The Don Bluth Thread

[D'Snowth]

I heard somewhere that Don Bluth was actually originally approached with the concept of ICE AGE, but he turned it down.

 

[D'Snowth]

Bumping this thread, because I've been learning something as of late: you know how many of Don Bluth's later movies have been really lackluster and weak in comparison to his darker, grittier, and stronger earlier movies? As it turns out, there's actually a reason for that: studio interference. ROCK-A-DOODLE? THE PEBBLE AND THE PENGUIN? A TROLL IN CENTRAL PARK? All of them were deviated away from Bluth's original visions for each of those movies because the studios felt they were getting too dark and scary, and needed to be brighter and more light-hearted to be friendlier for kids.

Hmm, that was pretty much one of Bluth's main reasons for spinning off from Disney, because he felt they were going in that same direction, while he knew kids were able to handle more mature themes and storytelling.

 

[fuzzygobo]

The shame is, we'll probably never see a cartoon as dark as "The Secret of Nimh" ever again. It was nice to see a cute mouse like Mrs. Brisbee in such a dark, violent world (a couple characters get stabbed to death). Paved the way for American Tail.
But again, once the suits and bean counters butt in, the artist usually gets the shaft.