MovieChat Forums > The Secret of NIMH (1982) Discussion > Amazing and disturbing plot line/not you...

Amazing and disturbing plot line/not your average children's film.

posted 15 years ago by LauraCohle
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I did not grow up watching this animation but having watched it now, at 20 years of age, I can say I am quite impressed. The animation is amazing, as if the story line.

I grew up watching 'Fern Gully' and 'Watership Down' (both of which I suggest fans of Secret of NIMH watch), two other impressive yet dark children's animations. I was shocked to discover the actual meaning of NIMH and the sub-text of animal experimentation. This film is a classic and haunting; no one should dismiss such films like 'The Secret of NIMH' and 'Watership Down' as purely childrens movies.

I say well done to such a brilliant movie.

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[–] cybermastah 15 years ago

I remember watching secret of NIMH when I was a kid and loving it so I recently got my hands on it again. Skimming quickly through the scenes I can see why I liked it so much. I also remember watching watership down when I was a kid and finding it quite disturbing. I tried looking up fern gully on IMDB but can't find any links to it at all.

I found the main character, Ms. Brisby to be a lovable character mainly because she had a very innocent personality, call me old fashioned (or a chauvinist, whichever's more appropriate ) but I prefer my heroines innocent and my hero's funny with a good nature (although only in animation, when it comes to live action nothing beats David Boreanaz's Angel)

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[–] LauraCohle 15 years ago

Thank you for your reply. :)

For Fern Gully, try this;

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104254/

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[–] cybermastah 15 years ago

Thanks, I DEFINITELY remember that movie, mainly cause I liked the bat and the weird oozing black villain. Heheh, that was also one of my favorites, I think they even made a sequal.

Might I suggest basil the great mouse detective? That was also one of the good animations of those days.

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[–] LauraCohle 15 years ago

I remember Basil! Good job. :) Another animal animation totally worth watching! And Once Upon A Forest!

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[–] cybermastah 15 years ago

Another favorite, that ending was quite touching when the people showed compassion and wrecked the steel traps. I also remember watching little nemo: adventures in slumberland, the main villain was made to be quite disturbing. I remember I was a fan of animal based cartoons but can't remember the ones I was fond of. I can remember basil, NIMH, one upon a forest all being good, but can't remember many of the others, any reminders would be much appreciated.

I also got my hands on the sequal to the secret of NIMH, but I heard it's nowhere near as good as the first.

Looking back, some of the best animations I watched were the dark ones or the ones with dark villains. I remember watching the fox and the hound and robin hood (the one with the fox as robin hood) but they just weren't as captivating.

EDIT: One more animation that had a dark villain and a dark ending, something about a nutcracker prince, I believe the villain was a rat who came to a pretty violently painful demise.

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[–] cybermastah 15 years ago

Found a link, the screenshots are in black and white for some reason, but the animation is actually in color: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100281/

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[–] LauraCohle 15 years ago

I watched 'NIMH' today and after it, the channel was playing the sequel. I watched a little bit of it but lost interest because I've also heard it's disappointing as a sequel. Let me know how you find it.

I really adored 'Fox and The Hound' as a kid. But I agree with you that the light hearted animal animations are entertaining yet not as captivating as the darker ones.

A film I really want to see is 'Plague Dogs', by the same people who did 'Watership Down'. Apparently it's disturbing and sad, too.

I also loved 'Animals of Farthing Wood', a tv series about a forest of animals having to relocate when their forest is destroyed by humans. Did you ever watch it? It also had dark undertones and themes about death.

Hey, let me know about that animation about the nut cracker prince, that sounds interesting. :)

Oh, and I remember The Last Unicorn as a young kid, totally terrified me. Very haunting - I need to watch it again! Have you seen it?

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[–] LauraCohle 15 years ago

Sorry to bombard you, but is this what you were talking about?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaSTk8eCpNo

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[–] cybermastah 15 years ago

Thanks, that's actually exactly the one I meant. It's a little more childish than I remember, but the ending was pretty violent.

Thanks for the info on animals of farthingwood and plague dogs, will give them a shot.

I must say, disney no longer releases any more dark animations, though a few of the animations we've mentioned weren't released by them. Princess and the frog was a disappointment, though the villain was pretty amazing, he's no Jenner but he was interesting. Must say, can't remember a heroine that was as touching as Ms. Brisby either.

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[–] cybermastah 15 years ago

I just read one of your previous comments, I did indeed watch the last unicorn. I thought the story was very well done and the protagonist to be very touching. I didn't like the wizard too much though. There was also another unicorn animation (I think it may have started as japanese animation though) called unico, there were two movies, the superior being the one with the strange nightmarish count in the end.

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[–] LauraCohle 15 years ago

Let me know how Plague Dogs and Animals of Farthing Wood go if you check them out.

I'm pretty disappointed with Disney, actually. They have gone so downhill. Why can't they make the classy, engaging masterpieces they used to, with the beautiful animation?

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[–] Chrysanthepop 15 years ago

Both this one and 'Watership Down' are among my favourites. The film is quite different from the usual kidflick but not as disturbing as the book (which is also excellent). Both this and 'Watership Down' are for adults. I think 'Watership Down' is the first animated movie in which I saw blood.

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[–] LauraCohle 15 years ago

Watership Down is one of the best animations of all time, I believe. The book is a masterpiece, and the film is so beautiful. I think Watership was the first animated movie in which I saw blood, too. Have you seen Plague Dogs, also by the same people? Both are very underappreciated.

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[–] Chrysanthepop 15 years ago

Unfortunately, I haven't seen 'Plague Dogs' :( but will try to find it.

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[–] LauraCohle 15 years ago

I haven't seen it either but I've been fascinated by it for years, hoping to see it somewhere on DVD. I've seen some clips on youtube. It looks quite grim and depressing. It' got that Watership kind of feel, I think. Good luck finding it. <3

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[–] ShiningSeal 15 years ago

I agree. When I was little and watched it, I didn't pay much attention to what "NIMH" meant, and years later, when I found out, I was intrigued, horrified (National Institute of MENTAL HEALTH), and I understood more how serious/dark the story actually is/was.
I don't think most people realize how horrifying something like that would be, were it to actually happen. Somebody wrote a "Secret of NIMH" fanfic that just really hit the nail with the hammer, as far as the rats and their "humanness" - what would it be like if rats (or any other animal, for that matter) possessed the knowledge of good and evil? "The Secret of NIMH" is freaky, in that the scientists who worked on the NIMH rats basically force-fed them that knowledge. That's a tremendous thing to do to an animal. :(

Anyways, enough of my two cents. It's just always fascinated me - in a sad way.

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[–] LauraCohle 15 years ago

I am so happy to see other people who feel the same fascination as me, thank you for your reply. <3

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