7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 3.7 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.7 |
Basil, the rodent Sherlock Holmes, investigates the kidnapping of a toy-maker and uncovers its link to his archenemy, Professor Ratigan.
Starring: Vincent Price, Barrie Ingham, Val Bettin, Alan Young, Laurie MainFamily | 100% |
Animation | 90% |
Adventure | 48% |
Musical | 43% |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Sherlock Holmes is in the midst of yet another pop culture resurgence. Guy Ritchie and Robert Downey Jr. have brought the titular master sleuth back to the big screen. Twice. Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have transplanted Holmes and Watson into the modern age in the BBC's terrific Sherlock series. And Johnny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu are giving it a go on CBS with the viable but still-unproven Elementary. It's only fitting then that Disney's 26th animated feature, The Great Mouse Detective, is at long last making its Blu-ray debut. It isn't the finest film in Disney's animated canon, or even the studio's finest classic feature of the '80s, an honor that belongs to The Little Mermaid, the first cornerstone in the Disney Renaissance. But it is an entertaining little adventure, full of sleuthy fun, action-packed mystery and pint-sized peril primed for kids of all ages.
Disney deals in two kinds of restorations: complete Diamond Edition overhauls a la Cinderella, which sometimes rub ultra-purists the wrong way (for legitimate reasons), and more minimalistic remasters like The Great Mouse Detective and its 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfer, which tend to underwhelm the casual enthusiast (also for legitimate reasons). Though notably softer and grainier than some may prefer, the studio's latest is quite true to its original film elements, flaws and all. Remaining scratches, lines and other blemishes aren't all that distracting, but they aren't exactly in short supply either. Likewise, contrast inconsistencies aren't terribly problematic, but they are more widespread than I would've preferred. Even so, there's something to be said for such a faithful remaster, even if it isn't as visually striking as other animated presentations. Colors have been preserved, without fundamental alteration; black levels are deep and inky, without any loss in fine line detail (as far as I can see); and the integrity of the animators' line art, which by its very nature is neither crisp nor clean, is satisfying, without the use of any unsightly edge enhancement. Minor variations in cel-to-cel color fills produces area-specific flickering of sorts, but it too is a product of the source. As to the encode itself, there isn't any significant banding, macroblocking, aliasing or errant noise to report. Further study may be required to determine just how faithful the presentation is, but all signs point to this being a solid, just not spectacular showing for Basil and company.
Disney's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track doesn't disappoint. It just isn't all that thrilling either. The rear speakers are used sparingly but to responsible effect. LFE output is assertive enough to please but not aggressive enough to convey the full weight of Big Ben's massive gears. And dialogue, while a touch smothered on occasion, is clean, clear and grounded nicely in the cozy mouse holes, bustling underground locales and looming towers of Detective's Victorian England. Hiss and other noise has been minimized without sacrificing fidelity, and dynamics, pans and other elements are more than serviceable. Jaw dropping? Hardly. A successful six-channel presentation of a 1986 animated feature's original sound design? Most definitely.
Not much on the supplemental front, I'm afraid. There's a much too brief "Making of The Great Mouse Detective" featurette (SD, 8 minutes), a "So You Think You Can Sleuth?" rundown of crimes and crime-solving through the ages (SD, 5 minutes), and a "World's Greatest Criminal Mind" sing-along (SD, 2 minutes).
The Great Mouse Detective isn't an undisputed classic, but it is a pre-Disney Renaissance delight with plenty of charm and adventure ideal for kids of any age. And while children will enjoy it more, adults -- particularly those weened on Disney's 26th animated feature and its brethren -- will find plenty to love too. No, Basil and Dr. Dawson's Blu-ray debut isn't stunning or enveloping, but both its video transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio track offer a faithful, proficiently encoded presentation of the film. My only complaint? More extras would have been appreciated. More to the point, more content would have made the "Mystery in the Mist Edition" more deserving of its special edition title. If you have any affection for The Great Mouse Detective, a purchase is a no-brainer.
1990
1977
1985
Anniversary Edition | The Signature Collection
1953
1970
25th Anniversary Edition
1988
1981
1998
DVD Packaging
2011
1947
1998
1977
Peter Pan 2 | Special Edition
2002
1995
2003
2004
50th Anniversary Edition | DVD Packaging
1963
Diamond Edition
1967
1999
70th Anniversary Special Edition
1941