(Note: Due to extensive copyright-related issues, the video is presented with still images rather than clips. The original retrospective audio remains unchanged. The next retrospective will return to using video. Thank you for your understanding.)
Could you please consider buying a pop filter or do some audio cleanup on your video's? It is very noticeable that you breath out in a forced way at the end of your sentences.
I like how this movie isn't too in your face about being obsessed over saving the planet, but it does show how actions can have consequences. It even showed humans taking action to the gas spill, and not having magic fairies fixing it
I personally feel this is one of the strongest aspects of the film. It's "Hey, actions have consequences, accidents happen, but things can be fixed". (Because the guy didn't do it on purpose - it was an accident caused by carelessness) I feel a lot of environmental aesops fall into a few traps: -"Save the forests... because otherwise those poor innocent magic faeries will die and can't do it! Or maybe cosmic imbalances are causing it anyway so lol." -"Humans are horrible. It'd be better if you never existed. You're a human... so you're guilty by association." -"It's civilisation, science, and technology that's the problem - sucks to be you, since most of you are alive because of modern civilisation, science, and technology." -"we need a simpler life... which is always conveniently based off of a very surface level interpretation of Native American lives." -"Hey you! Yeah you! It's YOUR fault because YOU OWN A CAR AND YOU ATE A HAMBURGER! You MONSTER!"
Abigail was an awesome female character, her impulsive tendencies a character flaw usually reserved for boys. While it occasionally frustrated and endangered others, it also saved a life. The best part is nothing is made of her being a girl, aside from that weird moment with the boy mouse at the meadow. No one tries to police her behavior on the basis of gender, no one tries to insinuate her as a girlfriend to the boys, and she’s not spared any criticism for her mistakes. A decisive, active agent in the story, the equal of the boys. A great character for young girls to see.
Well _yeah_ they didn't try to "insinuate her as a girlfriend" to her hedgehog and mole pals. That would just be weird. More weird, certainly, than the brief flirtation with the boy mouse in the meadow, which is simply another note in the film's overall theme about the furlings growing up and maturing. 😉
It was definitely a contributing factor at the time! It's sad that it never caught in a major way in home video. I don't know how or why I had it on VHS, but I'm glad I did!
@@Bitsy69439 Sadly that's not the only reason why. Keep in mind this was the early to mid 90's. AKA the Disney rennesance. Meaning that unless you were being distributed by Disney, your big budget animated blockbuster was pretty much dead on arrival.
What makes Cornelius song even more sad is the fact that Michelle is the only family he has left now. Cause i believe Michelle mother is Cornelius younger sister.
One of my favourite moments from the film is the end with the clean up crew, and the one guy smashing the trap, the duality between mans ignorant destruction and environmental caretaking is very well depicted in this movie.
A common problem with a lot of environmental messages is that they often fall into guilt by association in some various way. Either "Humans are THE REAL MONSTERS!" or "You caused this - you bastard." I have to give Once Upon a Forest some props in that regard - heck, they also make absolutely sure you KNOW that this is an accident and wasn't done with malice.
You can't tell me it isn't a classic. Maybe not a widely beloved classic, but it's a classic. I can't be the only one who gets stuck in construction traffic, and as I'm passing machinery think to myself goddamn yellow dragons.
This one just smacked me right into flash back. I grew up in Korea, and watched this movie in Korean dub. As I moved to America with my family, and like a dream my childhood memories and memories of this film became vague. I couldn't for the life of me remember the name of it because it was in Korean title. The moment I saw the thumbnail, I shouted "WAIT, I KNOW THIS MOVIE!!!" It was such a nice reminder of my childhood relic. I will go watch it again now :D
Oh, that alternate ending is so good thematically but would have absolutely destroyed me emotionally. I'm at once disappointed yet incredibly relieved that isn't the one we got. But it's also great seeing the film as a whole get some recognition. It was always a childhood favorite of mine. The gorgeous soundtrack was one of the first purchases I made with my own money, so you can see it's very close to my heart.
My version may admittedly be a little too intense for kids, but even as "unfinished" as the movie stands, it's still so good which is a credit to the original. Maybe someday somebody will give it another go! And the soundtrack is a great reward for hard work. Hopefully you still have it!
This movie both scared the mess out of me and broke my heart. I loved it but some of the scenes were too intense for me. This movie definitely deserves more recognition
Omg the one scene I explicitly remember was when poor Edgar got caught. He was so scared and vulnerable. I really felt for him! Thankfully, he ended up alright.
I think I saw this movie sometime around when I was 5-8. The only thing I remember is being traumatized by the parents being killed by the poisonous gas. Definitely an effective moment for a kid to see lol
I think one of the best things about this movie and why I think it's probably the best movie with an environmentalist message is that it _doesn't_ demonize humans collectively or in general - yes, an act of carelessness causes immense damage and suffering, but humans as a whole are treated as responsible stewards of God's green Earth and it's not like humans harvesting natural resources, building infrastructure, or eating are treated as wicked beyond the pale. Badgers like Michele and Cornelius being friends with animals they would under all normal circumstances be trying to eat is funny, but that's just how cute animal stories are sometimes.
I agree that the human aspect is a very unique one as far as environmental movies go. And thankfully the animals get along with each other or it would end up more like "Watership Down"!
I have a huge soft spot for this movie. My grandparents had it on VHS and used to put it on gor us when we visited. I randomly remembered a part of the movie years later, but couldn't remember its name, so had to try and look it up based on what little I remembered. After finding it, I was lucky enough to find a dvd copy of it randomly in a book shop. I still like to watch it every so often. You're right- the music is fantastic. Not just the score throughout the film, but the song Once Upon A Time With Me always makes me feel nostalgic and a bit sad. I can't explain it, it's like I remember my childhood and a simpler time that I can't ever get back.
Yeah, that entire part of the movie always rubbed me off the wrong way. It'd be one thing if Cornelius had insisted on going and the kids had volunteered but instead he demands they go and actually gets angry when they express apprehension about venturing so far away. lol Like c'mon, kids, you don't wanna travel miles and miles through uncharted lands ripe with our natural predators and other various hazards? How very selfish. I know Cornelius was worried about losing his niece but the pacing of that scene and the script delivery just painted him as very unsympathetic for me. Not to mention Abigail, Russell and Edgar were convinced they had lost their own families at this point as well. Putting the extra burden of their friend potentially dying on their shoulders was a bit much. :
@@supermariof0521 lol I know you're kidding but Cornelius citing his rheumatism would've actually been better and more compelling scriptwriting vs. "quit your complaining and go get the stupid plants already!" haha
Then it sounds like the movie worked precisely as it intended! And thank you! The movie is sorely underrated and deserves much more attention than it's gotten.
@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose Thanks! I agree, the movie is very underrated. Also, I like all the fixes you proposed, it gives the plot more weight and better flow with the added songs. But I wouldn't have been able to take Edgar's mom dying at the end! One step too far into sadness, lol
When I was in second grade in 1994, we were shown this over a period of two afternoons (sometimes, the teachers at my elementary school decided they didn't feel like teaching and just put on stuff for us to watch). Even at that age, it was cool to not really care for cutesy, Disney-like stuff, but this film did stay with me. Watching this video actually inspired me to seek the movie out and watch it again for the first time in many, many years. It's surprising how dark it gets at points (I've read that Michael Crawford broke down crying when he first tried to sing that song), and the ending is as bittersweet as you can get. And yeah, this is a movie that I actually wish was longer, as it could've fleshed more things out. It's not perfect, as there are moments where the animation is a tad jerky, and that scene with the wrens singing that gospel song goes on way too long and feels like padding, but I don't think it deserved to flop the way it did (I've also read that Long John Silver's, of all places, had toys associated with it). I would've liked to have seen a follow-up taking place a few years later, showing how their lives have been since the tragedy, especially Michelle.
A sequel could fix some issues woth the origonal and move the story along. Maybe someday. I would love to see the toys! There was not nearly enough merchandise!
One thing I do like about the movie is that it shows that not all humans are bad and there's some human that do care about the environment and how Cornelius and the furlings views on humans change especially with Cornelius and his sister being separated from their parents due do humans when they were kids.
I saw this as a small child and it’s one of my favorite movies. I loved how dark it was, and it grappled with real experiences of growing up and it’s harsh message of preserving life.
I remember seeing this film as a preteen in the early 90s. It was a television airing, and to this day, the story and animation reminds me of "Fern Gully" and "The Secret of NIMH". As well as a lesser known childhood movie I grew up with called "The Little Fox", also known as "Vuc" in its original Hungarian
It's so funny that you happened to post this video now. I grew up with this movie in my family's VHS collection and watched it all the time, and I was just talking with a friend, like, a week ago about how Once Upon a Forest was ALMOST a good movie. I think the beginning is good and the ending is honestly kinda great. I liked that it was one of the only environmental kids' movies where while the humans were obviously a threat, they weren't necessarily EVIL. It was just everything in the middle that always felt so BLUUURGH.
That is quite the coincidence! I think most everybody who sees the movie likes it, but it comes so close to being a GREAT movie which is its only real flaw.
One of my favourite movies as a kid, it was definitely a classic for me!! I managed to find it on dvd a couple years back and Cornelius' song still makes me cry lmao
Dude..... this is it! This is the movie I could barely remember and has been haunting the recesses of my mind ever since OSP's 'Small Animals on Big Adventures' trope talk! It was one of those movies my family rented once and I could barely remember. The only thing that remained was the flapper, and without knowing what it was called my google fu was insufficient. Soon as I saw that thumbnail I had my suspicions, and I was right. A load off my mind.
i think i watched this when i was 6-7, probably the first time i felt so emotional about a movie. Adventure, lost feelings & feeling on your own, sadness pertaining to dying characters, feelings about the environment.
This is one of my all-time favorite movies. My nieces and nephews love this film, too. We just watched it last night! The score is my favorite score of any film, second only to Balto, which, of course, was by Horner as well. The man was a genius and knew how to put true emotion into all of his music. Love this movie, even as an adult.
Thanks for the walk down through the memory lane. I watched this movie on the VHS back in the day. This is also the movie that introduced me to the voice acting legend, Charlie Adler, who did the voice for the Snotty Squirrel
This movie was always one of those childhood movies that grew up with and truly stayed dear to my heart. Looking back on it when i was about 5 or 6, i did not care about any bad or poor reviews/critics, nor that people called it a box office flop or any of that. But now into my adulthood, i found this here on youtube and watched it again just one night ago. Yes there some things about the story that are left unfinished or unresolved, but its not really bad. In fact, i still like. By the time i got done watching it, only question i had to ask is, is it as good as i remember? Yeah, it's still sweet and good. Yes, it does make you wish there was more to be had, i will admit i seen better, but I've also seen worse. It's still good in its own right. For anyone who never got to see it, give it a chance, im sure you'll like it
@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose I'm very new to your channel and I can't wait to explore more of your videos! I'm so glad you gave this movie some of the attention it deserves, thank you!
I think I have an idea as to why the movie wasn't successful: This was during the first years of Don Bluth's downfall, and because Ferngully came out a year earlier. What does Ferngully have to do with it? Robin Williams and the environmental message was more prominent
Back-to-back films with similar premises definitely could have built some fatigue or indifference towards it. This was also developed from a made- for-tv movie into a theatrical release. I'm sure that caused some problems as well!
I loved this movie as a kid, the more mature themes really struck a chord with me. The stakes were real, and I was rooting for the characters the whole way 🩵 So sad it didn't get the love it deserved.
I LOVE that in the 90s a lot of women had short hair but with very flattering haircuts. I had short hair at 18, in 2020, and I was often told I look boyish and not feminine.
This was one of my absolute favorite movies as a kid, I still love it flaws and all. Ferngully too. Captain planet I guess I loved 90s environmental cartoons crammed down my throat lol
It's so nice to find others who actually have seen this movie and remember it! I grew up watching it on DVD, my parents would buy me a lot of discount movies alongside popular movies since my tastes changed often as a kid. I watched Once Upon A Forest over and over from around 8 up until I was 13. This movie is super nostalgic and I was shocked by how many people had no idea about it around me! Thanks for reviewing it!
As a fan of Phantom and Michael Crawford, I watched this film just for that aspect really. As a kid, I would rewind Crawford singing over and over again. :) I probably only watched it all the way through a couple of times.
He's got such a great voice, it's a shame he didn't do more cartoon voice over work. He also does a good cover of the Mulan song "Reflection" if you haven't heard it!
I haven't seen this movie in decades but I still remember it nearly beat for beat. I also understood right away that Michelle's parents were gone, and after Cornelius's story that Michelle was literally all he had left. It was a "Wait, if Michelle is his niece, and only he and his sister were left alive when they were kids...oh no..." moment that hit me even harder than things like Littlefoot's mother dying. Funny thing about me and the characters, though, is that I know their characterization and development was a little...abridged, but even as a kid I felt like I got each of the Furlings' personalities regardless. The off-handed comment from Abigail's dad and how bossy and headstrong she was made it perfectly clear that she was the "I know what I'm doing so I should be the one in charge" type. I kind of wish there were more instances sort of "justifying" that attitude, because we get more on her acting headstrong as her default even just from Cornelius thanking her for saving Michelle than we do her being generally in the right. It's not even really implied that she's got good instincts or has been right in the past. Russel being forced out of mealtime by his siblings and his mom really not having time for him, followed by Abigail's being pushy felt less like his arc not being about being able to prove himself, but just being acknowledged at all...something I identified with heavily. Him bickering with Abigail was probably just an easier pushback because it was just her and around a dozen siblings to just shove him aside. So if I was going to change anything with his mini-arc, it probably would have just been him being the one to scold Abigail after the owl, pointing out how she didn't ever pay attention to more than what she wants and especially not him so they could talk that out in her apology. Edgar's arc I feel was the most solid, especially for a child audience. Him being excited for school but uncertain about basically everything else was addressed pretty well in the beginning. He was cautious on the road and didn't really engage with the other two bickering, and he was the most vocally uncertain about the journey. That made especially his actions with Boswell, and later his reaction to the squirrel bully the most understandable. He'd already saved a life when he wasn't sure he could before then, so he definitely wasn't going to let some snarky bullying squirrel stand between him and saving his friend after what they'd been through. I wouldn't actually change anything for his arc, because he had his growth and I like to think that he grew up never taking the things in his life for granted again. I kind of feel like in order to really give their characters time to breathe the movie would have needed to give the journey at least one more day to be completed. That was way longer than I planned, but I love this movie so much. Someone only needs to mention it and I can recall it easily. I also really enjoyed the video.
I remember this flick. Rented it as a kid; watched it like a dozen times. The only scene I can really remember with clarity (because of time-related brain drain) was the scene where that little kid was stuck in a mud sump and his sobbing family were basically holding his funeral there ahead of time because it was inescapable. But then the protags show up, the brainy mole kid gets the idea to use leverage (diegetically termed "twang-ya-bact") to pry him out, drew a diagram and everything...and it worked! I also recall the kids referred to the human construction vehicles as 'yellow-dragons'. And nothing else, because of temporal skullrot and the necessity to delete old data to free up RAM for new stuff.
We had this movie in Dutch on VHS, I watched it so many times as a kid. Somehow every single timer, hoping they would come in time to save the little girl. I remember vividly how real al the liquids like water and that stuff they used to make a medicine.
It may not be a classic but that opening scene of "Abigail! Abigail!" I burned into my brain from young childhood. It's the whole reason I remembered this movie and why I love the name Abigail. 😂
it's so iconic of Michael Crawford to be singing about how he lives in the Night, alluding to his Phantom role to the older viewers who were serenaded by Music of the Night, but wow the metaphor (from the figure of speech of being in his twilight years) hits so much harder in retrospect
i watched so many movies as a kid that i eventually forgot about this one. but by pure chance i saw this video and all those nostalgic memories came back to me. thank you for bringing a part of my childhood back to life.
This was one of my favorite movies growing up. It really made me think about the impact of humanity on the natural world. The asphalt road scene and the even more dreadful gas leak scene stuck me forever along with how scared the animals were when being treated. I don’t doubt that is probably part of the reason I care way more about the environment and the welfare of wildlife than many of my peers where I live. Well this and also fern gully which was another good one and brother’s favorite. We need more kids entertainment with strong messages like this.
Great retrospective! I also had this on VHS, having been born in 94. I watched this all the time as a kiddo and it really left a mark on me. Even just watching your review with still images and you describing the scenes were enough to make me cry over the song “please wake up” and the ending with Michelle crying into Cornelius’ chest. I’m glad my mom was able to get this gem into my collection. I also love your suggestions to make it a bit more fleshed out? That being said idk if little me could have handled Edgar’s mom not showing up at the end 😂
It truly is a touching film, and I love that it doesn't shy away from some of the harsher realities. And I agree, if Edgar's mom wouldn't have come back, it may have scarred more than a few kids!
This was my favorite movie for a good portion of my childhood - when we went to visit my grandparents' cabin on the lake, and I was allowed to rent one movie to watch while there, I'd always get this one if I could. I could never remember the name of it, even back then, which kind of made it like this magical secret movie to me, on top of just being amazing. I need to rewatch it one of these days…
We had this on VHS when I was a kid. My older siblings like to tease me about having the same name as one of the characters, even saying on occasion that I was named after them 😅😅😅
Oh, how I miss dark animated movies like this! I used to constsntly watch Once Upon a Forest, Secret of NIMH, Watership Down (even if it terrified me), Felidae, Plague Dogs and Animals of Farthing Wood. Thank you for posting this ❤
I adore this movie! In a D&D campaign I ran where all the characters were awakened animals, I drew a lot of inspiration from this and Ferngully. The final boss of the campaign was an ancient "yellow dragon" possessed by a pollution spirit voiced by Tim Curry.
Hey, I remember this movie. I recall seeing it for years at my local video store with other stuff on the shelf like Penguin and The Pebble, Freddie The Frog and a bunch of other 90s animated kids movie in the kids shelf section. I don't think I actually watched this until one of science classes played this in middle school. I think it might've been for either an Earth Science unit or just a movie day for the class. And I think I saw it years later when Nostalgia Critic did a comedic review of the movie.
Man, I wore out my VHS of this until it was unplayable. This movie (and Lion King, just for extra pain) both came out the year my dad died when I was 8, so Dead Parent movies that hit the right way were some of few outlets I had. You're certainly right in retrospect about some of it's shortcomings, but I can't downplay how meaningful it was for me. I loved Cornelius' song, and I had no idea who Michael Crawford was until the first time I was taken to go see Phantom as a teenager and then bought the London cast recording. I screamed when I realized, I really did.
There are shortcomings sure, but it doesn't change the fact that it's an incredibly enjoyable movie. I'd love to see a remake or continuation of the three's adventures!
This movie was a favorite of mine as a kid, and it definitely stuck with me my whole life. There's definitely a reason I named my pet mouse Abigail haha
It's weird that I just yesterday mentioned this movie to someone while streaming, after having not seen or thought about it for like a decade... then today I get recommended this.. weird. Anyway, great video! Loved this movie
I appreciate it! It was such a big part of my childhood but like many people, nearly forgot it existed. I'm glad there's so many people who enjoyed it, too!
I did too! And mostly because I could never fully remember what happened in the movie, but left pleasantly surprised after, until I forgot it again and the cycle repeated!
@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose well I certainly won't be chugging any Fabuloso, but I'm no longer afraid to touch a bottle of sunscreen that is labeled not for ingestion. I was a nervous kid lol
I have never seen this movie as a kid until just now. And I'm glad I did. Wow. Such mature theming throughout the whole thing for a "kids" movie. I loved the soundtrack (espesially the intro and end credits) and how it established such powerful measaging about how we humans disrupt and endanger nature. This had all the bells and whistles of a Disney movie, and I'm SHOCKED that it wasn't! Even though it wasn't a hit at the box office, it was a great movie!
It feels like just a few tweaks here and there, we'd be talking about it as one of the all-time great cartoons. For what it is, it's still pretty special!
Movies from the late 80s-and throughout the 90s to early 2000s feel like something of a dream. I wish we still had movies like those especially from Don Bulth. Theres a charm to the art style idk how to describe it. Even though this one isnt an offical classic, itll always be a classic to me amongst Ferngully and Secret of Nimh
While I'm glad Once Upon a Forest is being given coverage and I like the parts of this video that are actual information and analysis, this video comes off more like its just a summary of the movie with occasional commentary.
Thank you. No one ever offers any constructive criticism for video essays anymore for fear of being piled on by people who like the topic and conflate that with the essay. So the essays just continue to get worse and never improve.
It's a constant evolution between trying to look at a film in both an analytical and editorializing way. Hopefully I continue to develop that balance until it finally hits that perfect medium. I appreciate the input!
I absolutely adore Once Upon A Forest, so thanks for doing this overview! It may not have done numbers in its time, but many of us still consider it a classic. Admittedly, I’m not just a huge fan of the film, but an amateur collector. I own it on VHS/Laserdisc/DVD, have the soundtrack/score on CD, the children’s book novelization, the audiobook cassette tape (which is still sealed and will stay that way…you can listen to it on audible though, it’s narrated by Ben Vereen who voiced the preacher bird in the film), and an official 27” x 40” double-sided theatrical poster (framed of course, but would like to eventually get it signed by any of the cast/crew). While I consider it a classic, it’s for sure a highly underrated piece of art. I feel like with all this collecting I’m helping keep its memory alive. Some other pieces of memorabilia I’m looking to get include adverts, plushies, figurines, bookmarks, coloring books, clothing, and of course actual production cels! It would be sooo cool to own an actual piece of the film. Anyways, I also still hope that this gets a 4K Blu-ray release someday, as unlikely as that might be haha. But again, thanks for giving Once Upon A Forest a proper shoutout, Goose!
Wow, I had no idea there was an audio book of it, I'll have to check that out! I would love to own a production cel, there's actually quite a few high-quality ones still out there from what I've seen. Thanks for the kind words, new video out tomorrow at noon, hope you'll check it out!
This was one of my favorite films as a child. I think my parents were glad when I finally wore the tape out. I love it so much and so few people know it, so this made me so happy to see it talked about positively. I actually teared up. I loved Abigale so much I wanted so badly to be more like her but I was honestly more of an Edgar. I will say as a kid I kinda hated how she turned into "just another dumb girl" around an "icky boy." Joke's on me I might be ace, but cute people still make me stupid, so I get it now haha! I feel like the critisisms people have for Once Upon A Forest are totally valid, but to me, it's perfect as is. I like how it is short and sweet. And dare I say I think it looks even better than I remember: the backhrounds are gorgeous and I have even more love for the character designs and the movements and pacing. I really should give drawing a few characters of mine in a similar style a go. Thanks again for reviewing this film. It's a classic to me for sure and one I hope I can introduce my nephews to soon.
That's what this movie was! I've always had that one scene with the chemical truck stuck in my head since I was a kid cuz the whole scene scared me and it's always remained. I thought it was NIMH, but it would appear it was this movie.
it is a classic this movie will always hold a special place, i think its because around the same time ferngully came out and not a lot of kids knew about the importance of taking care of our forests.
21:54 "I do wish here they would somehow communicate the humans are responding to the toxic gas... but it's easy enough to infer regardless." Can confirm, I saw this movie when I was a little kid and instantly understood the humans were here to clean up. We also had it in VHS, I never saw it in theaters (I would have been like, two, so that makes sense).
I would have liked to have seen how they got rid of the gas, personally. It makes sense that it would have dissipated after a while, but it would have been nice to see!
I still have my tape with this movie, Thumballena and All Dogs go to Heaven. Once I get the needed wires to hook up my old and still working VCR I'm going on a nostalgia trip of epic proportions.
Aww this movie was one of my faves. I still say the yellow dragons every time I pass by a constriction site lol my husband looked at me like I had 3 heads 😂 he clearly never seen the movie
I really liked this movie as a kid, only thing I didn't really understand was why the mice and badgers were all the same size. I guess cartoon logic, but it jarred me when the world around them was massive (and the owl is a normal size). Not sure why the badgers weren't voles or a chipmunk or something.
I actually STILL HAVE my original VHS copy of this movie!! I had it since my childhood! It almost got junked when my family and I were cleaning house over 15 years ago, but I managed to sneak the tape into my room and hide it there, where it still remains protected to this day.
@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose Awesome! My mother and I rewatched it a few months ago, and I set up a miniature drive-in movie theater diorama of cars that accurately correspond to the era of the movie's original theatrical release. The movie was originally released to theaters on June 18, 1993. At that point, (going by my rules of car age), automobiles that were still considered practical as modern daily drivers would've been model years ranging from 1974 to then-brand new 1993. A few months later, in the Autumn of 1993, the 1994 model year started production. Vintage would've applied to cars dated from 1949 to 1973. Anything dated 1948 or earlier would've been considered Antique. Bill Clinton was the President of the United States in 1993. The National Association for Stock Car Automotive Racing (NASCAR) was 2 years into its 4th Generation, and was overall 45 years old back in '93. 1993 was also the year that Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, and Sonic SatAM first aired. I already went through Season 1 of MMPR, Aosth, and SatAM on their 30th Anniversary, using the original airdates to know when to watch each episode. For example, the very first Power Rangers episode, "Day of the Dumpster" originally aired on August 28, 1993. I rewatched that episode on its exact 30th Anniversary: August 28, 2023.
Great analysis , it really took me back to seeing the movie in its original run. But I think the actress playing Michelle is Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men, the Handmaid’s Tale) not Kate. Just something I noticed. Thanks for the video
You're absolutely right! Slip of the tongue, thank you for the correction. And thank you! The movie is constantly overlooked; maybe this will jog a few happy memories.
Absolutely, 100% agree! While I don't necessarily agree with ALL your changes, (although with some) I still appreciate you highlighting this long forgotten classic. =)
I had this on VHS as a kid. Dubbed in Norwegian. It was one of my fave movies as a kid. I have no idea how it came into our house. But it made me very aware of nature and how to respect it. I didn't watch Ferngully until I was an adult. ^^ Both good. Also, I feel like the driver was the foreshadowing to the cleaners appearing later in the story.
They are both lovely little films! And I feel the same way about the driver, I wish the cleaners had made mention of the toxic gas in even a passing mention, but we'll have to assume that's why they were there.
Bro this movie still lives rent free in my head the songs where perfect, the characters were great and the story kept you engaged threw out the entire thing.
I LOVED this movie as a kid!! I never got to see it in theaters but I watched it constantly on VHS. I actually assumed it WAS a beloved classic until i was an adult and saw the nostalgia critic dunking on it and realized no one had seen it but me apparently. I applaud you for this video!! One small correction: 5:00 Michelle was voiced by Elisabeth Moss (Peggy from Mad Men, June in the Handmaid's Tale) not Kate Moss (who is a model)
(Note: Due to extensive copyright-related issues, the video is presented with still images rather than clips. The original retrospective audio remains unchanged. The next retrospective will return to using video. Thank you for your understanding.)
This was one of my childhood movies that I watched a ton cause we had it on VHS and parents didn't have cable/satellite TV we only had local channels
do you have the alternate video cut?
Could you please consider buying a pop filter or do some audio cleanup on your video's?
It is very noticeable that you breath out in a forced way at the end of your sentences.
@@lordneo256 I'll look into it, thanks!
15:49 Abigail humming instrumental/17:59 lily of tabaluga
I like how this movie isn't too in your face about being obsessed over saving the planet, but it does show how actions can have consequences. It even showed humans taking action to the gas spill, and not having magic fairies fixing it
It's great to have two different approaches to the same basic premise of environmentalism. Thankfully, they're both fine films!
ferngully: save the trees!
once upon a forest: but what about the animals, bugs, sky, water and other plant life?
I personally feel this is one of the strongest aspects of the film. It's "Hey, actions have consequences, accidents happen, but things can be fixed". (Because the guy didn't do it on purpose - it was an accident caused by carelessness)
I feel a lot of environmental aesops fall into a few traps:
-"Save the forests... because otherwise those poor innocent magic faeries will die and can't do it! Or maybe cosmic imbalances are causing it anyway so lol."
-"Humans are horrible. It'd be better if you never existed. You're a human... so you're guilty by association."
-"It's civilisation, science, and technology that's the problem - sucks to be you, since most of you are alive because of modern civilisation, science, and technology."
-"we need a simpler life... which is always conveniently based off of a very surface level interpretation of Native American lives."
-"Hey you! Yeah you! It's YOUR fault because YOU OWN A CAR AND YOU ATE A HAMBURGER! You MONSTER!"
Abigail was an awesome female character, her impulsive tendencies a character flaw usually reserved for boys. While it occasionally frustrated and endangered others, it also saved a life.
The best part is nothing is made of her being a girl, aside from that weird moment with the boy mouse at the meadow. No one tries to police her behavior on the basis of gender, no one tries to insinuate her as a girlfriend to the boys, and she’s not spared any criticism for her mistakes.
A decisive, active agent in the story, the equal of the boys. A great character for young girls to see.
She's a great leader! I wish there were more adventures of the three together!
Well _yeah_ they didn't try to "insinuate her as a girlfriend" to her hedgehog and mole pals. That would just be weird. More weird, certainly, than the brief flirtation with the boy mouse in the meadow, which is simply another note in the film's overall theme about the furlings growing up and maturing. 😉
This is one of those movies that stays with you forever, but the title is easily forgotten. It took me years to find it again.
It's just so memorable! But now that you remember you won't forget!
Same
I’ll tell you why it wasn’t successful this movie.
It was going up against Jurassic Park.
It was definitely a contributing factor at the time! It's sad that it never caught in a major way in home video. I don't know how or why I had it on VHS, but I'm glad I did!
I think they were trying to capitalize on little kids too young for Jurassic Park in an attempt to counterprogram
@@Bitsy69439 Sadly that's not the only reason why. Keep in mind this was the early to mid 90's. AKA the Disney rennesance. Meaning that unless you were being distributed by Disney, your big budget animated blockbuster was pretty much dead on arrival.
@@supermariof0521 Yeah, though Don Bluth dominated the 80s, until "Little Mermaid" came out.
@@beauwalker9820 Exactly
What makes Cornelius song even more sad is the fact that Michelle is the only family he has left now. Cause i believe Michelle mother is Cornelius younger sister.
I never put that together. That does make it sadder!
Considering Michelle's ALWAYS calling him "Uncle Cornelius".............it turned out to be pretty literal.
It is heavily implied, isn't it?
Also notice that Cornelius had a stuffed bird when he was young, hence his fascination with flying. :)
One of my favourite moments from the film is the end with the clean up crew, and the one guy smashing the trap,
the duality between mans ignorant destruction and environmental caretaking is very well depicted in this movie.
The humans are not in the movie long, but the commentary on their impact is done very well!
A common problem with a lot of environmental messages is that they often fall into guilt by association in some various way.
Either "Humans are THE REAL MONSTERS!" or "You caused this - you bastard."
I have to give Once Upon a Forest some props in that regard - heck, they also make absolutely sure you KNOW that this is an accident and wasn't done with malice.
You can't tell me it isn't a classic.
Maybe not a widely beloved classic, but it's a classic.
I can't be the only one who gets stuck in construction traffic, and as I'm passing machinery think to myself goddamn yellow dragons.
One of the best descriptions ever!
This one just smacked me right into flash back. I grew up in Korea, and watched this movie in Korean dub. As I moved to America with my family, and like a dream my childhood memories and memories of this film became vague. I couldn't for the life of me remember the name of it because it was in Korean title. The moment I saw the thumbnail, I shouted "WAIT, I KNOW THIS MOVIE!!!" It was such a nice reminder of my childhood relic. I will go watch it again now :D
I hope you enjoy watching it again!
I loved this movie as a kid. Used to have it on VHS
I did too! I don't know anybody who saw it in theaters!
I did! We went for my sister’s birthday. Lol, so that’s three people, my sisters and I. 4 if you count my dad.
me too, scared me as a kid though lol
I have this too, in German. Over here it was called Mister Badger and his friends. 🦡🦔🐁
Oh, that alternate ending is so good thematically but would have absolutely destroyed me emotionally. I'm at once disappointed yet incredibly relieved that isn't the one we got.
But it's also great seeing the film as a whole get some recognition. It was always a childhood favorite of mine. The gorgeous soundtrack was one of the first purchases I made with my own money, so you can see it's very close to my heart.
My version may admittedly be a little too intense for kids, but even as "unfinished" as the movie stands, it's still so good which is a credit to the original. Maybe someday somebody will give it another go!
And the soundtrack is a great reward for hard work. Hopefully you still have it!
This movie both scared the mess out of me and broke my heart. I loved it but some of the scenes were too intense for me. This movie definitely deserves more recognition
It was pretty mature for a little kid's film!
Omg the one scene I explicitly remember was when poor Edgar got caught. He was so scared and vulnerable. I really felt for him! Thankfully, he ended up alright.
I think I saw this movie sometime around when I was 5-8. The only thing I remember is being traumatized by the parents being killed by the poisonous gas. Definitely an effective moment for a kid to see lol
That was definitely a surprising moment! It's pretty impressive they chose to keep that in the movie.
I think one of the best things about this movie and why I think it's probably the best movie with an environmentalist message is that it _doesn't_ demonize humans collectively or in general - yes, an act of carelessness causes immense damage and suffering, but humans as a whole are treated as responsible stewards of God's green Earth and it's not like humans harvesting natural resources, building infrastructure, or eating are treated as wicked beyond the pale.
Badgers like Michele and Cornelius being friends with animals they would under all normal circumstances be trying to eat is funny, but that's just how cute animal stories are sometimes.
I agree that the human aspect is a very unique one as far as environmental movies go. And thankfully the animals get along with each other or it would end up more like "Watership Down"!
Amen to that!
Once upon a forest is a classic in my eyes.
I wholeheartedly agree!
I have a huge soft spot for this movie. My grandparents had it on VHS and used to put it on gor us when we visited. I randomly remembered a part of the movie years later, but couldn't remember its name, so had to try and look it up based on what little I remembered. After finding it, I was lucky enough to find a dvd copy of it randomly in a book shop. I still like to watch it every so often. You're right- the music is fantastic. Not just the score throughout the film, but the song Once Upon A Time With Me always makes me feel nostalgic and a bit sad. I can't explain it, it's like I remember my childhood and a simpler time that I can't ever get back.
Cornelius sends his students out on a suicide mission
I never thought of it that way! Good thing they came back or he'd have four lives on his hands!
But as Nostalgia Critic pointed out, the only reason he didn't go in their places? RRRRRRRRhumatism!
Yeah, that entire part of the movie always rubbed me off the wrong way. It'd be one thing if Cornelius had insisted on going and the kids had volunteered but instead he demands they go and actually gets angry when they express apprehension about venturing so far away. lol
Like c'mon, kids, you don't wanna travel miles and miles through uncharted lands ripe with our natural predators and other various hazards? How very selfish.
I know Cornelius was worried about losing his niece but the pacing of that scene and the script delivery just painted him as very unsympathetic for me. Not to mention Abigail, Russell and Edgar were convinced they had lost their own families at this point as well. Putting the extra burden of their friend potentially dying on their shoulders was a bit much. :
@@rjthedetective But we all know the reason he couldn't go with them. XD
"RRRRHUMATISM!!!!"
@@supermariof0521 lol I know you're kidding but Cornelius citing his rheumatism would've actually been better and more compelling scriptwriting vs. "quit your complaining and go get the stupid plants already!" haha
Nice review! This VHS was a cornerstone of my childhood, and paved the way for my lifelong love of animation and nature/environmentalism.
Then it sounds like the movie worked precisely as it intended! And thank you! The movie is sorely underrated and deserves much more attention than it's gotten.
@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose Thanks! I agree, the movie is very underrated. Also, I like all the fixes you proposed, it gives the plot more weight and better flow with the added songs. But I wouldn't have been able to take Edgar's mom dying at the end! One step too far into sadness, lol
When I was in second grade in 1994, we were shown this over a period of two afternoons (sometimes, the teachers at my elementary school decided they didn't feel like teaching and just put on stuff for us to watch). Even at that age, it was cool to not really care for cutesy, Disney-like stuff, but this film did stay with me. Watching this video actually inspired me to seek the movie out and watch it again for the first time in many, many years. It's surprising how dark it gets at points (I've read that Michael Crawford broke down crying when he first tried to sing that song), and the ending is as bittersweet as you can get. And yeah, this is a movie that I actually wish was longer, as it could've fleshed more things out.
It's not perfect, as there are moments where the animation is a tad jerky, and that scene with the wrens singing that gospel song goes on way too long and feels like padding, but I don't think it deserved to flop the way it did (I've also read that Long John Silver's, of all places, had toys associated with it). I would've liked to have seen a follow-up taking place a few years later, showing how their lives have been since the tragedy, especially Michelle.
A sequel could fix some issues woth the origonal and move the story along. Maybe someday. I would love to see the toys! There was not nearly enough merchandise!
One thing I do like about the movie is that it shows that not all humans are bad and there's some human that do care about the environment and how Cornelius and the furlings views on humans change especially with Cornelius and his sister being separated from their parents due do humans when they were kids.
That scene when Cornelius has his mind changed about humans in even the smallest capacity is so good!
@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose Yeah it's also sad that Michelle's parents died and Cornelius had to break the news to her after she wakes up.
I saw this as a small child and it’s one of my favorite movies. I loved how dark it was, and it grappled with real experiences of growing up and it’s harsh message of preserving life.
But it still felt lighthearted enough to be fun. A great little movie!
Thank you for this. I loved this movie as a kid and seeing someone take it seriously and give it respectful criticism warms my heart.
I appreciate it! It's a seldom revisited movie I thought deserved a little belated care.
I remember seeing this film as a preteen in the early 90s. It was a television airing, and to this day, the story and animation reminds me of "Fern Gully" and "The Secret of NIMH". As well as a lesser known childhood movie I grew up with called "The Little Fox", also known as "Vuc" in its original Hungarian
It's so funny that you happened to post this video now. I grew up with this movie in my family's VHS collection and watched it all the time, and I was just talking with a friend, like, a week ago about how Once Upon a Forest was ALMOST a good movie.
I think the beginning is good and the ending is honestly kinda great. I liked that it was one of the only environmental kids' movies where while the humans were obviously a threat, they weren't necessarily EVIL. It was just everything in the middle that always felt so BLUUURGH.
That is quite the coincidence! I think most everybody who sees the movie likes it, but it comes so close to being a GREAT movie which is its only real flaw.
One of my favourite movies as a kid, it was definitely a classic for me!!
I managed to find it on dvd a couple years back and Cornelius' song still makes me cry lmao
It's still just as emotional! An underrated animated musical number.
Dude..... this is it! This is the movie I could barely remember and has been haunting the recesses of my mind ever since OSP's 'Small Animals on Big Adventures' trope talk!
It was one of those movies my family rented once and I could barely remember. The only thing that remained was the flapper, and without knowing what it was called my google fu was insufficient. Soon as I saw that thumbnail I had my suspicions, and I was right. A load off my mind.
One of those movies you can't forget but couldn't remember it's name!
"Please, wake up🎶 " still hurts.
Underrated movie and I am happy to admit I introduced friends to it. ❤
That's a good one to recommend. I hope they enjoyed it as well!
i think i watched this when i was 6-7, probably the first time i felt so emotional about a movie. Adventure, lost feelings & feeling on your own, sadness pertaining to dying characters, feelings about the environment.
There's a lot of emotions this movie can bring out!
That gas/smoke or whatever SCARED ME as a kid
It's frightening!
This is one of my all-time favorite movies. My nieces and nephews love this film, too. We just watched it last night! The score is my favorite score of any film, second only to Balto, which, of course, was by Horner as well. The man was a genius and knew how to put true emotion into all of his music. Love this movie, even as an adult.
I hope the young ones enjoyed it! And Horner's music is so good across all his movies!
Michelle wasn't played by Kate Moss, she was played by Elizabeth Moss who is now best known as June in the Handmaid's Tale
Yep, I made a slip of the tongue
@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose the picture you used is Kate Moss rather than Elizabeth
That makes a lot more sense, thank you. 😂
Thanks for the walk down through the memory lane. I watched this movie on the VHS back in the day. This is also the movie that introduced me to the voice acting legend, Charlie Adler, who did the voice for the Snotty Squirrel
I appreciate you watching the video and am glad it brought back fond memories!
This movie was always one of those childhood movies that grew up with and truly stayed dear to my heart. Looking back on it when i was about 5 or 6, i did not care about any bad or poor reviews/critics, nor that people called it a box office flop or any of that. But now into my adulthood, i found this here on youtube and watched it again just one night ago. Yes there some things about the story that are left unfinished or unresolved, but its not really bad. In fact, i still like.
By the time i got done watching it, only question i had to ask is, is it as good as i remember? Yeah, it's still sweet and good. Yes, it does make you wish there was more to be had, i will admit i seen better, but I've also seen worse. It's still good in its own right. For anyone who never got to see it, give it a chance, im sure you'll like it
It still holds up to me. A fast hour of fun and there's nothing wrong with that!
I watch this movie all the time but I especially love the sound track. The Forest ❤ what a wonderful piece of music
One of my all-time favorites!
@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose
I'm very new to your channel and I can't wait to explore more of your videos! I'm so glad you gave this movie some of the attention it deserves, thank you!
I appreciate it! Next video is May 12th, I hope you'll enjoy it!
This was one of my favourites when I was a child!! I loved it so much!! Thank You for this video! 😊
Thank you for watching! Such an unheralded fun little film, it's a shame it hasn't been given more attention!
I think I have an idea as to why the movie wasn't successful:
This was during the first years of Don Bluth's downfall, and because Ferngully came out a year earlier. What does Ferngully have to do with it? Robin Williams and the environmental message was more prominent
Back-to-back films with similar premises definitely could have built some fatigue or indifference towards it. This was also developed from a made- for-tv movie into a theatrical release. I'm sure that caused some problems as well!
"Once Upon A Forest" wasn't a Don Bluth film, though yes, this did come out during his decline years.
@@maniacaldude Who made it? I was always under the impression that it was his studio
@@marcusblackwell2372 Hanna Barbera of Yogi Bear fame, but distributed by 20th century Fox.
I loved this movie as a kid, the more mature themes really struck a chord with me. The stakes were real, and I was rooting for the characters the whole way 🩵 So sad it didn't get the love it deserved.
This one would benefit from the sequel or reboot treatment!
I LOVE that in the 90s a lot of women had short hair but with very flattering haircuts.
I had short hair at 18, in 2020, and I was often told I look boyish and not feminine.
There's a pretty great history of short-haired female characters!
This was one of my absolute favorite movies as a kid, I still love it flaws and all. Ferngully too. Captain planet I guess I loved 90s environmental cartoons crammed down my throat lol
It was a short but sweet time for promoting the environment to kids!
It's so nice to find others who actually have seen this movie and remember it! I grew up watching it on DVD, my parents would buy me a lot of discount movies alongside popular movies since my tastes changed often as a kid. I watched Once Upon A Forest over and over from around 8 up until I was 13. This movie is super nostalgic and I was shocked by how many people had no idea about it around me! Thanks for reviewing it!
I watched it on repeat all the time as a kid, too! A childhood favorite of mine.
i loved this movie so much growing up, I watched it recently and I still love it.
It holds up surprisingly well!
Loved this film when I was younger. Still makes me cry in places even now, which my 16 year old loves to tease me for. Lol
No mater if you're a kid or adult, it still hits the same!
As a fan of Phantom and Michael Crawford, I watched this film just for that aspect really. As a kid, I would rewind Crawford singing over and over again. :) I probably only watched it all the way through a couple of times.
He's got such a great voice, it's a shame he didn't do more cartoon voice over work. He also does a good cover of the Mulan song "Reflection" if you haven't heard it!
@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose I'll have to check that one out!
@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose You must have heard his Disney album then. :) I just now stumbled across it. :)
I certainly did. That's my favorite track on the album!
I haven't seen this movie in decades but I still remember it nearly beat for beat. I also understood right away that Michelle's parents were gone, and after Cornelius's story that Michelle was literally all he had left. It was a "Wait, if Michelle is his niece, and only he and his sister were left alive when they were kids...oh no..." moment that hit me even harder than things like Littlefoot's mother dying. Funny thing about me and the characters, though, is that I know their characterization and development was a little...abridged, but even as a kid I felt like I got each of the Furlings' personalities regardless.
The off-handed comment from Abigail's dad and how bossy and headstrong she was made it perfectly clear that she was the "I know what I'm doing so I should be the one in charge" type. I kind of wish there were more instances sort of "justifying" that attitude, because we get more on her acting headstrong as her default even just from Cornelius thanking her for saving Michelle than we do her being generally in the right. It's not even really implied that she's got good instincts or has been right in the past.
Russel being forced out of mealtime by his siblings and his mom really not having time for him, followed by Abigail's being pushy felt less like his arc not being about being able to prove himself, but just being acknowledged at all...something I identified with heavily. Him bickering with Abigail was probably just an easier pushback because it was just her and around a dozen siblings to just shove him aside. So if I was going to change anything with his mini-arc, it probably would have just been him being the one to scold Abigail after the owl, pointing out how she didn't ever pay attention to more than what she wants and especially not him so they could talk that out in her apology.
Edgar's arc I feel was the most solid, especially for a child audience. Him being excited for school but uncertain about basically everything else was addressed pretty well in the beginning. He was cautious on the road and didn't really engage with the other two bickering, and he was the most vocally uncertain about the journey. That made especially his actions with Boswell, and later his reaction to the squirrel bully the most understandable. He'd already saved a life when he wasn't sure he could before then, so he definitely wasn't going to let some snarky bullying squirrel stand between him and saving his friend after what they'd been through. I wouldn't actually change anything for his arc, because he had his growth and I like to think that he grew up never taking the things in his life for granted again.
I kind of feel like in order to really give their characters time to breathe the movie would have needed to give the journey at least one more day to be completed.
That was way longer than I planned, but I love this movie so much. Someone only needs to mention it and I can recall it easily. I also really enjoyed the video.
I remember this flick. Rented it as a kid; watched it like a dozen times. The only scene I can really remember with clarity (because of time-related brain drain) was the scene where that little kid was stuck in a mud sump and his sobbing family were basically holding his funeral there ahead of time because it was inescapable. But then the protags show up, the brainy mole kid gets the idea to use leverage (diegetically termed "twang-ya-bact") to pry him out, drew a diagram and everything...and it worked! I also recall the kids referred to the human construction vehicles as 'yellow-dragons'.
And nothing else, because of temporal skullrot and the necessity to delete old data to free up RAM for new stuff.
We had this movie in Dutch on VHS, I watched it so many times as a kid. Somehow every single timer, hoping they would come in time to save the little girl.
I remember vividly how real al the liquids like water and that stuff they used to make a medicine.
I really like a lot of the animation. I want more of this franchise!
It may not be a classic but that opening scene of "Abigail! Abigail!" I burned into my brain from young childhood. It's the whole reason I remembered this movie and why I love the name Abigail. 😂
And when she looks down and smiles... classic!
Had this movie on vhs, and I absolutely loved it as a kid. Watching your video makes me wanna see it again.
It still holds up, in my opinion!
it's so iconic of Michael Crawford to be singing about how he lives in the Night, alluding to his Phantom role to the older viewers who were serenaded by Music of the Night, but wow the metaphor (from the figure of speech of being in his twilight years) hits so much harder in retrospect
One of my favorite movies growing up. I still watch it from time to time!
It's just as good now as it was back then!
i watched so many movies as a kid that i eventually forgot about this one. but by pure chance i saw this video and all those nostalgic memories came back to me. thank you for bringing a part of my childhood back to life.
Thanks for the kind words! I'm glad a fond memory was rediscovered for you!
This was one of my favorite movies growing up. It really made me think about the impact of humanity on the natural world. The asphalt road scene and the even more dreadful gas leak scene stuck me forever along with how scared the animals were when being treated. I don’t doubt that is probably part of the reason I care way more about the environment and the welfare of wildlife than many of my peers where I live. Well this and also fern gully which was another good one and brother’s favorite. We need more kids entertainment with strong messages like this.
Definitely my two favorite environmentally themed movies. Maybe someday we'll get more like them!
one of my childhood favorites. the main character is why I like the name Abigail so much
She's so adorable. I love her!
Great retrospective!
I also had this on VHS, having been born in 94. I watched this all the time as a kiddo and it really left a mark on me. Even just watching your review with still images and you describing the scenes were enough to make me cry over the song “please wake up” and the ending with Michelle crying into Cornelius’ chest.
I’m glad my mom was able to get this gem into my collection.
I also love your suggestions to make it a bit more fleshed out? That being said idk if little me could have handled Edgar’s mom not showing up at the end 😂
It truly is a touching film, and I love that it doesn't shy away from some of the harsher realities. And I agree, if Edgar's mom wouldn't have come back, it may have scarred more than a few kids!
This was my favorite movie for a good portion of my childhood - when we went to visit my grandparents' cabin on the lake, and I was allowed to rent one movie to watch while there, I'd always get this one if I could. I could never remember the name of it, even back then, which kind of made it like this magical secret movie to me, on top of just being amazing. I need to rewatch it one of these days…
It took me a while to remember what it was called, too. I can assure you though, it's a fun one to revisit!
We had this on VHS when I was a kid. My older siblings like to tease me about having the same name as one of the characters, even saying on occasion that I was named after them 😅😅😅
Classic sibling chicanery!
Oh, how I miss dark animated movies like this! I used to constsntly watch Once Upon a Forest, Secret of NIMH, Watership Down (even if it terrified me), Felidae, Plague Dogs and Animals of Farthing Wood. Thank you for posting this ❤
Those are all such good movies! Something about those intense childhood films is burned into my brain and keeps me coming back.
Your narration is excellent.
I appreciate the kind words!
I adore this movie! In a D&D campaign I ran where all the characters were awakened animals, I drew a lot of inspiration from this and Ferngully. The final boss of the campaign was an ancient "yellow dragon" possessed by a pollution spirit voiced by Tim Curry.
That's awesome! And a great crossover!
When I was a little kid, this was one of my favorite movies to watch on VHS.
Mine too! Definitely in the frequent rotation as a young one.
Hey, I remember this movie.
I recall seeing it for years at my local video store with other stuff on the shelf like Penguin and The Pebble, Freddie The Frog and a bunch of other 90s animated kids movie in the kids shelf section. I don't think I actually watched this until one of science classes played this in middle school. I think it might've been for either an Earth Science unit or just a movie day for the class. And I think I saw it years later when Nostalgia Critic did a comedic review of the movie.
It's one of those movies that seems to pop into people's lives at random points! Still a great one, though!
Man i loved this movie as a kid. Used to watch it on repeat. I should rewatch it
It's as good now as it was then!
It's also an environmental movie but isn't too preachy about it, some humans in the movie did care
They did a really great job making the humans seem scary, but also hopeful when they destroyed the cage!
Damn! I use to watch this on my 10in tv on vhs. I use to watch this movie all the time when I was a kid.
Happy memories!
Man, I wore out my VHS of this until it was unplayable. This movie (and Lion King, just for extra pain) both came out the year my dad died when I was 8, so Dead Parent movies that hit the right way were some of few outlets I had. You're certainly right in retrospect about some of it's shortcomings, but I can't downplay how meaningful it was for me. I loved Cornelius' song, and I had no idea who Michael Crawford was until the first time I was taken to go see Phantom as a teenager and then bought the London cast recording. I screamed when I realized, I really did.
There are shortcomings sure, but it doesn't change the fact that it's an incredibly enjoyable movie. I'd love to see a remake or continuation of the three's adventures!
Dude the gas scene freaked me the hell out when I was a kid. It was just presented like this almost inescapable death threat, that couldn't be stopped
It's still so eerie. Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction!
This movie was a favorite of mine as a kid, and it definitely stuck with me my whole life. There's definitely a reason I named my pet mouse Abigail haha
That's a great, secret reference a name!
I remember watching this movie as a kid. In fact looking up this movie on youtube years ago was how I was introduced to the nostalgia critic.
It's one that you don't always remember but never seem to forget!
wow thank you for your review glad that there are others out their who like the film and hold it close to their heart
Thank you for watching! It may never get a sequel, but hopefully this video inspires people to check the movie out for themselves!
The 90’s were a truly special time in film for kids, and those of us who still remember
So many great cartoons from that era!
i really like this movie
had a VHS of this as a kid , me and my brother watched it countless times
so cool to (finally) see someone talking about it
Michael Crawford singing “Please Wake Up” definitely has a “Phantom” vibe to it.
It's makes total sense!
This was one of my favorite movies as a kid
Mine too! Always on repeat!
It's weird that I just yesterday mentioned this movie to someone while streaming, after having not seen or thought about it for like a decade... then today I get recommended this.. weird.
Anyway, great video!
Loved this movie
I appreciate it! It was such a big part of my childhood but like many people, nearly forgot it existed. I'm glad there's so many people who enjoyed it, too!
I watched this OVER and OVER in my childhood
I did too! And mostly because I could never fully remember what happened in the movie, but left pleasantly surprised after, until I forgot it again and the cycle repeated!
This movie terrified me as a kid. I loved it, but it gave me nightmares and made me afraid of everything labeled "toxic".
It's probably still a good idea to avoid anything with that sticker on it!
@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose well I certainly won't be chugging any Fabuloso, but I'm no longer afraid to touch a bottle of sunscreen that is labeled not for ingestion. I was a nervous kid lol
And you can finally listen to that hit Britney Spears song!
I did read that about 10 minutes of finished animation was cut from the movie because of time constraints. I'd love to see this missing footage.
Apparently there was a character cut. What else could there be!
I have never seen this movie as a kid until just now. And I'm glad I did. Wow. Such mature theming throughout the whole thing for a "kids" movie. I loved the soundtrack (espesially the intro and end credits) and how it established such powerful measaging about how we humans disrupt and endanger nature. This had all the bells and whistles of a Disney movie, and I'm SHOCKED that it wasn't! Even though it wasn't a hit at the box office, it was a great movie!
It feels like just a few tweaks here and there, we'd be talking about it as one of the all-time great cartoons. For what it is, it's still pretty special!
I… I’ve lost this movie for over twenty years, I absolutely loved it and I was never able to find it thank you so much for making this video
Thank you for watching! I'm glad you were able to rediscover the movie!
Movies from the late 80s-and throughout the 90s to early 2000s feel like something of a dream. I wish we still had movies like those especially from Don Bulth. Theres a charm to the art style idk how to describe it. Even though this one isnt an offical classic, itll always be a classic to me amongst Ferngully and Secret of Nimh
While I'm glad Once Upon a Forest is being given coverage and I like the parts of this video that are actual information and analysis, this video comes off more like its just a summary of the movie with occasional commentary.
Thank you. No one ever offers any constructive criticism for video essays anymore for fear of being piled on by people who like the topic and conflate that with the essay. So the essays just continue to get worse and never improve.
It's a constant evolution between trying to look at a film in both an analytical and editorializing way. Hopefully I continue to develop that balance until it finally hits that perfect medium. I appreciate the input!
I absolutely adore Once Upon A Forest, so thanks for doing this overview! It may not have done numbers in its time, but many of us still consider it a classic. Admittedly, I’m not just a huge fan of the film, but an amateur collector. I own it on VHS/Laserdisc/DVD, have the soundtrack/score on CD, the children’s book novelization, the audiobook cassette tape (which is still sealed and will stay that way…you can listen to it on audible though, it’s narrated by Ben Vereen who voiced the preacher bird in the film), and an official 27” x 40” double-sided theatrical poster (framed of course, but would like to eventually get it signed by any of the cast/crew).
While I consider it a classic, it’s for sure a highly underrated piece of art. I feel like with all this collecting I’m helping keep its memory alive. Some other pieces of memorabilia I’m looking to get include adverts, plushies, figurines, bookmarks, coloring books, clothing, and of course actual production cels! It would be sooo cool to own an actual piece of the film. Anyways, I also still hope that this gets a 4K Blu-ray release someday, as unlikely as that might be haha. But again, thanks for giving Once Upon A Forest a proper shoutout, Goose!
Wow, I had no idea there was an audio book of it, I'll have to check that out! I would love to own a production cel, there's actually quite a few high-quality ones still out there from what I've seen. Thanks for the kind words, new video out tomorrow at noon, hope you'll check it out!
This was one of my favorite films as a child. I think my parents were glad when I finally wore the tape out. I love it so much and so few people know it, so this made me so happy to see it talked about positively. I actually teared up.
I loved Abigale so much I wanted so badly to be more like her but I was honestly more of an Edgar. I will say as a kid I kinda hated how she turned into "just another dumb girl" around an "icky boy." Joke's on me I might be ace, but cute people still make me stupid, so I get it now haha!
I feel like the critisisms people have for Once Upon A Forest are totally valid, but to me, it's perfect as is. I like how it is short and sweet. And dare I say I think it looks even better than I remember: the backhrounds are gorgeous and I have even more love for the character designs and the movements and pacing. I really should give drawing a few characters of mine in a similar style a go.
Thanks again for reviewing this film. It's a classic to me for sure and one I hope I can introduce my nephews to soon.
There are shortcomings sure, but the movie is fun as it stands. And the potential it had just makes me wish for a remake even more!
That's what this movie was! I've always had that one scene with the chemical truck stuck in my head since I was a kid cuz the whole scene scared me and it's always remained. I thought it was NIMH, but it would appear it was this movie.
It's one of those movies where the name may be forgotten but the film itself can't! That chemical truck scene is still so eerie!
it is a classic this movie will always hold a special place, i think its because around the same time ferngully came out and not a lot of kids knew about the importance of taking care of our forests.
It has the same general theme, but done in two very different ways, and I like them both!
I remember I watched this a few times as a kid back when I had it on DVD and it was so beautiful 😭
If you ever decide to give it another watch, I can tell you, it still holds up!
@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose I’d love to! I’d have to see what it’s streaming on tho lol
21:54 "I do wish here they would somehow communicate the humans are responding to the toxic gas... but it's easy enough to infer regardless." Can confirm, I saw this movie when I was a little kid and instantly understood the humans were here to clean up. We also had it in VHS, I never saw it in theaters (I would have been like, two, so that makes sense).
I would have liked to have seen how they got rid of the gas, personally. It makes sense that it would have dissipated after a while, but it would have been nice to see!
I still have my tape with this movie, Thumballena and All Dogs go to Heaven. Once I get the needed wires to hook up my old and still working VCR I'm going on a nostalgia trip of epic proportions.
Aww this movie was one of my faves. I still say the yellow dragons every time I pass by a constriction site lol my husband looked at me like I had 3 heads 😂 he clearly never seen the movie
If you know, you know!
I really liked this movie as a kid, only thing I didn't really understand was why the mice and badgers were all the same size. I guess cartoon logic, but it jarred me when the world around them was massive (and the owl is a normal size). Not sure why the badgers weren't voles or a chipmunk or something.
That's a funny observation!
I actually STILL HAVE my original VHS copy of this movie!! I had it since my childhood! It almost got junked when my family and I were cleaning house over 15 years ago, but I managed to sneak the tape into my room and hide it there, where it still remains protected to this day.
I've still got my original copy, too!
@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose Awesome! My mother and I rewatched it a few months ago, and I set up a miniature drive-in movie theater diorama of cars that accurately correspond to the era of the movie's original theatrical release. The movie was originally released to theaters on June 18, 1993. At that point, (going by my rules of car age), automobiles that were still considered practical as modern daily drivers would've been model years ranging from 1974 to then-brand new 1993. A few months later, in the Autumn of 1993, the 1994 model year started production. Vintage would've applied to cars dated from 1949 to 1973. Anything dated 1948 or earlier would've been considered Antique.
Bill Clinton was the President of the United States in 1993.
The National Association for Stock Car Automotive Racing (NASCAR) was 2 years into its 4th Generation, and was overall 45 years old back in '93.
1993 was also the year that Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, and Sonic SatAM first aired. I already went through Season 1 of MMPR, Aosth, and SatAM on their 30th Anniversary, using the original airdates to know when to watch each episode. For example, the very first Power Rangers episode, "Day of the Dumpster" originally aired on August 28, 1993. I rewatched that episode on its exact 30th Anniversary: August 28, 2023.
Great analysis , it really took me back to seeing the movie in its original run. But I think the actress playing Michelle is Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men, the Handmaid’s Tale) not Kate. Just something I noticed. Thanks for the video
You're absolutely right! Slip of the tongue, thank you for the correction. And thank you! The movie is constantly overlooked; maybe this will jog a few happy memories.
I thaught only I remembered this film. So glad other people see its potential.
It's a memorable little movie!
Absolutely, 100% agree! While I don't necessarily agree with ALL your changes, (although with some) I still appreciate you highlighting this long forgotten classic. =)
I appreciate that! No matter what it could've been, I'll always love what it is!
@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose =)
I had this on VHS as a kid. Dubbed in Norwegian. It was one of my fave movies as a kid. I have no idea how it came into our house. But it made me very aware of nature and how to respect it.
I didn't watch Ferngully until I was an adult. ^^ Both good.
Also, I feel like the driver was the foreshadowing to the cleaners appearing later in the story.
They are both lovely little films! And I feel the same way about the driver, I wish the cleaners had made mention of the toxic gas in even a passing mention, but we'll have to assume that's why they were there.
I loved this movie back in the day.
It still holds up!
Bro this movie still lives rent free in my head the songs where perfect, the characters were great and the story kept you engaged threw out the entire thing.
And all this years later, I'm happy to say, It still holds up!
@@ItsTheGooseItsTheGoose same I still love it
I LOVED this movie as a kid!! I never got to see it in theaters but I watched it constantly on VHS. I actually assumed it WAS a beloved classic until i was an adult and saw the nostalgia critic dunking on it and realized no one had seen it but me apparently. I applaud you for this video!! One small correction: 5:00 Michelle was voiced by Elisabeth Moss (Peggy from Mad Men, June in the Handmaid's Tale) not Kate Moss (who is a model)
I know, I feel so silly for the name slip up! And thanks! This movie needs much more love than it gets!
Dude I forgot the name of this movie, but I vividly remember it. Wild to be reminded of it's existence
It's one of those movies that one you remember it, the memories flood in!
This movie lives rent free in my head…
It's that great!