The Great Mouse Detective

This Disney movie was directed in 1986 by Ron Clements and Burny Mattinson and tells the adventures of Basil of Baker Street, a mouse that investigates crimes, who has to stop his archennemy: Professor Ratigan. 

The voices star Vincent Price as Professor Ratigan, Barrie Ingman as Basil and Val Bettin as Dr. David Q. Dawson. 

This movie is Disney's take on the popular character of Arthur Connan Doyle: Sherlock Holmes. Basil happens to live in the very same building as the victorian detective and uses methods that are pretty much the same. Obviously Dr. David Q. Dawson is also the rodent version of Dr. John Watson, both characters are doctors that come back to London from war and get stuck with this mad detective. 

I think that this version is more likeable in his eccentricities than the pedantic genious that appears in most versions. Don't get me wrong, this mouse is full of himself and ignores everyones feelings just as the original. But maybe because he's an animated character or because he's a mouse, it's rather bearable. 

Most of the symbols of this well known books appear in the movie, which also adds to the depth and background as well as broadening the children's knowledge.

One of the best things of this movie is without any doubt Professor Rattigan, dubbed by Vincent Price. The rat's just pure evil, and has a lot of fun being evil. Plus Vincent Prices' work is - like allways - impecable. Something I find surprising is the fact that Basil has a protrait of Professor Rattigan in his living room and I'd love to know why. 

The animation of The Great Mouse Detective is very good. And it's also the first Disney movie that combines traditional animation with computer generated animation. 

The final battle, that takes place inside the Big Ben is one of the best Disney battles I've seen and I can't stop laughing in the 'death trap scene'.

THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE TRAILER

A very good movie with nice animation and a funny script beautifully doubled. Very recommendable.