Never Say Never Ever Again Toon Disney

1986 animated motion-picture show directed by Don Bluth

An American Tail
Theatrical release affiche by Drew Struzan
Directed by	Don Bluth
Screenplay past	Judy Freudberg Tony Geiss
Story by	David Kirschner Judy Freudberg Tony Geiss
Produced by	Don Bluth Gary Goldman John Pomeroy
Starring	Phillip Glasser John Finnegan Amy Green Nehemiah Persoff Dom DeLuise Christopher Plummer
Edited past	Dan Molina
Music by	James Horner
Production companies	Amblin Amusement[ane] Sullivan Bluth Studios[i]
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	November 21, 1986 (1986-11-21)
Running fourth dimension	81 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$9 1000000[2]
Box office	$84 one thousand thousand

An American Tail is an 1986 American-Irish animated pic directed past Don Bluth from a screenplay by Judy Freudberg and Tony Geiss and a story by David Kirschner, Freudberg and Geiss.^[iii] The moving picture features the voices of Phillip Glasser, John Finnegan, Amy Green, Nehemiah Persoff, Dom DeLuise, and Christopher Plummer. It tells the story of Fievel Mousekewitz and his family equally they immigrate from Russian federation to the United states for freedom. However, he gets lost and must find a way to reunite with them.

The flick was released in the Us on November 21, 1986, by Universal Pictures, four months after Disney's The Great Mouse Detective was released. It received mixed-to-positive reviews and was a box part hit, making information technology the highest-grossing not-Disney blithe film at the time. Its success, along with that of swain Bluth moving picture The Land Before Fourth dimension and Disney's Who Framed Roger Rabbit (both 1988), and Bluth'due south departure from their partnership, prompted executive producer Steven Spielberg to establish his own blitheness studio, Amblimation, in London, England. The motion-picture show spawned a franchise that included a sequel, An American Tail: Fievel Goes Due west (1991); a CBS Boob tube serial, Fievel's American Tails (1992); and ii additional directly-to-video prequels, An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Isle (1998) and An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster (1999).

Plot [edit]

In Shostka, Russia, in 1885, the Mousekewitzes, a Russian-Jewish family unit of mice who live with a human family named Moskowitz, are having a celebration of Hanukkah where Papa gives his hat to his 7-year-old son, Fievel, and tells him about the United States, a state where he believes in that location are no cats. The celebration is interrupted when a battery of Cossacks ride through the hamlet foursquare in an anti-Jewish arson attack and their cats attack the village mice. Because of this, the Moskowitz home, along with that of the Mousekewitzes, is destroyed, while Fievel has a narrow escape from the cats. They abscond the village in search of a better life.

In Hamburg, Deutschland, the Mousekewitzes board a tramp steamer setting canvass for New York City. All the mice aboard are ecstatic at the procedure of going to America as there are "no cats" at that place. During a thunderstorm on their journey, Fievel all of a sudden finds himself separated from his family and washed overboard. Thinking that he has died, they go along to the city every bit planned, though they get depressed at his loss.

Still, Fievel floats to New York Urban center in a bottle and, later a pep talk from a French pigeon named Henri, embarks on a quest to find his family unit. He is waylaid by conman Warren T. Rat, who gains his trust and then sells him to a sweatshop. He escapes with Tony Toponi, a street-smart Italian mouse, and they bring together upwards with Bridget, an Irish mouse trying to rouse her beau mice to fight the cats. When a gang of them called the Mott Street Maulers attacks a mouse marketplace, the immigrant mice learn that the tales of a true cat-complimentary country are not true.

Bridget takes Fievel and Tony to see Honest John, an alcoholic politician who knows the city's voting mice. However, he can't assistance Fievel search for his family unit, equally they have not yet registered to vote. Meanwhile, his older sis, Tanya, tells her gloomy parents she has a feeling that he is nonetheless live, but they tell her to permit go of these feelings as it doesn't seem possible that Fievel could still be alive.

Led past the rich and powerful Gussie Mausheimer, the mice hold a rally to decide what to do about the cats. Warren is extorting them all for protection that he never provides. No ane knows what to do nearly it, until Fievel whispers a plan to Gussie. Although his family also attends, they stand well in the back of the audience and they are unable to recognize Fievel onstage with her.

The mice take over an abandoned museum on the Chelsea Piers and brainstorm constructing their programme. On the day of launch, Fievel gets lost and stumbles upon Warren'southward lair. He discovers that he is actually a true cat in disguise, and the leader of the Maulers. They capture and imprison Fievel, but his guard is a reluctant member of the gang, a goofy, soft-hearted long-haired orange vegetarian tabby cat called Tiger, who befriends and frees him.

Fievel races back to the pier with the cats chasing afterwards him when Gussie orders the mice to release the underground weapon. A huge mechanical mouse, inspired by the bedtime tales Papa told Fievel of the "Giant Mouse of Minsk", chases the cats downwards the pier and into the water. A tramp steamer spring for Hong Kong picks them up on its ballast and carries them abroad. However, a pile of leaking kerosene cans has caused a torch lying on the ground to ignite the pier, and the mice are forced to flee when the homo FDNY arrives to extinguish it.

During the fire, Fievel is again separated from his family and ends up at an orphanage. Papa and Tanya eavesdrop Bridget and Tony calling out to Fievel, but Papa is sure that there is some other "Fievel" somewhere, until Mama finds his chapeau.

Joined by Gussie, Tiger allows them to ride him in a final effort to find Fievel and they are successful. The journey ends with Henri taking everyone to see his newly completed project - the Statue of Liberty, which appears to smile and flash at Fievel and Tanya, and the Mouskewitzes' new life in the United States begins.

Voice bandage [edit]

• Phillip Glasser every bit Fievel Mousekewitz. While "Fievel" is a generally accustomed spelling of his name, the opening credits spell it as "Feivel", the more than common transliteration^{[4] [5]} of the Yiddish name (פֿײַװל Fayvl) (Cf. Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz and Feivel Gruberger). The main protagonist, he is the seven-year old only son of Papa and Mama Mousekewitz. A high-spirited, daring yet naïve Russian-Jewish mouse, Fievel becomes a frightened child when he is separated from his family unit. The strength and the encouragement from his new American friends from Henri to Tony and Bridget give him the fortitude to attain his goal in reuniting with his family while starting a new life in America. Fievel was the same proper name of Steven Spielberg'south granddad, whose stories equally an immigrant influenced the movie (the ending credits spell his name as "Fievel"). Notwithstanding, many English-speaking writers have come to adopt the spelling Fievel, especially for this character; it was this spelling that was used on the film's affiche, in promotional materials and necktie-in trade, and in the championship of the sequel An American Tail: Fievel Goes West. His last proper noun is a play on the Jewish-Russian last name "Moskowitz", the proper name of the human being occupants of the house his family is living under in the start of the moving picture.
• John Finnegan as Warren T. Rat, a small cat who disguises himself as a rat. Leader of the Mott Street Maulers, an all-cat gang which terrorizes the mice of New York City. Conniving and a schemer, he misleads the gullible Fievel at one betoken. Afterwards, he gets his comeuppance when Fievel discovers and later exposes him equally a cat to the Mouse community. He is accompanied everywhere by his accountant Digit, a small British-absolute cockroach.
• Amy Green as Tanya Mousekewitz (singing vocalization provided by Betsy Cathcart), Fievel'due south 8-year-old older sister, whom he mutually adores. Optimistic and cheerful, less daring just more than obedient than her brother, she solitary believes (correctly) that he survived being washed overboard en route to the Us. She is given the American name "Tillie" at the immigration betoken at Castle Garden.
• Nehemiah Persoff as Papa Mousekewitz, the head of the Mousekewitz family who plays the violin and tells stories to his children.
• Erica Yohn equally Mama Mousekewitz, Fievel's female parent. Countering Papa's dreamy idealism, she is a level-headed pragmatist, also being stricter with their offspring than he is. She also has a fear of flying.
• Pat Musick as Tony Toponi, a streetwise teenage mouse of Italian descent. His "tough guy" attitude suits his New York surroundings. The name "Toponi" is a play on "topo", the Italian discussion for "mouse". He hits information technology off with Fievel, acting as a surrogate large brother to the younger mouse, whom he calls "Philly". In a subplot, He falls in honey with Bridget.
• Dom DeLuise as Tiger, the most physically-imposing member of the Mott Street Maulers, whom he serves as an enforcer...and often as the brunt of their cruel jokes. This bushy-tailed, orange long-haired tabby stands 3 feet alpine on his rear legs. Although not particularly intelligent Tiger is very friendly, and his warm nature endears him to mice and birds. He is more often than not vegetarian, aside from the occasional flake of fish. He enjoys card games like poker and gin rummy, despite being terrible at them. Tiger's vocalism also helps him stand up out; he sings bass and baritone, from D2 or E2 to F4 or G4.
• Christopher Plummer every bit Henri le Pigeon, a pigeon of French descent, who oversees construction of the Statue of Liberty.
• Cathianne Blore equally Bridget, an attractive, elegant Irish-born mouse and Tony'south significant other. Her parents were slain and devoured past the Mott Street Maulers, making her an advocate in speaking out confronting the cats. Kind, passionate notwithstanding soft-spoken, she acts as a surrogate big sister to Fievel.
• Neil Ross as Honest John, a local Irish-born mouse politician who knows every voting mouse in New York City. An ambulance-chasing drunkard, he takes advantage of voters' concerns to increase his political prestige. John is a extravaganza of the 19th-century Tammany Hall politicians.
• Madeline Kahn as Gussie Mausheimer, a High german-born mouse considered to be the richest in New York City, who rallies the mice into fighting back against the cats.
• Will Ryan every bit Digit, Warren'south British cockroach accountant who has a fondness for counting money, but is plagued by frequent electric charges in his antennae whenever he gets nervous or excited.
• Hal Smith as Moe, a fat rat who runs the local sweatshop. Fievel is sold to him by Warren.
• Dan Kuenster equally Jake, Warren'due south burly aide-de-camp. Among the Mott Street Maulers, he alone enjoys listening to his leader's violin music. Jake catches Fievel after a chase through the sewers. Later Tiger takes compassion on Fievel and sets him costless, Jake and his fellow Maulers pursue the young mouse to the Chelsea Pier...only to face the "Giant Mouse of Minsk".

Product [edit]

Development [edit]

Production began in Dec 1984 as a collaboration between Spielberg, Bluth, and Universal, based on a concept by David Kirschner. Originally, the idea was conceived every bit a television special, just Spielberg felt information technology had potential as a characteristic motion picture.^{[half dozen]} Spielberg had asked Bluth to "brand me something pretty like you did in NIMH...make information technology beautiful". In a 1985 interview, he described his role in the product as "first in the expanse of story, inventing incidents for the script, and now consists of looking, every iii weeks to a month, at the storyboards that Bluth sends me and making my comments". Bluth later commented that "Steven has non dominated the creative growth of Tail at all. In that location is an equal share of both of us in the picture". Nevertheless, this was his showtime blithe characteristic, and it took some time for him to learn that adding a two-infinitesimal scene would accept dozens of people months of piece of work. In 1985 he stated: "At this indicate, I'm enlightened, but I nonetheless can't believe it's so complicated".^[7] It was Universal Pictures' first animated feature film since Pinocchio in Outer Space in 1965 and the offset animated film that they co-produced.

Writing [edit]

Originally, the concept consisted of an all-animal globe, like Disney's Robin Hood, but Bluth suggested featuring an animal world existing as a hidden gild from the human earth, like his own NIMH and Disney's The Rescuers. Afterwards viewing The Rescuers, Spielberg agreed. Emmy-award-winning writers Judy Freudberg and Tony Geiss were brought in to expand the script. When the initial script was consummate, it was extremely long and was heavily edited before its final release. Bluth felt uncomfortable with the master character'due south name, thinking "Fievel" was too strange-sounding, and he felt audiences wouldn't remember it.^[8] Spielberg disagreed. The character was named after his maternal granddad, Philip Posner, whose Yiddish name was Fievel. The scene in which he presses up against a window to wait into a classroom filled with American "school mice" is based on a story Spielberg remembered about his grandpa, who told him that Jews were only able to heed to lessons through open windows while sitting exterior in the snowfall.^[9] Spielberg somewhen won out, though something of a compromise was reached by having Tony refer to Fievel equally "Filly".^[viii] Spielberg likewise had some material cut that he felt was too intense for children, including a scene Bluth was developing revolving around wave monsters while the family was at sea.^[ten]

Casting [edit]

Bluth described the process of vocalism casting equally "sometimes you can select a 'name' voice [i.due east., a well-known role player] because it fits the essence of the graphic symbol then well. Other times, you need to seek an obscure vox, shut your eyes, and just listen to it. If it has the highs and lows in the deliverance of lines and it captures the focus of the graphic symbol, it allows the animators to get a true fix on the action."^[eleven]

• Glasser (Fievel) was discovered by blow when Bluth and his coiffure overheard him auditioning for an Oscar Mayer commercial.^[11]
• Green (Tanya Mousekewitz) was a young actress who had done some previous television series work and several commercials.^[11]
• Persoff, a respected actor in many films, was chosen to play the role of Papa Mousekewitz mostly considering he had a like part as Barbra Streisand's father in Yentl.^[xi]
• Yohn (Mama Mousekewitz) has appeared in many features, but her piece of work as a Russian gypsy on a TV show attracted the attention of Bluth and John Pomeroy.^[11]
• Finnegan won the role of Warren T. Rat by reciting excerpts of Shakespeare'south Hamlet in the vox of a Brooklyn taxi commuter. This idea inspired the writers to make Warren a pretentious illiterate who continually misquoted Shakespeare.^[11]
• Musick (Tony Toponi) is i of a small number of women in animation chosen to voice a male character. She based his voice on a friend she knew from course school.^[eleven]
• DeLuise (Tiger) had worked previously with Bluth in The Underground of NIMH, and DeLuise even added material to the script at various points. During the song "A Duo", he suggested they end the music where the lyrics mention "dorsum scratch" and have Fievel actually scratch Tiger's back.^[11]
• Henri was originally to be voiced by comedian Sid Caesar, and was conceived as scraggly and worn, but subsequently Plummer was cast for the part and Henri was drawn with a more than dignified expect. Bluth felt Henri was an essential character to act as a voice for the statue "welcoming" Fievel to the new world.^[8]
• Kahn was chosen to play the office of Gussie Mausheimer with the hopes that she would use a phonation similar to the i she used every bit a graphic symbol in Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles.^[8]

Will Ryan (Digit), Neil Ross (Honest John), Cathianne Blore (Bridget), and Hal Smith (Moe) are all voice actors well known in the blitheness manufacture.^[11]

Pattern [edit]

In designing the look of the film and its characters, Bluth worked with Amblin Amusement and the Sears marketing department (Sears had a major marketing push on the main character). He decided to make a stylistic shift from the more angular "modern style" of animation of the time to a mode similar to Disney blitheness from the 1940s, where the characters take a more soft and cuddly feel. This proved successful, and at release many critics praised the "erstwhile fashioned style" of the moving picture's expect and feel.^[8] This was during a period when the marketplace for nostalgia was especially stiff amidst baby boomers,^[12] who at this time were seeking products for their young children, and only three years before the offset of the Disney Renaissance for the studio Bluth once worked for.

Animation [edit]

Bluth preferred to storyboard an entire picture, but information technology presently proved to exist an enormous task. Larry Leker was brought in to help, turning Bluth's rough sketches into terminal storyboard panels. Bluth commented that he would then "transport them over to [Spielberg]. Frequently I brought them over myself, so that I could explicate them. Steven would get very excited past what he saw, and nosotros'd edit the boards right there...adding more than drawings, or trimming some back". A large crew of animators was pulled together from around the world, utilizing cel painters in Ireland. Discussion arose about moving the entire production to Ireland, but Spielberg balked at the idea of a story called An American Tail existence produced overseas.^[13]

At this time, Bluth and his crew discovered that using a video printer greatly increased their productivity. They could videotape an action, then impress out small black and white thermal images from the tape for reference for both homo and animal characters, a autograph method like to the rotoscoping technique (chosen in fact xerography) used since the earliest days of blitheness, in which sequences are shot in live action and traced onto blitheness cels. They also utilized the process of building models and photographing them, specially the transport at ocean, and the "Behemothic Mouse of Minsk",^[11] a technique also used in many Disney films.

Product difficulties [edit]

During production, Amblin and Universal expected to view the dailies and approve all major work on the film, and various exterior parties also requested changes here and there. The production buckled under the excessive oversight, and Bluth felt that he was losing freedom of control over the production process. As the release borderline approached, pressure grew among the crew and numerous bug arose, ranging from slower-than-expected cel painting in Ireland to depression footage output by some animators. Besides, the songwriters had written the score much later than originally desired. Suddenly scenes had to be dropped to save time and money and new, shorter scenes had to be created to assist pick upwardly the story points lost in the procedure, sometimes making the story line look jumbled. Notable cuts include the Mousekewitzes' journey beyond Europe, a scene in which they first meet Tiger and he gets stuck up in a tree, an upbeat song that Fievel was planned to sing while imprisoned in the sweatshop, and a scene that gave greater explanation of the changing of names at Ellis Isle. Cuts are also responsible for baby Yasha's credible disappearance after the boat trip.^[14]

The motion picture was also plagued by union difficulties. Bluth had agreed to have $vi.5 1000000 to get it produced (which later on grew to $nine one thousand thousand), at a fourth dimension when Disney was spending around $12 million per picture show. He knew it would exist difficult, but felt it was worth the sacrifice to work with Spielberg on a major project. With the agreement of his employees, salaries were frozen for a year and one-half. Unlike the sometime Bluth studios, the new Sullivan Bluth studios were non-marriage, and when many workers attempted to withdraw from the matrimony, it sparked a battle between Bluth and the union that connected through most of production. It was mostly this struggle that later compelled Bluth to relocate to Ireland, which he felt offered a more supportive temper.^[15]

Music [edit]

"There is no style y'all could put a score like this in any other kind of film. Information technology would only work in animation or if I wrote a ballet. I loved doing information technology."

—James Horner^[10]

An American Tail: Music from the Movement Picture Soundtrack
Soundtrack album by Diverse Artists
Released	November 21, 1986[16] Feb eleven, 2022 (expansion)[17]
Genre	Soundtrack
Length	49:04 (original release) 78:28 (2019 expansion)
Label	MCA Records (1986) Geffen Records (2013) Intrada Records (2019)
Producer	James Horner
Don Bluth Music of Films chronology
The Secret of NIMH (1982) An American Tail: Music from the Motion Picture show Soundtrack (1986) The Land Before Time (1988)
Singles from An American Tail: Music from the Motility Film Soundtrack
"Somewhere Out There" Released: 1986

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[one]
Filmtracks	[xviii]

Spielberg's original vision for the moving picture was as a musical. It is said he wanted a "Heigh-Ho" of his own (referring to the popular vocal from Disney's Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs).^[14] Jerry Goldsmith who had worked on The Secret of NIMH with Bluth was initially supposed to piece of work on the score, but had to drop out of the moving picture due to a busy schedule. After he completed Aliens, James Horner equanimous the score for the film, which was recorded in England and performed by The London Symphony Orchestra and the Choir of King'southward College. 2 excerpts of period music likewise appear in the flick: The Stars and Stripes Forever past John Philip Sousa and Poor Wand'band 1 from the 1880 comic opera The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan. In that location is besides a musical reference to the 1947 song Galway Bay popularized by Bing Crosby. Initially Bluth and his team were disappointed with the first score recording, but once edited, they found the music worked quite well. The final score became ane of the film's strongest points.^[10]

The initial songs were written by Tom Bahler, who had worked as a music supervisor and composer. Bahler left the projection, in which Cynthia Weil and Barry Isle of mann were later brought on to etch new songs, collaborating with Horner. Afterward the first round of songs were written, information technology was decided a special vocal would be written for Linda Ronstadt to sing over the terminate credits with James Ingram.^[x] Titled "Somewhere Out At that place", information technology afterwards went on to win two Grammy Awards for Song of the Yr and Best Song Written Specifically for a Motility Film or for Idiot box. It would become one of the most pop songs from an animated characteristic since the 1950s.^[xix]

An official soundtrack containing 14 tracks from the film was first released on November 21, 1986, by MCA Records, and was made available on sound cassette, vinyl record, and CD.^[sixteen] Information technology was later released digitally by Geffen Records on Feb 5, 2013.

Songs [edit]

Original songs & scores performed in the picture include:

No.	Title	Performer(s)	Length
1.	"Main Championship"	James Horner
two.	"The Cossack Cats"	Horner
3.	"There Are No Cats In America"	Nehemiah Persoff, John Guarnieri & Warren Hays
iv.	"The Storm"	Horner
6.	"Never Say Never"	Phillip Glasser & Christopher Plummer
seven.	"The Market Place"	Horner
8.	"Somewhere Out In that location"	Phillip Glasser & Betsy Cathcart
ix.	"Releasing The Clandestine Weapon"	Horner
10.	"A Duo"	Phillip Glasser & Dom DeLuise
xi.	"The Keen Fire"	Horner
12.	"Reunited"	Horner
thirteen.	"Somewhere Out There"	Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram
14.	"Flying Away & End Credits"	Horner

Reception [edit]

Box office [edit]

The film has grossed up to $47 million in the United States and Canada, besides known equally the domestic box office, and $84 meg worldwide.^{[20] [21]} At the time of its domestic release, information technology became the highest-grossing animated feature for an initial release^[22] and the highest-grossing not-Disney produced animated feature. Information technology was also one of the first animated films to outdraw a Disney 1, beating out The Great Mouse Detective (another traditionally animated film involving mice that was released in 1986 but 4 months earlier) by over United states of america$22 million. However, The Great Mouse Detective ^[23] was more successful with critics, almost notably Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert.^[24] The inexpensive success of The Bully Mouse Detective played a large role in the Disney Renaissance;^{[25] [26]} due to the fact that information technology was both a critical and financial success, which saved Walt Disney Animation Studios from going broke after The Black Cauldron had flopped at the box role a twelvemonth earlier. Information technology would later be outgrossed by Bluth's next picture, 1988's The Land Earlier Fourth dimension, which marginally outperformed Oliver & Company; the latter did beat out The Country Before Time at the domestic box part by $five,000,000. The tape would quickly be shattered with the release of The Little Mermaid, the film that many consider to be the start of the Disney Renaissance, three years later on after the release of the pic, beating out Don Bluth'due south own film, All Dogs Become to Heaven.

Critical response [edit]

The motion-picture show maintains a 72% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 29 reviews and an average rating of 6.40/ten. The consensus is: "Exquisitely animated, An American Tail is a sweetness, melancholy immigrants story".^[27] Critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert gave it "2 thumbs down" on a Nov 22, 1986, episode of their television program At the Movies, calling it "the most downbeat children's picture since Return to Oz", and that it was "way too depressing for immature audiences".^[28] Both reviewers likewise criticized how it gave footling mention that the master characters were Jewish, or that the assail on their home at the beginning was an antisemitic one. They chosen it "a Jewish parable that doesn't want to declare itself" and felt that it "chickened out on its ethnic heritage".^[28] In his own review for the Chicago Lord's day-Times, Roger Ebert gave it two stars out of four, giving credit to the animation, calling it "full and detailed, enhanced past computers and an comeback on so much contempo blitheness that cuts corners", but that the story was as well "dark and gloomy".^[29]

The movie'due south writing garnered a mixed response. Halliwell'south Picture Guide claimed information technology didn't accept "much in the way of narrative involvement or indeed humor".^[30] Vincent Canby of The New York Times called information technology "witless if well-significant", adding that its high points were scenes involving the characters Gussie Mausheimer and Tiger.^[3] In his review for the Chicago Reader, Pat Graham panned its "flimsy characterizations" but said that "the overall quality of the animation—baroquely executed if rather conventionally conceived—makes it worth a look".^[31] Common Sense Media gave it largely positive reviews, as the group stated: "This is a heartwarming animated tale about the experience of immigrants coming to America. Told from the perspective of an adorable young mouse, An American Tail should appoint kids in an important part of U.Southward. history".^[32] Conversely, Rita Kempley of The Washington Post called it "a bright-eyed tale of Jewish triumphs that will observe a place in many young hearts", calculation that "information technology reiterates the happiness of homogeneity, prepares the pups for both brotherhood and the gratuitous enterprise system. And it's as pretty as a cascade of soap bubbles".^[33]

Roger Harlburt, reviewing for the Sun-Lookout man, also praised the character of Fievel: "Y'all'll notice in gentle Fievel a endearing character that manages to be lovable without undue sentiment. His eyes may tear up in one case in a while and his lower lip quiver, but generally he's ready to confront the situation. Still, the superb animation makes you believe Fievel is a small-scale boy lost in a big globe".^[34] Harlburt later summarized: "Laced with action scenes and peppered with amusing dialogue, the film moves along briskly. Piddling ones won't be bored. Original songs – including Never Say Never, Somewhere Out There and We're a Duo – are too entertaining. You'll marvel over the quality of Plummer's singing voice and be convulsed by DeLuise's feline antics".^[34]

Accolades [edit]

The pic won "Best Animated Picture show" at the 9th Youth in Movie Awards, with actors Phillip Glasser and Amy Green too receiving an award for "Best Blitheness Phonation Over Group" for their roles every bit Fievel and Tanya.^[35] It was also nominated for "Best Fantasy Film" and "Best Music" during the 14th Saturn Awards, losing to The Boy Who Could Fly and Little Store of Horrors, respectively.^[36]

The song "Somewhere Out At that place" written by James Horner received a number of accolades during the 1987–1988 award season, including Grammys for "Best Vocal Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Telly" and "Song of the Year",^[37] as well equally "Near Performed Vocal from a Movement Moving picture" from both the ASCAP and Broadcast Music.^[38] It too received a Golden Globe nomination for "All-time Original Song from a Motion Film", and an Academy Honour nomination for "Best Original Song", losing both to "Take My Breath Away" from Top Gun.^{[39] [40]}

Award	Category	Nominee	Result
Academy Honour	Best Music, Original Song	"Somewhere Out In that location"	Nominated
ASCAP Award	About Performed Songs from a Move Motion-picture show	"Somewhere Out In that location"	Won
BMI Film & TV Award	Nigh Performed Song from a Film	"Somewhere Out There"
Gilded Globe Accolade	All-time Original Vocal – Movement Picture	"Somewhere Out In that location"	Nominated
Grammy Accolade	Best Vocal Written Specifically for a Move Picture or for Television	"Somewhere Out There"	Won
	Song of the Year
Saturn Laurels	Best Fantasy Film	An American Tail	Nominated
	All-time Music
Youth in Moving-picture show Award	All-time Animation Voice Over Group	Phillip Glasser (Fievel) & Amy Green (Tanya)	Won
	Best Motion Moving picture – Animation	An American Tail

The film is recognized by American Motion-picture show Institute in these lists:

2004: AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:

• Somewhere Out At that place – Nominated

Media [edit]

Home media [edit]

In September 1987, An American Tail was showtime released on VHS and became one of MCA Dwelling house Video'due south biggest sellers with sales of 1.4 million.^[41] Information technology was subsequently released on LaserDisc in both regular^[42] and CAV play editions in November 1991 past MCA Universal Home Video in North America, and CIC Video internationally.^[43] On August eleven, 1998, both the film and its sequel An American Tail: Fievel Goes Due west were digitally restored and re-released onto VHS in a 2-pack box set with both videos having clamshell cases. A DVD version was outset made bachelor on January 20, 2004, by Universal Studios,^[44] which was presented in fullscreen attribute ratio only, and contained a number of changes from earlier versions, including re-dubbing certain graphic symbol's voices in the Orphan Aisle scene, the addition of new voices where in that location was previously no dialog, and new "humorous" audio effects. This version was reprinted along with other Universal films such as its sequel, The Land Before Time,^[45] and Balto.^[46] It was released in widescreen on Blu-ray for the first time on March 4, 2014, which included a digital Hard disk and UltraViolet copy.^[47] It had the same changes as the DVD, although part of the film's end credits music score was 9% sped-up this time (due to time constrictions). A re-release of the fullscreen DVD version with new cover artwork followed on February 3, 2015.^[48] All four American Tail films were re-released on a combination pack DVD released on June thirteen, 2017.^[49] That release marked the first widescreen debut of the first two films on a Region 1 DVD.

Theme parks [edit]

A Fievel-themed playground, chosen "Fievel'southward Playland", was built at Universal Studios Florida, featuring a large h2o slide and many oversized objects such as books, glasses, cowboy boots, and more than. A similar playground used to be at Universal Studios Hollywood, aslope a stage testify based on the two movies, just were closed down in 1997 and replaced with Coke Soak and T2-3D: Battle Across Time. It is the only such playground at whatsoever of NBC Universal's theme parks.

Sequels and legacy [edit]

The film gave rise to a number of follow-upwards media of which Don Bluth had no direct involvement. The theatrical sequel Fievel Goes W, directed past Phil Nibbelink and Simon Wells and produced by Steven Spielberg and Robert Watts, was released in 1991 and follows the adventures of Fievel and his family equally they motility from New York to the Wild West.^[50] A 13-episode Television set series based on it called Fievel's American Tails aired on the CBS network between September and December 1992.^[51] Two direct-to-video films were also later produced by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment: The Treasure of Manhattan Isle in 1998,^[52] and The Mystery of the Dark Monster in 1999.^[53] The Mousekewitz family would besides be parodied, somewhat, every bit a family unit of Italian-American fleas in a few episodes of Tiny Toon Adventures, also produced by Steven Spielberg.

A video game based on this movie was released for PlayStation ii only in Europe in 2007 past Data Design Interactive.^[54]

Fievel would besides serve as the mascot for Spielberg's Amblimation blitheness product company in London, England, actualization in its product logo until the studio'south dissolution in 1997. In March 2000, Fievel became the official children's spokesman for UNICEF, with the organization's manager of communications Craig Kornblau remarking that "Fievel Mousekewitz is a pop endearing character for children everywhere" and "his immigration experiences reflect the adventures and triumphs of all cultures and their children".^[55]

Alleged plagiarism [edit]

Art Spiegelman accused Spielberg of plagiarism due to the fact that the Jews are depicted as mice in the film just as in Spiegelman's before Maus, a metaphor he had adopted from Nazi propaganda. Instead of pursuing copyright litigation, he opted to beat its release date by convincing his publishers to split Maus into two volumes and publish the starting time before he even finished the 2nd.^[56]

References [edit]

1. ^ ^{a b} "An American Tail (1986)". AFI Catalog of Characteristic Films . Retrieved August 12, 2018.
2. ^ Harrington, Richard (November 26, 1989). "In Don Bluth's Talented Hands Animation Isn't A Dying Fine art". The Washington Post. Orlando Sentinel.
3. ^ ^{a b} Canby, Vincent (November 21, 1986). "Screen: 'American Tail'". The New York Times. p. C8. Retrieved Baronial 11, 2013.
4. ^ "Feivel – Name Meaning, What does Feivel mean?". Think Infant Names. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
5. ^ "Pregnant, Origin and History of the Proper noun Feivel". Behind the Name. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
6. ^ Cawley 1991, pp. 84–85.
7. ^ Cawley 1991, p. 91.
8. ^ ^{a b c d e} Cawley 1991, p. 92.
9. ^ McBride, Joseph (1997). Steven Spielberg: A Biography. Simon & Schuster. pp. 20–21.
10. ^ ^{a b c d} Cawley 1991, p. 95.
11. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} Cawley 1991, p. 93.
12. ^ Grimes, William (2013). The New York Times: The Times of The Eighties. The Civilization, Politics and Personalities that Shaped the Decade (from a Nov 29, 1989 article in The New York Times "The Past Is Now The Latest Craze" by Randall Rothenberg). Blackness Dog & Leventhal. p. 184. ISBN978-1579129330.
13. ^ Cawley 1991, pp. 93–94.
14. ^ ^{a b} Cawley 1991, p. 94.
15. ^ Cawley 1991, p. 97.
16. ^ ^{a b} "James Horner – An American Tail: Music From The Motility Film Soundtrack". Amazon.com . Retrieved October 20, 2015.
17. ^ "Soundtrack Watch: Intrada Expands 'An American Tail,' La-La Land Releases Scores by Zimmer and Legrand". The 2d Disc. February 19, 2019.
18. ^ "Filmtracks: An American Tail (James Horner)". Filmtracks. Retrieved Oct xx, 2015.
19. ^ Cawley 1991, pp. 95, 101.
20. ^ "An American Tail". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved August 12, 2018.
21. ^ "UIP's $25M-Plus Club". Diverseness. September xi, 1995. p. 92.
22. ^ Eller, Claudia (January 9, 1990). "'Mermaid' Swims to Blitheness Record". Daily Variety. p. one.
23. ^ "The Great Mouse Detective". Rotten Tomatoes.
24. ^ "An American Tail". Rotten Tomatoes.
25. ^ Taylor, Drew (September 18, 2015). "How The Great Mouse Detective Kick-Started the Disney Renaissance". Oh My Disney.
26. ^ Ness, Mari (Oct 22, 2015). "This, Too, Started With a Mouse: The Cracking Mouse Detective". TOR.com . Retrieved September 21, 2016.
27. ^ "An American Tail". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
28. ^ ^{a b} Ebert, Roger; Siskel, Gene. "Star Trek IV, An American Tail, Firewalker, Nutcracker: The Motility Moving picture (1986)". At the Movies. Season one. Episode x. Retrieved Jan 29, 2021 – via SiskelEbert.org.
29. ^ "An American Tail Movie Review (1986)". Chicago Sun-Times. November 21, 1986. Retrieved October 29, 2015 – via RogerEbert.com.
30. ^ Gritten, David, ed. (2007). "An American Tail". Halliwell'due south Moving-picture show Guide 2008. Hammersmith, London: HarperCollins. p. 37. ISBN978-0-00-726080-five.
31. ^ Graham, Pat (1986). "An American Tail". The Chicago Reader . Retrieved October 29, 2015.
32. ^ "An American Tail (1986 classic)". Common Sense Media. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
33. ^ Kempley, Rita (November 21, 1986). "'An American Tail'". The Washington Post . Retrieved October 29, 2015.
34. ^ ^{a b} Hurlburt, Roger (November 27, 1986). "'American Tail' Endearing Apologue of Immigrant Life". Sun-Scout . Retrieved March sixteen, 2020.
35. ^ "9th Annual Awards". Immature Artist Awards. Archived from the original on December 18, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
36. ^ "Academy of Scientific discipline Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA (1988)". IMDb. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
37. ^ "Past Winners Search". Grammy.com. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
38. ^ "Barry and Cynthia's Bio". Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil Official Website. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
39. ^ "Golden Globe Awards – 1987 / Winners & Nominees". Awards & Winners. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
40. ^ "1987 / Oscars.org". Academy of Movement Motion picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
41. ^ Bierbaum, Tom (February 6, 1990). "Mixed Reviews". Daily Variety. p. 78.
42. ^ "American Tail, An [41115]". LaserDisc Database. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
43. ^ "American Tail, An [40536]". LaserDisc Database. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
44. ^ "An American Tail". Amazon. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
45. ^ "Amblin/Spielberg Animated Family unit Favorites 3-Movie Drove". Amazon. Retrieved Oct 26, 2015.
46. ^ "An American Tail / Balto / An American Tail: Fievel Goes W Triple Feature Flick Gear up". Amazon. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
47. ^ "An American Tail Bluish-ray". Retrieved Oct 26, 2015.
48. ^ "An American Tail (New Artwork)". Amazon. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
49. ^ "An American Tail: 4 Movie Consummate Collection". Amazon. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
50. ^ "An American Tail: Fievel Goes West". IMDb. November 22, 1991. Retrieved Oct 25, 2015.
51. ^ "Fievel's American Tails". TV.com. Retrieved Oct 25, 2015.
52. ^ "An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island". IMDb. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
53. ^ "An American Tail: The Mystery of the Nighttime Monster". IMDb. December 9, 1999. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
54. ^ "An American Tail PS2". ign.com . Retrieved July 4, 2018.
55. ^ "Universal Studios Home Video and UNICEF Join Forces as Fievel Mousekewitz From 'An American Tail' Series is Named Official Icon Promoting Worldwide Understanding and Friendship Amid Children". Business Wire. March 10, 2000. Retrieved Oct 25, 2015.
56. ^ Billen, Andrew (December 2, 2003). "The mouse with the sting in his tale". London: Times Online. Retrieved May 30, 2017.

Bibliography [edit]

• Cawley, John (1991). "An American Tail". The Animated Films of Don Bluth. Paradigm Pub of New York. pp. 85–102. ISBN0-685-50334-8.

External links [edit]

• An American Tail at IMDb
• An American Tail at The Large Cartoon DataBase
• An American Tail at Box Office Mojo
• An American Tail at Rotten Tomatoes
• Fievel Mousekewitz at Don Markstein'southward Toonopedia. Archived from the original on Apr 4, 2012.

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_American_Tail

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