The Rescuers Down Under

The Rescuers Down Under
Original theatrical poster
Directed by	Hendel Butoy Mike Gabriel
Written by	Books: Margery Sharp Animation Screenplay: Jim Cox Karey Kirkpatrick Bryon Simpson Joe Ranft
Produced by	Thomas Schumacher
Starring	Bob Newhart Eva Gabor John Candy Tristan Rogers Adam Ryen George C. Scott Frank Welker Wayne Robson Russi Taylor Bernard Fox Douglas Seale
Music by	Bruce Broughton
Distributed by	Buena Vista Pictures
Release date	November 16, 1990
Running time	74 min
Language	English
Box office	$47,431,461

The Rescuers Down Under is the twenty-ninth animated feature in the Disney animated features canon, produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, and was released by Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Distribution on November 16, 1990. The film, which takes place in the Australian Outback, is the sequel (Disney's first for an animated feature) to the 1977 film The Rescuers, based on the novels of Margery Sharp. The film and Fantasia 2000 are the only Disney sequels that are part of the Disney canon, as both were produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. The film belongs to the era known as the Disney Renaissance(1989-1999) era that began the year before its release with The Little Mermaid.

Production

The Rescuers Down Under is notable for Disney. It was the first Disney traditionally-animated movie to completely use the new computerized CAPS process. CAPS allowed more efficient and sophisticated post-production of the Disney animated films, and made obsolete the traditional practice of hand-painting cels. As a result, The Rescuers Down Under was the first feature film for which all original film elements were completely made within a digital environment, with the exception of the backgrounds and the animators' drawings, which were done the traditional way and then scanned into the computers. (However, the film's marketing approach did not call attention to the use of the CAPS process). It is Disney's second animated feature that does not include any musical numbers, the first being Disney's The Black Cauldron. The film also uses CGI elements throughout such as the field of flowers in the opening sequence, McLeach's truck, and perspective shots of Wilbur flying above Sydney Opera House and New York City.

A team of over 415 artists and technicians were required for the production of the film. Five members of the team traveled to the Australian Outback to observe, take photographs and draw sketches to properly illustrate the outback on film.

On its initial release, The Rescuers Down Under was preceded by a short subject starring Mickey Mouse in an adaptation of The Prince and the Pauper. (This was only the second new Mickey Mouse short made since the 1950s, the first being Mickey's Christmas Carol, which was made to accompany the 1983 re-release of The Rescuers.)

Plot

The movie starts with Cody, a young boy from the Outback, who hears a distress call that leads him to find a giant great golden eagle named Marahute in a rope trap on top of a cliff. After Cody frees the eagle, he accidentally is knocked off the cliff. Marahute catches him at the last moment and gives him a ride on her back. After she shows him her eggs and gives him a feather as thanks for saving her, Cody sets off for home. On the way, he stumbles into a poacher's trap set by Percival McLeach. McLeach realizes that Cody knows Marahute's location and kidnaps the boy, intending to capture the bird and sell her. Although no other human knows of Cody's kidnapping, the mouse that was the bait of the trap rushes to a local mouse radio operator to begin a transmission relay to New York City to alert the Rescue Aid Society of the emergency.

Bernard and Bianca, the RAS' elite field agents, are assigned to the mission, interrupting Bernard's attempt to propose marriage to Bianca. They go to find Orville the albatross who aided them previously, but instead find Wilbur, Orville's brother. Bernard and Bianca convince Wilbur to fly them to Australia to save Cody. In Australia, they meet Jake, a kangaroo rat who is the RAS' local regional operative. Jake later flirts with Bianca, much to Bernard's chagrin. He serves as their guide and protector in search of the boy. Wilbur is immobilized when his spinal column is bent out of its natural shape, convincing Jake to consign him to hospital. When he refuses to undergo surgery and instead attempts to flee, Wilbur's back is unintentionally straightened by the efforts of the mouse medical staff to prevent him escaping through a window. Cured, he departs in search of his friends.

At McLeach's ranch, Cody has been thrown into a cage with several of McLeach's captured animals after refusing to give up Marahute's whereabouts. Cody tries to free the animals, but is thwarted by Joanna (McLeach's pet goanna). McLeach ultimately tells Cody that someone else has shot Marahute, tricking Cody into leading him to Marahute's nest. Bernard, Bianca, and Jake, half-aware of what is happening, jump onto McLeach's Halftrack to follow him.

At Marahute's nest, the three mice try to warn Cody that he has been followed; just as they do, McLeach arrives and captures Cody, along with Marahute, Jake, and Bianca. Wilbur arrives at the nest, whereupon Bernard convinces him to sit on the eagle's eggs, which Bernard had saved from Joanna moments before. McLeach takes Cody and Marahute to Crocodile Falls, where he ties Cody up and hangs him over the eponymous crocodiles. Bernard, riding a type of wild pig called a "razorback", which he had tamed using a technique earlier used by Jake, follows and disables McLeach's vehicle, preventing the use of its crane to put Cody at risk. McLeach then tries to shoot the rope holding Cody above the water. To save Cody, Bernard tricks Joanna into crashing into McLeach, sending them both into the water. The crocodiles chase McLeach, while behind them the damaged rope holding Cody breaks apart. Although McLeach manages to fight off the crocodiles, only Joanna, Percival C. McLeach's pet goanna makes it to the shoreline while McLeach goes over Croc Falls to his apparent death.

Bernard dives into the water to try to save Cody, but fails. Jake and Bianca free Marahute just in time for her to burst free and retrieve Cody and Bernard. Bernard, desperate to avoid any further incidents, proposes to marry Bianca, who accepts eagerly while Jake salutes him with a newfound respect. All of them depart for Cody's home. Wilbur, whom they have neglected to relieve of his task, incubates the eggs until they hatch, much to his dismay.

Characters

The Rescuers Down Under features three characters from the first film: Bianca, Bernard, and the Chairmouse.

• Bernard, voiced by Bob Newhart, a mouse and the United States representative of the Rescue Aid Society.
• Bianca, voiced by Eva Gabor, a mouse and the Hungarian representative of the Rescue Aid Society
• Wilbur, voiced by John Candy, a comical albatross, named after Wilbur Wright.
• Cody, voiced by Adam Ryen, a young boy able to converse with most animals, who is implied to be a recurrent ally of theirs.
• Marahute, voiced by Frank Welker, a giant golden eagle.
• Percival C. McLeach, voiced by George C. Scott, a sadistic poacher and the film's villain.
• Joanna, voiced by Frank Welker, a giant goanna and McLeach's pet, who acts to terrify his captives.
• Jake, voiced by Tristan Rogers, a debonair, charismatic, friendly kangaroo rat.
• Red, voiced by Peter Firth, a male kangaroo captured by McLeach. It is unknown if he is saved or not.
• Frank, voiced by Wayne Robson, an erratic frill-necked lizard captured by McLeach. It is unknown if he is saved or not.
• Krebbs, voiced by Douglas Seale, a koala captured by McLeach. It is unknown if he is saved or not.
• Polly, a platypus captured by McLeach. It is unknown if he is saved or not.
• Faloo voiced by Carla Meyer, a female kangaroo, who summons Cody to save Marahute.
• Chairmouse, voiced by Bernard Fox, chairman of the Rescue Aid Society.
• Doctor Mouse, voiced by Bernard Fox, the supervisor of the surgical mice who examine Wilbur when he is injured.
• Nurse Mouse, voiced by Russi Taylor, the operator of Doctor Mouse's instructions and a competent second-in-command.
• Nelson, an echidna.

Reaction

Most critics praised the film. On Rotten Tomatoes, 77% of the critics reviews were positive. But despite the fair critical success, the film underperformed at the box-office, grossing only $27 million, which was by far the least successful box-office performance of any major release of the Disney Renaissance era. This may be because of its lack of musical numbers.

However, despite its poor reception, a third movie was later planned for 1996 (presumably due to its successful home video release), but Eva Gabor suddenly died the previous year from respiratory failure from complications of pneumonia. Therefore, the planned movie and all future Rescuers sequels were scrapped.

Soundtrack

Untitled

1. Main Title
2. Answering Faloo's Call
3. Cody's Flight
4. Message Montage
5. At the Restaurant
6. Wilbur Takes Off
7. McLeach Threatens Cody
8. The Landing
9. Bernard Almost Proposes
10. Escape Attempt
11. Frank's Out!
12. Cody Finds the Eggs
13. Bernard the Hero
14. End Credits

Film Credits

• Produced in Association With SILVER SCREEN PARTNERS IV
• Directed by Hendel Butoy and Mike Gabriel
• Produced by Thomas Schumacher
• Screenplay by Jim Cox, Karey Kirkpatrick, Byron Simpson, Joe Ranft
• Music Composed and Conducted by Bruce Broughton
• Co-Produced by Kathleen Gavin
• Edited by Michael Kelly
• Production Designer: Maurice Hunt
• Suggested by Characters Created by Margery Sharp
• Story Direction: Joe Ranft
• Story Adaptation: Ed Gombert, Gary Trousdale, Christopher Sanders, Brenda Chapman, Roger Allers, Will Finn, Glen Keane, Robert Lence, Vance Gerry, Kirk Wise, Kelly Asbury
• Directing Animators: Glen Keane, Mark Henn, Russ Edmonds, David Cutler, Ruben A. Aquino, Nik Ranieri, Ed Gombert, Anthony DeRosa, Kathy Zielinski, Duncan Marjoribanks
• Character Animators: James Baxter, Ron Husband, Will Finn, David Burgess, Alexander S. Kupershmidt, Chris Bailey, Michael Cedeno, Rick Farmiloe, Jacques Muller, David Pruiksma, Rejean Bourdages, Roger Chiasson, Ken Stuart Duncan, Joe Haidar, Ellen Woodbury, Jorgen Klubien, Geefwee Boedoe, Barry Temple, David P. Stephan, Chris Wahl, Larry White, Brigitte Hartley, Doug Krohn, Phil Young, Tom Roth, Leon Joosen
• Layout Direction: Dan Hansen
• Key Layout Artists: Rasoul Azadani, Bill Perkins
• Layout Artists: Karen A. Keller, Robert Walker
• Background Styling: Lisa L. Keene
• Background Painters: Jim Coleman, Donald A. Towns, Doug Ball, Phil Phillipson, Cristy Maltese, Dean Gordon, Tom Woodington, Diana Wakeman, Robert E. Stanton, Michael Humphries, Tia W. Kratter
• Visual Effects Supervisor: Randy Fullmer
• Effects Animators: Ted C. Kierscey, Dave Bossert, Kelvin Yasuda, Mark Myer, Eusebio Torres, Christine Harding, Barry Cook, Glenn Chaika, Mark Dindal
• Clean-Up Animation Director: Richard Hoppe
• Supervising Character Leads: Bill Berg, Brian Clift, Renee Holt, Emily Jiuliano, Marty Korth, Vera Lanpher
• Character Leads: Debra Armstrong, Jesus Cortes, Margie Daniels, Nancy E. Kniep, Kaaren Lundeen, Dan Tanaka, Stephan Zupkas, Alex Topete
• Key Assistant Animators: Bette Isis Baker, Dorothea Baker, Tom Bancroft, Philo Barnhart, Wesley Chun, Kent Culotta, Lou Dellarosa, Marcia Kimura Dougherty, Sam Ewing, Tom Ferriter, Trey Finney, Gail Frank, Daniel A. Gracey, Ray Harris, Tracy M. Lee, Margaret Nichols, Lori M. Noda, Jennifer Gwynne Oliver, Gilda Palinginis, Natasha Dukelski Selfridge, Alan Simpson, Dave Suding, Jane Tucker, Lureline Weatherly
• Assistant Animators: Scott Anderson, Carl Bell, Susan I. Craig, James A. Davis, Lee Dunkman, Teresa Eidenbock, Michael Genz, Karen Hardenbergh, Johan Klingler, Terrey Hamada Legrady, Steve Lubin, Teresa Martin, Brian McKim, Michael McKinney, Terry Naughton, Eric Pigors, Pres Romanillos, Juliet Stroud Duncan, Peggy Tonkonogy, Marshall Toomey, Marianne Tucker, Susan M. Zytka, Kathleen M. Bailey, Judith Barnes
• Character Design and Visual Development: Christopher Sanders, Kevin Lima, Bruce Zick, Kelly Asbury, Glen Keane, Duncan Marjoribanks, Chris Buck, Kevin Donoghue, Guy Lawrence-Ventura, Valerio Lawrence-Ventura, Gil Hung
• With the Voice Talents of Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, John Candy, Tristan Rogers, Adam Ryen, George C. Scott, Wayne Robson, Douglas Seale, Frank Welker, Bernard Fox, Peter Firth, Billy Barty, Ed Gilbert, Carla Meyer, Russi Taylor
• Production Manager: Sarah McArthur
• Color Models Supervisor: Karen Comella
• Animation Check Supervisor: Janet Bruce
• Scene Planning Supervisor: Ann Tucker
• Ink and Paint Manager: Gretchen Maschmeyer Albrecht
• Final Check and Painting Supervisor: Hortensia M. Casagran
• Digitizing Camera Supervisor: Robyn Roberts
• Computer Graphics Animators: Tina Price, Andrew Schmidt
• Computer Graphics Engineers: Scott F. Johnston, Mary Jane Turner
• Assistant Computer Graphics Animators: Linda Bel, Thomas Cardone, Greg Griffith
• Animating Assistants: Aaron Blaise, Bob Bryan, Michael Show, Mike Nguyen, Brad Kuha, Broose Johnson, Tony Bancroft, Cynthia Overman, Dan Boulos
• Layout Assistants: Michael Bond O'Mara, Fred Craig, Mac George, Andre Clavel, Anthony Christov, Tom Shannon, David C. Gardner, Bob Smith, Bruce Zick, Daniel Hu, Mitchell Guintu Bernal, Mark Wallace
• Background Assistants: Debbie DuBois, Serge Michaels
• Color Models Assistant: Penny Coulter
• Bluesketch: Roxy Novotny Steven, Madlyn Zusmer O'Neill
• Assistant Effects Animators: Dan Chaika, John Tucker, Mabel Gesner, Steve Starr, Allen Blyth, Mark Barrows, Allen Stovall, Jeff Dutton, Kevin Turcotte, Margaret Craig-Chang, Hae Sook Kwang, Lee Crowe, Rob Bekuhrs, James R. Tooley
• Special Airbrush Effects: John Emerson
• Breakdown and Inbetween Artists: Beverly Adams, Janet Hee Rhan Bae, Noreen Beasley, Gordon Bellamy, Philip S. Boyd, Inna Chon, Robert Corley, Tony Craig, Vincent DeFrances, Wendie Lynn Fischer, James Fujii, Susan Gal, Richard H. Green, Peter A. Gullerud, Edward R. Gutierrez, Mike Hazy, Grant Hiestand, Ken Hettig, Todd Hoff, Allison Hollen, Mark Kennedy, Christine Lawrence, Laura Nichols, Matt Novak, Ed Olson, Gary Payne, Karen Rosenfeld, Martin Schwartz, Donald Selders, Kevin Smith, Bryan M. Sommer, Michael Swofford, David Teague, Bill Thinnes, Jane Vytiskoya, Elizabeth Watasin, Daniel Wawrzaszek, Wendy Werner
• Effects Breakdown and Inbetween Artists: Cynthia Neill Knizek, Masa Oshiro, Peter DeMund, Kennard Betts, Tony West
• Effects Graphics: Bernie Gagliano
• Animation Checking: Susan Burke, Madlyn Zusmer O'Neill, Karen S. Paat, Gary Shafer, Mavis Shafer, Barbara Wiles
• Production Administrator: Dennis Edwards
• Assistant Production Managers: Dorothy L. McKim, Allison Abbate, Susan Blanchard, Brett Hayden, Pam Coates, Tim Christenson
• Florida Unit Production Manager: Tim O'Donnell
• Camera Manager: Joe Jiuliano
• Film Recorder Supervisor: Ariel Shaw
• CAPS Development Team: Randy Cartwright, David Coons, Lem Davis, Scott Greenidge, Don Gworek, Jim Houston, Mark Kimball, Dylan Kohler, Michael Purvis, Marty Prager, David F. Wolf
• Technical Director: Edward Kummer
• Technical Support Staff: Michael Bolds, Randy Fukuda, Pradeep Hiremath, Carlos Quinonez, Grace Shirado, Michael Sullivan
• PIXAR: Thomas Hahn, Peter Nye, Michael A. Shantzis, Rick Ace
• Producer's Secretary: Pamela M. Waterman
• Production Assistants: Charles Desrochers, Patricia Hicks, Eric Lee, Jill A. Prestigiacomo, Dale A. Smith, Eric Stern, Kevin Wade, Bruce Grant Williams
• Production Accountants: Dennis Park, Suzi Vissotzky
• Scene Planning: Geoff Schroeder, Rick Sullivan
• Scene Planning Assistant: Donna Weir
• Character Sculptures: Ruben Procopio
• Titles Designed by Dan Perri
• Assistant Ink and Paint Mamager: Chris Hecox
• Digitizing Mark-Up: Gina Wootten
• Digitizing Line Repair: Angelika Katz
• Digitizing Camera Operators: Jo Ann Breuer, Karen China, Bob Cohen, Lynette Cullen, Cindy Garcia, Kent Gordon, Sherri Vandoli
• Assistant Painting Supervisors: Leslie Ellery, Rhonda L. Hicks, Ann Sorensen
• Paint Mark-Up: Tania Mitman Burton, Tanya Moreau-Smith, Irma Velez
• Cel Painting: Joyce Alexander, Phyllis Bird, Russell Blandino, Bonnie Blough, Sherrie Cuzzort, Phyllis Estelle Fields, Paulino Garcia, Carolyn Guske, Anne Hazard, Karen Hepburn, David Karp, Monica Marroquin, Harlene Cooper Mears, Beth Ann McCoy, Teri McDonald, Charlene D. Miller, Deborah Jane Mooneyham, Karen Nugent, Leyla Pelaez, Bruce Phillipson, Nellie Rodriguez, Carmen Sanderson, Heidi Shellhorn, Fumiko Roche Sommer, Roxanne M. Taylor, Britt Marie Van der Nagel, Susan Wileman
• Final Check: Saskia Raevouri
• Compositing: James "JR" Russell, David Rowe
• Film Recorder Operator: Christopher Gee
• Additional Voice Talents of Charlie Adler, Jack Angel, Vanna Bonta, Peter Greenwood, Marii Mak, Mickie McGowan, Patrick Pinney, Phil Proctor
• Casting by Mary V. Buck, C.S.A. and Susan Edelman, C.S.A.
• Additional Editing by Mark A. Hester
• Supervising Music Editor: Kathleen Bennett
• Music Editing: Segue Music
• First Assistant Editor: Paul Murphy
• Assistant Film Editors: James Melton, Scott Scalise, Deirdre Hepburn, Karen Wanderman
• Music Scoring Mixer: Robert Fernandez
• Original Score Recorded and Mixed at Warner Bros. Studio Facilities
• Score Orchestrated by Don Nemitz, Mark McKenzie
• Orchestra Conducted by Bruce Broughton
• Supervising Sound Editors: Louis L. Edemann, Paul Timothy Carden
• Sound Editors: Fred Judkins, Doug Jackson, Leonard T. Geschke, M.P.S.E., Nils C. Jensen, Robert O'Brien, Suhail Kapity
• ADR Mixer: Larry Singer
• Assistant Sound Editor: Angela K. Lucky
• Sound Effects Designers: Mel Neiman, Alan Howarth
• Apprentice Sound Editor: Robert Morrisey
• Foley by TAJ Soundworks
• Foley Artists: Kevin Bortnof, Hilda Hodges
• Didgeridoo Soloist: Adam Rudolph
• Foley Mixer: James Ashwill
• Recordist: Mary Jo Lang
• Re-Recorded at Buena Vista Sound Studios
• Re-Recording Mixers: Terry Porter, C.A.S., Mel Metcalfe, David J. Hudson
• Florida Unit Production Secretary: Barbara J. Poirier
• Florida Unit Production Assistants: Kevin L. Briggs, Beth Ann Collins, Matthew Garbera, Janet McLaurin, Paul Steele
• Florida Unit Production Accountant: Darrell L. Brown
• Supervising Camera Operators: John Cunningham
• Camera Operators: John Aardal, Chris Beck, Mary E. Lescher, Gary W. Smith, Chuck Warren
• Special Processes: Joe Parra, John White, Joe Holmes, Rick Engels
• Live Action Reference: Barry O'Neill
• Video Crew: David Weiss, Al Vasquez, Pat Ferraioli
• Projectionist: Don Henry
• Sound Reader: James Melton
• Special Thanks To The San Diego Zoo, The San Diego Wild Animal Park, The Peregrine Fund, Inc. of Boise, Idaho, USA, and Craig Bolles
• Database for New York City Skyline Courtesy of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
• Additional Production Facilities Provided by Disney MGM Studios Theme Park in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA
• Digital Film Recoders Provided by the Constantine Engineering Laboratories Company (CELCO)

• • SONGS**
• "Black Slacks"
• Written by Joe Bennett and Jimmy Denton
• Performed by Joe Bennett and the Sparkletones
• Joe Bennett and the Sparkletones appear courtesy of MCA Records
• "Waltzing Matilda"
• Written by A.B. Peterson and Marie Cowan

• Titles and Opticals by Pacific Title
• Color by Technicolor
• Produced and Distributed on Eastman Film
• (C) 1990 The Walt Disney Company
• All Rights Reserved.

Home video

The Rescuers Down Under was released in the Walt Disney Home Video video series in 1993 on VHS like The Rescuers. However, unlike The Rescuers, the film did not make it to the Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection. It was released on DVD on August 1, 2000 as part of the Walt Disney Gold Classic Collection. It has yet to join the several other Disney films in the "Platinum/Special Edition" DVDs.

See also

• Miss Bianca
• Bernard (The Rescuers)
• List of fictional mice and rats

External links

• The Rescuers Down Under at IMDb
• The Rescuers Down Under at Rotten Tomatoes
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