Don Bluth Films (Dragon’s Lair)

Dragon’s Lair and Space Ace were huge at one time and I think they even preceded the Nintendo gaming system. That goes way back. Maybe too much time has gone by. Those IP should be worth a lot and it’s a shame that they are not. It says 1983 is when those games came out. 1984 was a monster year for games, as well as movies. Just such a major year for things to happen.

I don’t think I ever saw Secret of Nymh, but the animation is wonderful. Yeah, Don Bluth deserves more recognition. He is a true legend. All Dogs Go to Heaven was big, wasn’t it? I never saw it. I also recall Titan A.E., but just don’t remember it doing that well at the box office. Don Bluth is one of those guys that deserves backing no matter what.

I am kind of surprised with his track record, that he did not approach Angel Studios. They would have loved him, I think, if he could come up with more wholesome things, as he has done in the past. Really hope Netflix nails Dragon’s Lair. Dragon’s Lair and Space Ace were on such a higher level than all other arcade games.

Here’s one I never heard of: A Troll in Central Park. It makes you wonder what other kid stories could be done by Don Bluth. Bluth is very accomplished. My hunch is Disney tried to suppress him, but I don’t have any proof. It’s just their competitive nature.

@comicsgate

And people wonder why I won’t watch THAT version of ‘Little Women’ despite the cast. Sorry, I’m sticking with the book on that. As for Narnia…it was bad enough that Disney crapped on it with that horrible film series and now this. The only live action version of it I’d watch is the late 80’s TV version from the BBC. I know the animated effects look horribly outdated by today’s standards but I’d rather watch that than any other version.

Secret of Nimh is essential viewing. Period. End of story.

Seriously though, Secret of Nimh is one of my all time favorite movies.

In a woodpile on a farm in Payson, Utah, a rambunctious orange kitten named Banjo constantly makes mischief, to his family’s dismay. After Banjo disobeys his father’s warnings of learning to mind Banjo’s little sisters and, after one of Banjo’s stunts nearly gets his little sisters killed, Banjo’s father prepares to spank the kitten and orders Banjo to retrieve the switch that will be used against him; Banjo instead runs away. He hitches a ride on a feed truck to Salt Lake City.

In the big city, Banjo finds excitement at first, but soon he causes a massive traffic accident. He eventually retreats to the alleys, homesick and hungry during a thunderstorm. Another cat named Crazy Legs discovers Banjo and offers to help him find his way back home

During their search one snowy night, Crazy Legs and Banjo come to a nightclub and enlist the help of more cats, including a singing cat trio (Cleo, Melina and Zazu). Later that night, while searching for the truck that could take him back to the farm, Banjo and Crazy Legs are chased by a pack of dogs. The pair barely escape and end up at the singing cats’ home for the night.

The next morning, Banjo wakes up and hears the driver of the truck out in the street. The cats rejoice and say many goodbyes before Banjo gets on the truck and eventually reunites with his family, who are happy to see him home.

Don Bluth worked with George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg and James Horner on The Land Before Time?
This preceded Jurassic Park by years. Made a return profit on that one.

@DragonLady This is amazing. Sequels, games, and soundtracks. The people and things discovered from the people here are kind of blowing my mind. Little things have happened. For some reason, I was telling a relative about this thread and what you guys were talking about and it turns out that I have a signed copy of Siegfried’s Silent Night by Toby Bluth. How is that even possible? I think a great grandparent went to some art show or comic shop in California and he was there.

It’s strange because that name Don Bluth looms large in history, but I only knew the name and not really the body of work. One name that popped up while reading was Chuck Jones of Loony Toons. He’s another name that stood out over the years and I always liked Mel Blanc.

@DragonLady I appreciate you mentioned the soundtracks because a lot of this stuff I am hearing for the first time with a bit of realization and examination. This goes way back for me probably before being fully conscious.

In the Galilean countryside near the city of Nazareth, a young boy and his father own four donkeys. One donkey, Small One, is so old and weak, he cannot adequately do his job of carrying the wood collected by the boy’s father. The boy loads Small One with the smallest sticks, and helps him to carry them. One evening, the boy’s father says that he has to sell Small One because he cannot do enough work to cover the cost of his care. Devastated by the news, the boy volunteers to take the donkey to be sold so that he can try to find him a kind master. The father agrees and tells him that he has to sell him for one piece of silver.

The next morning, the boy takes Small One to the market. At first they are tricked into visiting the local tanner by a guard at the city gates. Terrified, they run out of the shop when they discover he only wants the donkey’s hide. As they wander the streets looking for a buyer, they encounter several townspeople, shop owners, and merchants, none of whom want to buy. At last, the boy leads Small One onto the stage at a horse auction. The auctioneer has no interest in selling a “scrawny donkey”, which causes the boy to insist that Small One is “good enough to be in a king’s stable”. This prompts the auctioneer and the crowd to laugh and poke fun. When the auctioneer attempts to sit on Small One, shoving the boy out of the way, Small One rouses the strength to buck and kick the auctioneer off him, sending him crashing into the stage and knocking it over.

The boy and Small One run away, and sit at a street corner hopelessly weeping. At this moment, a kind man comes up to the boy and asks if Small One is for sale. He needs a gentle donkey to carry his wife to Bethlehem, insists he will take good care of him, and offers one piece of silver. The boy accepts, says goodbye to Small One, and watches as the couple and Small One leave on their journey as a bright star appears in the sky.

Ya, The Land Before Time is a wonderful movie. It’s another favorite of mine. Most people don’t know that George Lucas was part of it.

I realize it is not Don Bluth, but I would like to mention The Last Unicorn. It was actually animated in Japan. Voices of Mia Farrow, Jeff, Bridges, and Christopher Lee.

I will also mention The Black Cauldron. Another favorite of mine. It was a very dark movie for Disney and had to be edited severely delaying the movie and it was still dark even after all the editing.