market: Secret of NIMH is one of the first things I remember watching on TV. The title card, and that first scene--the descent in Mr. Ages' lair--were haunting. As a teen, it was one of the first things I sought out on my own, and that I sought out for the sake of nostalgia. I have a copy of the DVD from the '98 release, and it has pride-of-place on the first "page" of one of my DVD cases. Suffice it to say, I love this movie, and still occasionally watch it today.

[@falcon048]

I was dropped off at the theater by myself, at the age of 7 to see Secret of NIMH. Not because I asked or wanted to. Apparently, my Mother wished to use the Theater as cheap babysitting. Be that as it may, I was completely hooked. It is one of the earliest inspirations for me to become an illustrator/artist. It will forever hold a place in my heart. In terms of home.viseo release, it is in dire need of a remaster. The first 15 mins of reel 1 is terrible. Grainy, and faded. It was clear to me that no restoration work has ever been done.

[@tueferbenz7492]

The Secret of NIMH and Tron were both the future: NIMH by showcasing old Disney techniques prefigured the Disney Renaissance, and Tron was the ancestor of digital backlots and other CG-heavy films.

[@eddiejoewalt7746]

Secret of NIMH was place where it have battle ET, THE THING, TRON, BLADE RUNNER AND STAR TREK 2, BETWEEN JUNE -JULY OF 1982!

[@JohnDoe-wq5eu]

I mean holy crap this poor movie was doomed. I mean obviously it wasn't but going up against all those movies, yikes.

[@Busto]

Boy, what a week. First, Matt Draper does They Live. Now, Dan's doing Secret of NIMH!! If I wake up to a Dark Crystal video in the morning, I'm playing $20 on that lottery everyone is going batsh_t about!

[@baddabaddabaddaswing]

I applaud you going full 80s for the sponsership ad.

[@hgc7000]

This was one of the movies that my sitter had taped off of HBO and was only a bi-weekly watch schedule. I know the owl was pretty scary, but to little kid me Dragon the cat, was the MOST frightening aspect to me for some reason. The suspense of Mrs. Brisbee/Frisbee getting out of the cage was intense! The horror! The horror!!!!!

[@14bis42]

I watched this movie like a 100 times . I was there in 1982 when it was brand new , and I get back to theaters to watch it again 6 times . And it was my very first title in VHS, about a year that I even could buy a vhs player , :P The sound track was again the very first one I bought, and I listen to that until I erased the vinyl. I am proud to have an original drawing of Mrs Brisby made on the studio. And the whole experience settle my desire to work on animation . The Secret of NIMH was very important to me , and I still love it . :D

[@RaptorShadow]

It took me too long to get the Arrested Development references. Well done.

[@emfgull]

This movie was pure nightmare fuel for me as a kid! *I looked up Don Bluth's filmography and almost every single one emotionally scarred me.

[@olyrhys8724]

I remember this cartoon from childhood now! I am now reminiscing about Flight of Dragons and Last Unicorn as well. I also recall them being darker than expected for the age I was!

[@HandofOmega]

Never got to see Flight of Dragons because we left for vacation the day it aired! Always regretted that...Actually, Secret of Nimh AND Flight of Dragons are both on youtube for free, so I might watch them tonight!

[@olyrhys8724]

@@HandofOmega - enjoy!

[@justavivi3386]

This one, like any Don Bluth cartoons is my childhood. With An American Tail, The Land Before Time, All Dogs Go To Heaven, Rock-a-Doodle, Troll in Central Park, The Pebble and the Penguin, Anastasia, Bartok the Magnificent, Titan A.E. I had them on HVS back then. As an child I really digged darker and more serious animated films. The Secret of NIMH was most chilling and darker.