Roger Ebert gave this 2 stars because it was "too depressing." Then he gave All Dogs Go To Heaven 3 stars. Then he later gave Hunchback his highest rating of 4/4 stars!
That proves that Roger Ebert can be a hypocryte. Seriously his reason for disliking An American Tail is bullcrap. An American Tail is a very wonderful film, and a masterpiece.
"Masterpiece"? I wouldn't go that far-but it is very good. And yes, Ebert was hypocritical at times, but I still love his work! I wish I had the same job!
+Zachary Siple well, in my opinion, An American Tail is a masterpiece. I love An American Tail a lot! It's actually my favorite movie of all time. I would even argue that An American Tail is better than a lot of the popular animated films like Toy Story, Lion King, and Secret of Nimh.
Animated movies didn't have the reputation of quality anymore when AAT was released. Part of the reason that reputation was developed was by Bluth's work, Land Before Time, AAT, etc. Hunchback and Disney benefited from being pushed by Bluth to improve their own work. By the time Hunchback came out they'd had a string of high quality hits and the bias that they could do no wrong. Even still, Hunchback and parts of Tarzan and Mulan are the few times they dared go as dark/emotional as Bluth. Hunchback also had the advantage of being adapted from a famous and well respected piece of literature whereas AAT didn't. And lastly, critics be people too, and people be biased, stupid and inconsistent.
I know this happened 3 years ago but R.I.P. James Horner. Also, fantastic job, Mat. I love hearing about your passion for the art of animation through each of your lookbacks and reviews. Those “no cats” jokes are hilarious by the way.
Great review as always but to me the best part of the whole thing is the running gag with the "There is No Cats in America" playing throughout cutting Animat off, its hilarious Here are the times .2:18-2:24 .4:51-4:58(that one's my favorite) .8:05-8:11 .9:21-34
Well, he may or may not have grown up with classic cartoons, or at least cartoons that almost perfectly emulate their humor. So that could explain the comedic timing.
@@dancepigloverYeesh…now I know why I admittedly thought it was painfully perfect timing for Donald Trump’s pathetic excuse of a U.S. Presidential election to have occurred right around the time it was exactly thirty years since this particular subject in AniMat’s Classic Reviews was actually released!
I love An American Tail and feel like it's a perfect mix of light and dark for a family film. It's very much a story fueled on emotion, which I think is something a lot of kids will really connect with; when things are bad, they go out of their way to have the audience share Fievel's sense of hopelessness, when things turn out good, you're just as overwhelmed with joy as the characters. I also understand Siskel and Ebert wishing they had delved a little more into the history of Jewish persecution in Russia and immigrant hardships, but for a kids' film, which you have to remember, is what it is, I think they did a really good job. Plus, like you said, the film takes on Fievel's perspective, and he's a little kid. It makes sense that those elements would only be hinted at because a young child observing them is less likely to understand the full context, but only to the extent that it directly affects his day to day life.
An American Tail is my favorite animated movie ever! Along with The Land Before Time (also directed by Bluth), this is also one of my favorite movies of all time, because of the heart and soul put into it. I'll always love this movie, its sequel An American Tail: Fievel Goes West and Fievel Mousekewitz himself forever more.
Tell me about about it :) Same here! An American Tail has always been a huge favorite film of mine(It still is my favorite movie of all time, even to this very day). I also love the sequel An American Tail 2: Fievel Goes West. Both the original An American Tail and Fievel Goes West are masterpieces. I still watch both these films on VHS, and I still have a really fantastic time with them, they never get old. My favorite character is Fievel Mousekewitz, he's an awesome, very relatable, energetic, and friendly character :) I wish the An American Tail series and its characters get more recognition these days. They're very wonderful films that still hold up strongly, even to this day.
I truly love this animated movie in my childhood! Kids and families should definitely watch this movie to show the strong moral and theme of family and immigration. If I have kids, I should let them watch this movie with me in the future.
I remembered watching this movie years ago back during my childhood, so after seeing this video as an adult, I decided to go and rewatch it. Now I'm crying ugly tears ToT 😭😭😭
I watched it again as an adult and was surprised how emotional I actually got. To the point where I had to pause the movie toward the end! And, of course, I cried more when the family found Fievel.
AniMat: It doesn't help either that the movie doesn't even commit to be a musical; because if it did, then we would have gotten a song from Warren T. Rat, Tony and Bridgit, or even Honest John. Honest John (Pinocchio): Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee! An actor's life for me! AniMat: NOT THAT HONEST JOHN!!!
Me personally, I didn’t have this movie on VHS or DVD, and I don’t dig this movie as much as some other non-Disney films, but... “BUT THERE ARE NO CATS IN AMERICA...” No, no, no, that’s not what I meant! Anyways, what I was saying, while it’s not one of all time faves, it’s still very charming, has fun characters, and definitely an emotional adventure. If you thought “American Tail” was dark and depressing though, wait till you get to the original “Land Before Time.” That movie definitely ups the intensity and drama. I hope that movie gets a classic review soon.
@@kylgrv Your opinion, but in my opinion, An American Tail is a really great film. The story, characters, music, and writing are really top notch in this film. The original An American Tail and its sequel Fievel Goes West deserve to be regarded as one of the best films of all time.
Do you still love this movie? I've always loved An American Tail as well. As a matter of fact, I still love An American Tail(Even to this day). An American Tail is a very amazing and wonderful movie. Somewhere Out There is a very lovely and beautiful song :) I still sting this song a lot.
An American Tail is somewhere down the middle...The Mouse of Minsc (the mice's creation to scare the cats) was terrifying for me as a child and terrifies my nieces but overall it is a balance of melancholy and upbeat.
I think this review and Who Framed Roger Rabbit are my favorite reviews of yours so far this year. This is one of my personal favorite animated films from my childhood.
Name one classic illumination has done that's gonna be as well remembered as nihm, lbt, aat, And all dogs go to heaven.. Illumination is cheap safe animation
Me personally, I think the film is a mix of both light hearted and dark elements. For every traumatic hardship that Fievel faces when trying to find his parents in New York, he does end up getting into more sentimental territory with other characters. In a way, I feel like Siskel & Ebert missed somewhat of what the film was trying to do, but I can see where they were coming from nonetheless.
I would watch this at my grandparents house when I was a kid. I do believe that even though I wasnt aware of history at the time, the values i learned and the emotions i felt through watching it made me a better person. Great review. Subbed.
To be fair, An American Tail is both whimsical and dark (similar to Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). While the story in its core is dramatic and grim, it has some joyful moments that allow us to enjoy the film overall. Besides, we need more animated movies that tackle the same themes shown in An American Tail.
Hey Animat ! Thank you for you review, i watched an American tail a long time ago, but I remembered almost everything thanks to this video. I have to say, i'm a bit mixed up with the idea of a dark side of the movie, because I think this is only the simple and pure vision of life. There is a dark side but, also, hope through the entire movie. Anyways, that was very interesting. I am very happy that the next review is this one, I really liked it, even if I watched It when I was, what, 15/16 years old back then. I was expecting something very different at the time, but it really affected me in a way. Thank you so much for everything you did so far, keep up the good work. !
“No Cats in America” stood out to me as much as “Somewhere Out There”, but the latter is the most emotional song in the movie. And though Fievel’s voice actor has some trouble singing it, it still is a beautiful song to me.
I might be in the minority for saying this but I think An American Tail is a bit better than The secret of Nimh. Now don’t get me wrong, Nimh was an amazing film, but I find there’s a bit more emotion here.
An American Tail is my second favorite non-Disney animated movie in existence. Most of what I like about this movie comes from three things: the Star Child Fievel, the voice cast, and the movie's similarities to my first favorite non-Disney movie, The Land Before Time. First of all, Fievel is such a cute mouse kid that I feel outright distraught when I see him separated from his family. But, those sad feelings turn into happiness when I see those who have enough compassion to try to help him through his tough times. In fact, I get outright ecstatic when I see Fievel reunited with his family. Then there's the voice cast. The actual child voice of Phillip Glasser is the main reason why Fievel is my favorite character, but even there is even a good supply of adult voices; from cartoon actors like Neil Ross and Will Ryan to famous celebrities like Christopher Plummer and Dom DeLuise. Finally, this movie helps remind me of The Land Before Time. Not only can I tell it was Don Bluth who created this movie, but it even comes with music created by James Horner. Clearly this movie does not need dinosaurs to remind me of my favorite animation projects, it gets along just fine on its own. It's all three of these elements that make me love An American Tail, and that makes this movie perfect proof of how much I love Don Bluth. P.S. As annoyed as I am that this Patreon person is the reason for both American Tail movies being reviewed, I am somewhat happy that this can mean he is obviously a fan of the American Tail franchise. At least this can mean we have something in common. If only I could know if he likes The Land Before Time. P.S.S. I was amused when you brought up Fievel being "close" to his family. A-DA-DI-DA-DEE-DEE-DA-DA! They're taunting us! XD P.S.S.S. Mice and Dinosaurs forever!
I will never for get the memories I spend watching these movies on VHS, I used to love these films so much and watching them again as a freshman would really give me pure nostalgia and happiness. I never even knew how accurate this movie was to desplying the hatred against Jewish people and personally if a movie can be this realistic and as still be targeted towards kids then you known your doing something right. These movies will always hold a special place in my heart.
I remember really enjoying this film as a kid but in regards to the dark tone some people think it has, I had that more with the sequel, I remember being for some reason being a bit scared of the giant mouse trap and the water all drying up. Looking back, I was a weird child... but I still like both films a lot, and felt very alone when some performers at one of my many primary schools performed somewhere out there and I was about the only kid in the audience who knew it (minding you this would have been in the early 2000's though...)
Im definitely more in the middle between the film being in the light and dark. I think its lighter than Secret of Nimh and Land Before Time but i can see what Roger Ebert was talking about in his review.
Roger Ebert and Siskel Are very biased towards An American Tail. Their review of An American Tail is the worst review I have ever seen. I feel like I'm seeing a review of two soccer moms being over-protective of children. He and Siskel gives praise towards the Secret of Nimh, and that film is as equally dark as An American Tail. Siskel and Ebert prove to be hyprocrites in that review.
Could you please add “Twice Upon a Time” to the Animation Hat? I’d really like to see a full review after the film was on your “Top 10 Underrated Animated Films” list.
Ok, every time i hear Ebert's review of this film i can't help but feel like he said his wallet tasted good, I mean seriously An american tail was too dark for kids? Isn't Secret of Nimh a million times darker than this? Even worse is that Both Ebert and Siskel liked Secret of Nimh and i don't know why.
For no reason whatsoever, critics seriously downplayed this movie when it came out. Seriously this movie has a 68% on Rotten Tomatoes. It emotionally destroys me because whenever I say "An American Tail", everyone thinks I'm talking about "Fievel Goes West"...........WHY DOES EVERYONE LOVE THAT SEQUEL?!?! >:(
If your one who's only seen the original and want a proper follow up, skip "Fievel Goes West", forget that "Fievel's American Tails" ever happened, and just watch the two direct to video sequels.
That also happened to me as well. Every time I ask people in the school I go to if they have ever watched An American Tail, the response I always got recieved is "ooh, you mean Fievel Goes West?", when really I'm referring to the original An American Tail.
An American Tail still deserves to have a much higher score than 68% though. As a matter of fact, An American Tail deserves to have more recognition these days. Every time Don Bluth fans mention spectacular films, I always hear just the Land Before Time, Secret of Nimh, and Anastasia. Where's the love for An American Tail? An American Tail is a very wonderful film. I'm surprised that it become so underrated. Heck, to me, An American Tail is Don Bluth's best work. An American Tail deserves to have as much fame as other popular animated films like Beauty and the Beast, Toy Story, and the Lion King.
I LOVE An American Tail! :) I'm proud to say I'm a huge fan of this film. I actually own the original An American Tail and An American Tail 2: Fievel Goes West on VHS since I was little. I love both the original An American Tail and An American Tail 2 since I was little, and I still love them to this very day. You can ask anyone in my family,and they'll tell you I love An American Tail a lot, and that I'm a huge Fievel fan! :) The original An American Tail has a very wonderful story that's really relatable, meaningful, and inspiring that gives a a impactful experience. It gives a really smart social commentary regarding the immigration experience, which makes the situations Fievel is going through really real, relatable, and still relevant. An American Tail also has very amazing characters, a very wonderful soundtrack by James Horner, a really great and memorable writing, and beautiful atmosphere which the soundtrack complements. I even find the main villain Warren T. Rat a really great antagonists. He didn't seem to make it obvious he's the main villain till the 2nd to 3rd act in the film. And he manages to be both humorous and intimidating villian. In my opinion, An American Tail is a masterpiece, and it is my favorite movie of all time! I might be in a minority but, I even go as far to say that An American Tail is a lot better than a lot of the popular animated films like Toy Story, The Lion King, Monster's Inc. The Secret of Nimh, and Beauty & the Beast. People always says these films are the best, but I'll always say An American Tail is the best :)
I'm still not a fan of the film but I still can't believe I bullied Siskel and Ebert's critics solely because we didn't like it. What the hell was I thinking?
I'm in the middle regarding the tone of this film overall. The opening is a bit... much, but I don't think the rest is too dark for most young viewers. However, I do have issues with the pacing and editing. I find it kind of abrupt and random sometimes. Also, for me the frustrating moments of Fievel and his family barely missing each other are just... Argh!
Same here :) I LOVE both the original An American Tail and An American Tail 2, they're very wonderful films, and they're very underrated as well. I wish the An American Tail films gets more recognition. Seriously, Fievel needs more love.
An American Tail is a huge personal favorite film of mine. It's heartwarming, has a really great story, and really memorable characters. An American Tail also has a really wonderful soundtrack as well. I highly consider An American Tail a huge underrated masterpiece. It still boggles my mind this film is barely talked about upon animation fans. Every time I hear people talk about Bluth films, it's mainly either the Secret of Nimh or The Land Before Time, or how very underrated Anastasia and Titan AE is , even though An American Tail is just as great as these films. I'll never understand why An American Tail is quite forgotten by so many people(Even Don Bluth fans, as sad as it sounds), which is strangely apparent it's forgotten. It's never forgotten by me, that's for sure. I love An American Tail since a long time throughout my childhood, and I still love it to this day. I even love the sequel An American Tail 2: Fievel Goes West. As a matter of fact, I still treasure both my VHS copies of the original An American Tail and Fievel Goes West, along with other old-school animated films on VHS.
Full Voice Actor List Phillip Glasser: Fievel Mousekewitz - Amy Greene: Tanya Mousekewitz - Nehemiah Persoff: Papa Mousekewitz - Erica Yohn: Mama Mousekewitz - Dom DeLuise: Tiger the Orange Cat - John P Finnegan: Warren T Rat - Pat Musick: Toni Toponi, Multiple Females - Cathianne Blore: Bridgette - Neil Ross: Honest John, Multiple Males - Madeline Khan: Gussie Mousenheimer - Hal Smith: Moe, Multiple Males - Will Ryan: Digit, Multiple Males - Christopher Plummer: Henri the Pidgeon - Jim Cummings: Multiple Males - Tress MecNeille: Multiple Females - Billy West: Multiple Males - Peter Cullen: Multiple Males - Frank Welker: Multiple Males - Linda Gary: Multiple Females
Looks like were going down more country roads next time. Also, I'd consider my opinion of the film's tone to be somewhere in the middle. On the one hand, It would have an emotionally harsh overtone where the dangers seem very real and the fact that fievel is just a lost innocent child in a cruel world. On the other hand however, the film has plenty of moments with cartoony animal characters doing zany antics, upbeat musical numbers and a few comic relief characters like Tiger. Say what you will, but there's no denying that it's a journey where getting to the family Reunion is worth it.
I wonder if anyone's going to mention that the DVD and Blu-Ray releases of An American Tail did some changes to the film. I'm serious, compare the VHS version of the film to the DVD or Blu-Ray version, there are various scenes where there are minor characters are re-dubbed, and change some dialogue, along with taking out some of the violin parts in the soundtrack. I'm surprised people rarely mention this fact. And the DVD and Blu-Ray version is the only version of the film that's re-released in any new media like streaming services(Itunes and Netflix for example), and the only way to watch the original theatrical version of the film with no changes are VHS, Betamax, and Laserdisk versions(As far as I'm aware of).
I'm more with you. It has a couple moments that are dark-ish, but the overall feel of it is lighthearted. You're right about the Disney aspect but with enough of it's own twist to be more unique
I am somewhere in the middle because I’m split between what you guys have said. So I don’t know whose side I’m gonna be on. With that said, I look forward to your next review which is whisper of the heart.
I’m surprised you didn’t nitpick the fact that sometimes the character animation can make the characters look frozen. Seriously they don’t even blink. But great review though.
Wow I lost track of today, I thought it was Thursday. but as to my question I don't even want to say he's was trying to be Disney's competition, If he gotten inspiration from them, including having a job on animation for a limited time there, why would he go after them like he was their enemy, I'm pretty sure he was such a nice man as much as Walt himself.
Chill Player 123 well Don Bluth was trying not to be in competition with Disney again after movies like all dogs go-to heaven got beaten by the little mermaid, so they delayed the movie only to be in competition with that film.
Having grown up with the sequels and seeing this for the first time, the sequels don't feel like actual follow ups they just feel like someone just made their own version of An American Tail.
As much as I love Fievel Goes West as much as the original An American Tail, I agree with you. Fievel Goes West feels like Speilberg's western version of the first film without any involvement of Bluth(Well Don Bluth isn't involved in it). Treasure of Manhattan Island and Mystery of Night Monster(Video to direct sequels) does feel like continuations compared to Fievel Goes West, but they still feel so fanmade, and doesn't feel like actual continuing where the original left off at. It does feel like it's just their own intrepetation of An American Tail instead. I feel the same with the Land Before Time sequels as well.
The weird thing is is that I remember watching the third and fourth movies (treasure of Manhattan Island and Mystery of the Night Monster) way more than the original and Fievel Goes West
You probably watched the video to direct sequels more. I recommend you revisit and check out the original An American Tail and An American Tail 2: Fievel Goes West recently. They're very wonderful films and still hold up strongly, even to this day.
Personally, I think this film is actually in the middle of Don Bluth's films in terms of its tone. It's not quite as dark as his other works like The Land Before Time or The Secret of NIMH, but it's still a bit darker than most of his works from the 1990s and 2000s. I can't wait to see you do a review on The Land Before Time, if you ever get along to it.
Roger Ebert gave this 2 stars because it was "too depressing."
Then he gave All Dogs Go To Heaven 3 stars.
Then he later gave Hunchback his highest rating of 4/4 stars!
That proves that Roger Ebert can be a hypocryte. Seriously his reason for disliking An American Tail is bullcrap. An American Tail is a very wonderful film, and a masterpiece.
"Masterpiece"? I wouldn't go that far-but it is very good.
And yes, Ebert was hypocritical at times, but I still love his work!
I wish I had the same job!
+Zachary Siple well, in my opinion, An American Tail is a masterpiece. I love An American Tail a lot! It's actually my favorite movie of all time. I would even argue that An American Tail is better than a lot of the popular animated films like Toy Story, Lion King, and Secret of Nimh.
and your point is
Animated movies didn't have the reputation of quality anymore when AAT was released. Part of the reason that reputation was developed was by Bluth's work, Land Before Time, AAT, etc. Hunchback and Disney benefited from being pushed by Bluth to improve their own work. By the time Hunchback came out they'd had a string of high quality hits and the bias that they could do no wrong. Even still, Hunchback and parts of Tarzan and Mulan are the few times they dared go as dark/emotional as Bluth. Hunchback also had the advantage of being adapted from a famous and well respected piece of literature whereas AAT didn't. And lastly, critics be people too, and people be biased, stupid and inconsistent.
I know this happened 3 years ago but R.I.P. James Horner. Also, fantastic job, Mat. I love hearing about your passion for the art of animation through each of your lookbacks and reviews. Those “no cats” jokes are hilarious by the way.
JDude 93 He was a legend. "Titanic", "Braveheart", "Apollo 13", and so amy more, he was an amazing film composer.
Great review as always but to me the best part of the whole thing is the running gag with the "There is No Cats in America" playing throughout cutting Animat off, its hilarious Here are the times
.2:18-2:24
.4:51-4:58(that one's my favorite)
.8:05-8:11
.9:21-34
Well, he may or may not have grown up with classic cartoons, or at least cartoons that almost perfectly emulate their humor. So that could explain the comedic timing.
Thats why I love this guy
Will Carroll The third one's pretty funny.
I don't even need the sound form the movie, just seeing fievel mouthing "papa" at 3:08 gets my tears flowing again
Honestly, I started tearing up at that part of this video. Look at Fievel’s face. By that point in the movie, his spirit was completely broken. 😭
@@dancepigloverYeesh…now I know why I admittedly thought it was painfully perfect timing for Donald Trump’s pathetic excuse of a U.S. Presidential election to have occurred right around the time it was exactly thirty years since this particular subject in AniMat’s Classic Reviews was actually released!
Somewhere Out There even won a Grammy for Song of The Year outside of winning another for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture.
meh to be honest I prefer never say never and a duo
And it was even nominated to an Oscar, but it lost against Take my Breath Away, from Top Gun.
I love An American Tail and feel like it's a perfect mix of light and dark for a family film. It's very much a story fueled on emotion, which I think is something a lot of kids will really connect with; when things are bad, they go out of their way to have the audience share Fievel's sense of hopelessness, when things turn out good, you're just as overwhelmed with joy as the characters. I also understand Siskel and Ebert wishing they had delved a little more into the history of Jewish persecution in Russia and immigrant hardships, but for a kids' film, which you have to remember, is what it is, I think they did a really good job. Plus, like you said, the film takes on Fievel's perspective, and he's a little kid. It makes sense that those elements would only be hinted at because a young child observing them is less likely to understand the full context, but only to the extent that it directly affects his day to day life.
Have them read The Cat Who Lived With Anne Frank and Otto: The Autobiography Of A Teddy Bear before watching this movie.
That instrumental in the beginning makes me..........😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
This movie: No cats in America!
Banjo the woodpile cat: am I a joke to you?
I love this movie and I cried at the end when Fievel reuniting with his family
The ending still makes me cry. Fievel had gone through so much and was only a little kid. Reuniting with his family was so emotional.
Next week folks, Animat's arch nemesis, Sony Pictures Animation, returns with Hotel T3(not a Terminator name)
lol
This review will help cheer me up from my loss. Thank you.
Rest in Peace James Horner
An American Tail is up there with Nimh and Land Before Time for Bluth's best film.
And ironically, these are some of his first movies as well. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
DerAlmighty Lol
I highly agree
An American Tail is my favorite animated movie ever! Along with The Land Before Time (also directed by Bluth), this is also one of my favorite movies of all time, because of the heart and soul put into it. I'll always love this movie, its sequel An American Tail: Fievel Goes West and Fievel Mousekewitz himself forever more.
Tell me about about it :) Same here! An American Tail has always been a huge favorite film of mine(It still is my favorite movie of all time, even to this very day). I also love the sequel An American Tail 2: Fievel Goes West. Both the original An American Tail and Fievel Goes West are masterpieces. I still watch both these films on VHS, and I still have a really fantastic time with them, they never get old. My favorite character is Fievel Mousekewitz, he's an awesome, very relatable, energetic, and friendly character :) I wish the An American Tail series and its characters get more recognition these days. They're very wonderful films that still hold up strongly, even to this day.
I truly love this animated movie in my childhood! Kids and families should definitely watch this movie to show the strong moral and theme of family and immigration. If I have kids, I should let them watch this movie with me in the future.
alexis martinez same!
Couldn't agree more
An American Tail is overall a masterpiece :)
Couldn't agree more :) @@retrofan4963
I remembered watching this movie years ago back during my childhood, so after seeing this video as an adult, I decided to go and rewatch it.
Now I'm crying ugly tears ToT 😭😭😭
I watched it again as an adult and was surprised how emotional I actually got. To the point where I had to pause the movie toward the end! And, of course, I cried more when the family found Fievel.
@@dancepiglover Same here that’s exactly the point where I started crying too
I watched this a week ago, and it was pretty good. I’d rewatch it
The next classic review is Whisper of the Heart
MegaSoulHero Definitely Whisper of the Heart!!
Daniel Webber I tried finding that song that he played in the background but I couldn’t find it anywhere. Is that where the song is from?
MegaSoulHero Yup!! Look up “Whisper of the Heart-Country Roads”. It’s in the credits!
Daniel Webber Thanks
MegaSoulHero No problem!
Even though this is a bit late, RIP to James Horner, who was the composer for the film.
AniMat: It doesn't help either that the movie doesn't even commit to be a musical; because if it did, then we would have gotten a song from Warren T. Rat, Tony and Bridgit, or even Honest John.
Honest John (Pinocchio): Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee! An actor's life for me!
AniMat: NOT THAT HONEST JOHN!!!
Me personally, I didn’t have this movie on VHS or DVD, and I don’t dig this movie as much as some other non-Disney films, but...
“BUT THERE ARE NO CATS IN AMERICA...”
No, no, no, that’s not what I meant! Anyways, what I was saying, while it’s not one of all time faves, it’s still very charming, has fun characters, and definitely an emotional adventure.
If you thought “American Tail” was dark and depressing though, wait till you get to the original “Land Before Time.” That movie definitely ups the intensity and drama. I hope that movie gets a classic review soon.
And the funny thing is that the Nostalgia Critic put the whole film to the top 11 saddest moments from our childhooods...
Yeah, I remember that.
@@kylgrv Your opinion, but in my opinion, An American Tail is a really great film. The story, characters, music, and writing are really top notch in this film. The original An American Tail and its sequel Fievel Goes West deserve to be regarded as one of the best films of all time.
"Whispers of the heart" is up next
Ah, I’ve always loved this movie. Somewhere Out There has to be one of the most beautiful songs from a non-Disney movie.
Do you still love this movie? I've always loved An American Tail as well. As a matter of fact, I still love An American Tail(Even to this day). An American Tail is a very amazing and wonderful movie. Somewhere Out There is a very lovely and beautiful song :) I still sting this song a lot.
@Carmen Herrera: Yes, of course. I did say I’ve always loved it.
+Creepy Jar of Money Awesome :) An American Tail is a very amazing gem. What do you think of the sequel An American Tail 2: Fievel Goes West? :)
@Carmen Herrera: I’m not a huge fan of the sequel.
@@Tonithealtwing I can understand :) Even when I enjoy the sequel, I love the original An American Tail more :)
An American Tail is somewhere down the middle...The Mouse of Minsc (the mice's creation to scare the cats) was terrifying for me as a child and terrifies my nieces but overall it is a balance of melancholy and upbeat.
……….Ah who am I kidding I'll do it! BUT THERE ARE NOOOO CATS IN AMERICA!!!
"There are no cats in America!"
Me- About that, that is a lie. ENJOY AMERICA THOUGH!!!
lol
The irony is that unfortunately that is a lie :(
@@PendelSteven yep
Trump is proof of that.
I think this review and Who Framed Roger Rabbit are my favorite reviews of yours so far this year. This is one of my personal favorite animated films from my childhood.
In my opinion, An American Tail = best movie ever :)
this is a really good movie.
An American Tail is a very wonderful movie :) In my opinion, it's the best movie of all time!
Yay! An American Tail is in my Top 3 for favorite animated films!
I LOVE An American Tail :) Even to this day, it's my favorite movie of all time!
13:42 Roger Ebert, the movie is allot less scary than you turning into a weird monster in the middle of your review.
I wish Universal can go back and make more animated films like this, Balto and Land Befire Time. Not that I hate Illumination, though.
Name one classic illumination has done that's gonna be as well remembered as nihm, lbt, aat, And all dogs go to heaven.. Illumination is cheap safe animation
@@mullaoslo
All Dogs go to Heaven is NOT from Universal.
@@Rubber_Monkey actually it's Warner bros, unless my childhood vhs lied to me
@@mullaoslo
I've edited my comment
Marius Møller all dogs go to heaven is owned by MGM.
Me personally, I think the film is a mix of both light hearted and dark elements. For every traumatic hardship that Fievel faces when trying to find his parents in New York, he does end up getting into more sentimental territory with other characters. In a way, I feel like Siskel & Ebert missed somewhat of what the film was trying to do, but I can see where they were coming from nonetheless.
This one is truly an Animated Classic.
Both it and the sequel are pretty damn awesome.
I think you should of gave it the golden seal of approval animat.
Very good film
I would watch this at my grandparents house when I was a kid. I do believe that even though I wasnt aware of history at the time, the values i learned and the emotions i felt through watching it made me a better person. Great review. Subbed.
To be fair, An American Tail is both whimsical and dark (similar to Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). While the story in its core is dramatic and grim, it has some joyful moments that allow us to enjoy the film overall. Besides, we need more animated movies that tackle the same themes shown in An American Tail.
A fond memory is when my cousin was small he called Fievel, Bible. Haven't seen him in years :( Like 15 years
Whisper of the Heart I am quite sure is next. Even if Ocean Waves came first. He may be counting only theatrical
That film is the best and it came out in 1986 1 year before r lee ermey’s full metal jacket movie was made
I watched this movie so many times as a kid!
I think it's a dark and depressing movie and that's why I love it
Hey Animat ! Thank you for you review, i watched an American tail a long time ago, but I remembered almost everything thanks to this video. I have to say, i'm a bit mixed up with the idea of a dark side of the movie, because I think this is only the simple and pure vision of life. There is a dark side but, also, hope through the entire movie. Anyways, that was very interesting. I am very happy that the next review is this one, I really liked it, even if I watched It when I was, what, 15/16 years old back then. I was expecting something very different at the time, but it really affected me in a way. Thank you so much for everything you did so far, keep up the good work. !
“No Cats in America” stood out to me as much as “Somewhere Out There”, but the latter is the most emotional song in the movie. And though Fievel’s voice actor has some trouble singing it, it still is a beautiful song to me.
Tony and Bridget are like big brother and sister to Fievel.
Whisper of the Heart is next! YES! My all time favourite Studio Ghibli Film!
I once saw the climax of the movie. That mechanical monster thing looked scary and out of place.
An American Tail is such a good classic movie.
I might be in the minority for saying this but I think An American Tail is a bit better than The secret of Nimh. Now don’t get me wrong, Nimh was an amazing film, but I find there’s a bit more emotion here.
I also prefer An American Tail over the Secret of Nimh :)
An American Tail is my second favorite non-Disney animated movie in existence. Most of what I like about this movie comes from three things: the Star Child Fievel, the voice cast, and the movie's similarities to my first favorite non-Disney movie, The Land Before Time. First of all, Fievel is such a cute mouse kid that I feel outright distraught when I see him separated from his family. But, those sad feelings turn into happiness when I see those who have enough compassion to try to help him through his tough times. In fact, I get outright ecstatic when I see Fievel reunited with his family. Then there's the voice cast. The actual child voice of Phillip Glasser is the main reason why Fievel is my favorite character, but even there is even a good supply of adult voices; from cartoon actors like Neil Ross and Will Ryan to famous celebrities like Christopher Plummer and Dom DeLuise. Finally, this movie helps remind me of The Land Before Time. Not only can I tell it was Don Bluth who created this movie, but it even comes with music created by James Horner. Clearly this movie does not need dinosaurs to remind me of my favorite animation projects, it gets along just fine on its own. It's all three of these elements that make me love An American Tail, and that makes this movie perfect proof of how much I love Don Bluth.
P.S. As annoyed as I am that this Patreon person is the reason for both American Tail movies being reviewed, I am somewhat happy that this can mean he is obviously a fan of the American Tail franchise. At least this can mean we have something in common. If only I could know if he likes The Land Before Time.
P.S.S. I was amused when you brought up Fievel being "close" to his family. A-DA-DI-DA-DEE-DEE-DA-DA! They're taunting us! XD
P.S.S.S. Mice and Dinosaurs forever!
I love your comment! :) I love both An American Tail and the Land Before Time!
I will never for get the memories I spend watching these movies on VHS, I used to love these films so much and watching them again as a freshman would really give me pure nostalgia and happiness. I never even knew how accurate this movie was to desplying the hatred against Jewish people and personally if a movie can be this realistic and as still be targeted towards kids then you known your doing something right. These movies will always hold a special place in my heart.
My favorite don Bluth movie used to watch this on Cartoon Network
I remember really enjoying this film as a kid but in regards to the dark tone some people think it has, I had that more with the sequel, I remember being for some reason being a bit scared of the giant mouse trap and the water all drying up. Looking back, I was a weird child... but I still like both films a lot, and felt very alone when some performers at one of my many primary schools performed somewhere out there and I was about the only kid in the audience who knew it (minding you this would have been in the early 2000's though...)
I loved it, made me cry and mad but in a good way and I think it's in the middle of it
I can still wait for The Secret of NIMH comes to him.. Oh I can wait.
Secret of Nimh is a very amazing film, but An American Tail is better. In my opinion, An American Tail is the best movie of all time!
Carmen Herrera You have your opinion I’ll have mine.
Im definitely more in the middle between the film being in the light and dark. I think its lighter than Secret of Nimh and Land Before Time but i can see what Roger Ebert was talking about in his review.
Roger Ebert and Siskel Are very biased towards An American Tail. Their review of An American Tail is the worst review I have ever seen. I feel like I'm seeing a review of two soccer moms being over-protective of children. He and Siskel gives praise towards the Secret of Nimh, and that film is as equally dark as An American Tail. Siskel and Ebert prove to be hyprocrites in that review.
I'd say An American Tail is somewhere in between, balanced between light and dark.
It has Light Hearted and Sad Moments, Whisper of the Heart is The Next Review that film is ALL Country Road.
Nice, it's either Whisper of the Heart (most likely) or Ocean Waves next
I used to cry at the end of this movie when I was younger
Do the pebble and the penguin next please
We are doing a play of this movie today
Could you please add “Twice Upon a Time” to the Animation Hat? I’d really like to see a full review after the film was on your “Top 10 Underrated Animated Films” list.
Hey animat I love your videos and your channel.
I'm in the middle with this. It can be childish, and light hearted, but it can also be dark and depressing. It's a good movie nothing the less.
wow! you've posted this review on my Birthday!
Ok, every time i hear Ebert's review of this film i can't help but feel like he said his wallet tasted good, I mean seriously An american tail was too dark for kids? Isn't Secret of Nimh a million times darker than this? Even worse is that Both Ebert and Siskel liked Secret of Nimh and i don't know why.
Ebert and Siskel's review of An American Tail is one of the worst reviews I have ever watched.
For no reason whatsoever, critics seriously downplayed this movie when it came out. Seriously this movie has a 68% on Rotten Tomatoes. It emotionally destroys me because whenever I say "An American Tail", everyone thinks I'm talking about "Fievel Goes West"...........WHY DOES EVERYONE LOVE THAT SEQUEL?!?! >:(
If your one who's only seen the original and want a proper follow up, skip "Fievel Goes West", forget that "Fievel's American Tails" ever happened, and just watch the two direct to video sequels.
That also happened to me as well. Every time I ask people in the school I go to if they have ever watched An American Tail, the response I always got recieved is "ooh, you mean Fievel Goes West?", when really I'm referring to the original An American Tail.
It's now 32 years old. ^^
If only it had a better Blu Ray.
An American Tail still deserves to have a much higher score than 68% though. As a matter of fact, An American Tail deserves to have more recognition these days. Every time Don Bluth fans mention spectacular films, I always hear just the Land Before Time, Secret of Nimh, and Anastasia. Where's the love for An American Tail? An American Tail is a very wonderful film. I'm surprised that it become so underrated. Heck, to me, An American Tail is Don Bluth's best work. An American Tail deserves to have as much fame as other popular animated films like Beauty and the Beast, Toy Story, and the Lion King.
I LOVE An American Tail! :) I'm proud to say I'm a huge fan of this film. I actually own the original An American Tail and An American Tail 2: Fievel Goes West on VHS since I was little. I love both the original An American Tail and An American Tail 2 since I was little, and I still love them to this very day. You can ask anyone in my family,and they'll tell you I love An American Tail a lot, and that I'm a huge Fievel fan! :) The original An American Tail has a very wonderful story that's really relatable, meaningful, and inspiring that gives a a impactful experience. It gives a really smart social commentary regarding the immigration experience, which makes the situations Fievel is going through really real, relatable, and still relevant. An American Tail also has very amazing characters, a very wonderful soundtrack by James Horner, a really great and memorable writing, and beautiful atmosphere which the soundtrack complements. I even find the main villain Warren T. Rat a really great antagonists. He didn't seem to make it obvious he's the main villain till the 2nd to 3rd act in the film. And he manages to be both humorous and intimidating villian. In my opinion, An American Tail is a masterpiece, and it is my favorite movie of all time! I might be in a minority but, I even go as far to say that An American Tail is a lot better than a lot of the popular animated films like Toy Story, The Lion King, Monster's Inc. The Secret of Nimh, and Beauty & the Beast. People always says these films are the best, but I'll always say An American Tail is the best :)
I'm still not a fan of the film but I still can't believe I bullied Siskel and Ebert's critics solely because we didn't like it. What the hell was I thinking?
Have you been to the Universal theme parks? If so, how was it?
This gorgeous movie became the first highest grossing non-Disney film of that time, beating up Disney's The Great Mouse Detective
Today there are cats in America...
I'm in the middle regarding the tone of this film overall. The opening is a bit... much, but I don't think the rest is too dark for most young viewers.
However, I do have issues with the pacing and editing. I find it kind of abrupt and random sometimes. Also, for me the frustrating moments of Fievel and his family barely missing each other are just... Argh!
I like when you each time you Say the Word But the mices start to sing and dance the song there are no Cats in america
*Nicholas Cage is Voicing Spider-man Noir for the upcoming Spider-Man into the spider-verse*
I never noticed before that Warren T. is a really small cat.
I grew up with this movie! I actually thought it was Disney LOL
talk about also the girl who leap throught time and Wolf child
YES!!!!! Whisper of the Heart is next!!!!
This is the first Don Bluth film I've ever seen as a kid.
Can't wait to see him review the 3rd one sooner or later down the road, then will be In full circle with our Mice friends.
There's also the 4th one.
I'm a Don Bluth fan and I love this film and the sequel there are really good
Same here :) I LOVE both the original An American Tail and An American Tail 2, they're very wonderful films, and they're very underrated as well. I wish the An American Tail films gets more recognition. Seriously, Fievel needs more love.
I have 2 questions for the
QnA 1. What are your guilty pleasures
2. Will you ever do a top 10 anime films
An American Tail is a huge personal favorite film of mine. It's heartwarming, has a really great story, and really memorable characters. An American Tail also has a really wonderful soundtrack as well. I highly consider An American Tail a huge underrated masterpiece. It still boggles my mind this film is barely talked about upon animation fans. Every time I hear people talk about Bluth films, it's mainly either the Secret of Nimh or The Land Before Time, or how very underrated Anastasia and Titan AE is , even though An American Tail is just as great as these films. I'll never understand why An American Tail is quite forgotten by so many people(Even Don Bluth fans, as sad as it sounds), which is strangely apparent it's forgotten. It's never forgotten by me, that's for sure. I love An American Tail since a long time throughout my childhood, and I still love it to this day. I even love the sequel An American Tail 2: Fievel Goes West. As a matter of fact, I still treasure both my VHS copies of the original An American Tail and Fievel Goes West, along with other old-school animated films on VHS.
Full Voice Actor List
Phillip Glasser: Fievel Mousekewitz - Amy Greene: Tanya Mousekewitz - Nehemiah Persoff: Papa Mousekewitz - Erica Yohn: Mama Mousekewitz - Dom DeLuise: Tiger the Orange Cat - John P Finnegan: Warren T Rat - Pat Musick: Toni Toponi, Multiple Females - Cathianne Blore: Bridgette - Neil Ross: Honest John, Multiple Males - Madeline Khan: Gussie Mousenheimer - Hal Smith: Moe, Multiple Males - Will Ryan: Digit, Multiple Males - Christopher Plummer: Henri the Pidgeon - Jim Cummings: Multiple Males - Tress MecNeille: Multiple Females - Billy West: Multiple Males - Peter Cullen: Multiple Males - Frank Welker: Multiple Males - Linda Gary: Multiple Females
I rank it as the 4th best animated film ever made.
When is my review request for the Fox and the hound Wil finnaly going to be released
8:10 “Would you please just stop?!” XD
Waht
Looks like were going down more country roads next time. Also, I'd consider my opinion of the film's tone to be somewhere in the middle. On the one hand, It would have an emotionally harsh overtone where the dangers seem very real and the fact that fievel is just a lost innocent child in a cruel world. On the other hand however, the film has plenty of moments with cartoony animal characters doing zany antics, upbeat musical numbers and a few comic relief characters like Tiger. Say what you will, but there's no denying that it's a journey where getting to the family Reunion is worth it.
Animat can you do a classic review of the tale of despereaux?
Yes whisper of the heart
But, Animat it is not available at the movies anymore since it was released in the 1980s
Alhur Mohammed This is AniMat's Classic Reviews where he reviews old animated films, not AniMat's Reviews where he reviews modern animated films.
I wonder if anyone's going to mention that the DVD and Blu-Ray releases of An American Tail did some changes to the film. I'm serious, compare the VHS version of the film to the DVD or Blu-Ray version, there are various scenes where there are minor characters are re-dubbed, and change some dialogue, along with taking out some of the violin parts in the soundtrack. I'm surprised people rarely mention this fact. And the DVD and Blu-Ray version is the only version of the film that's re-released in any new media like streaming services(Itunes and Netflix for example), and the only way to watch the original theatrical version of the film with no changes are VHS, Betamax, and Laserdisk versions(As far as I'm aware of).
I'm more with you. It has a couple moments that are dark-ish, but the overall feel of it is lighthearted. You're right about the Disney aspect but with enough of it's own twist to be more unique
I am somewhere in the middle because I’m split between what you guys have said. So I don’t know whose side I’m gonna be on.
With that said, I look forward to your next review which is whisper of the heart.
I’m surprised you didn’t nitpick the fact that sometimes the character animation can make the characters look frozen. Seriously they don’t even blink. But great review though.
Wow I lost track of today, I thought it was Thursday. but as to my question I don't even want to say he's was trying to be Disney's competition, If he gotten inspiration from them, including having a job on animation for a limited time there, why would he go after them like he was their enemy, I'm pretty sure he was such a nice man as much as Walt himself.
Alan Oliva He actually worked for them in the 70s and early 80s, he doesn't hate them. He just wanted to make his own movies without creative hassle.
Well that's what I was saying, He did try doing it with Rock-O-Doodle but ending up being tied with Fern Gully
Alan Oliva Wait, where you saying about Rock-a-Doodle? How did it get tied with Ferngully?
Chill Player 123 well Don Bluth was trying not to be in competition with Disney again after movies like all dogs go-to heaven got beaten by the little mermaid, so they delayed the movie only to be in competition with that film.
Having grown up with the sequels and seeing this for the first time, the sequels don't feel like actual follow ups they just feel like someone just made their own version of An American Tail.
As much as I love Fievel Goes West as much as the original An American Tail, I agree with you. Fievel Goes West feels like Speilberg's western version of the first film without any involvement of Bluth(Well Don Bluth isn't involved in it). Treasure of Manhattan Island and Mystery of Night Monster(Video to direct sequels) does feel like continuations compared to Fievel Goes West, but they still feel so fanmade, and doesn't feel like actual continuing where the original left off at. It does feel like it's just their own intrepetation of An American Tail instead. I feel the same with the Land Before Time sequels as well.
The weird thing is is that I remember watching the third and fourth movies (treasure of Manhattan Island and Mystery of the Night Monster) way more than the original and Fievel Goes West
You probably watched the video to direct sequels more. I recommend you revisit and check out the original An American Tail and An American Tail 2: Fievel Goes West recently. They're very wonderful films and still hold up strongly, even to this day.
Personally, I think this film is actually in the middle of Don Bluth's films in terms of its tone. It's not quite as dark as his other works like The Land Before Time or The Secret of NIMH, but it's still a bit darker than most of his works from the 1990s and 2000s.
I can't wait to see you do a review on The Land Before Time, if you ever get along to it.