The Secret of NIMH is one of the few animated films not from the House of Mouse that I remember from my youth and that is saying a lot. This gloomy fantasy from the Robert C. O’Brien novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH will whisk you away into a magical fairy tale world, hidden away from eyes of humans, where you can let your imagination run wild.
To save the life of her ill son, widowed field mouse Mrs. Brisby (voiced by Elizabeth Hartman) must turn to the help of the unnaturally intelligent rats and their wizard Nicodemus (voiced by the inimitable British actor Derek Jacobi). Risking life and limb, and with the help of her new friend, the clumsy crow Jeremy (voiced by Dom DeLuise) she must fend off a dangerous cat, fight enemy rats, and obtain a magical amulet, whilst she discovers the key to her dead husband’s deep connection to the rats’ uncanny abilities.
The Secret of NIMH is filled with magic and wonder, supported by beautiful animation that reaches the level of a Disney classic. It is fantastical fun for the entire family, although smaller children may be a bit frightened by the film’s moodiness.
The Secret of NIMH (1982). Screen capture courtesy of Masters of Cinema.
The Secret of NIMH (1982). Screen capture courtesy of Masters of Cinema.
The Secret of NIMH (1982). Screen capture courtesy of Masters of Cinema.
The Secret of NIMH (1982). Screen capture courtesy of Masters of Cinema.
The Secret of NIMH (1982). Screen capture courtesy of Masters of Cinema.
The Secret of NIMH (1982). Screen capture courtesy of Masters of Cinema.
The Secret of NIMH (1982). Screen capture courtesy of Masters of Cinema.
The Secret of NIMH (1982). Screen capture courtesy of Masters of Cinema.
The Secret of NIMH (1982). Screen capture courtesy of Masters of Cinema.
The Secret of NIMH (1982). Screen capture courtesy of Masters of Cinema.
The Secret of NIMH (1982). Screen capture courtesy of Masters of Cinema.
The Secret of NIMH (1982). Screen capture courtesy of Masters of Cinema.
The Secret of NIMH (1982). Screen capture courtesy of Masters of Cinema.
The Secret of NIMH (1982). Screen capture courtesy of Masters of Cinema.
The Secret of NIMH (1982). Screen capture courtesy of Masters of Cinema.
The Secret of NIMH (1982). Screen capture courtesy of Masters of Cinema.
The Secret of NIMH (Masters of Cinema)
The Secret of NIMH (Masters of Cinema)
The Secret of NIMH (Masters of Cinema)
The Video
The Secret of NIMH comes to Blu-ray from Eureka Entertainment’s Masters of Cinema in a 1.85:1 AVC 1080p encodement from an HD master provided to them by the studio. From what I can tell this looks the same as the 2011 U.S. release from MGM which just did not look that good to my eyes. There has not (or was not?) that much work putinto cleaning this up, stabilizing the image, and attenuating the grain a little. There is still sparkle, scratches, some dirt, film stabilization issues, some washout in darker areas, and a bit of noise. Still, it is not DNR’d to death and smoothed out. I have bumped my rating up a half-point from 2011 on this.
The Audio
The Secret of NIMH has a stereo mix presented in LPCM 2.0. The mastering level is a little low, but overall, the sound is clean with little clipping, and the stereo imaging is good, especially for the score. Dialogue is intelligible and smooth and there is a warmness to the sound.
The Supplements
Masters of Cinema brings this classic animated back to Blu-ray in this package filled with new bonus content, which is just one thing that helps keep the Masters of Cinema imprint ahead of the curve.
Bonus Features:
Limited edition of 2000 copies
Limited edition O-card slipcase featuring original poster artwork
Audio Commentary by Animation Scholar Sam Summers
Audio Commentary by Director Don Bluth & Producer Gary Goldman
A Way to Go Home – 2024 interview with director Don Bluth (1080p; 00:19:59) (NEW)
Beyond Your Wildest Dreams – Stacey Abbott on The Secret of NIMH (1080p; 00:23:02) (NEW)
Courage of the Heart – Motherhood in The Secret of NIMH by Catherine Lester (1080p; 00:16:01)
Secrets Behind the Secret – 2007 Featurette (Upscaled to 1080p; 00:14:24)
Stills Gallery (1080p; 00:12:59)
Original Theatrical Featurette (1080p; 00:02:21)
A collector’s booklet featuring new writing on Don Bluth and The Secret of NIMH by Peter C. Kunze, author of Staging a Comeback: Broadway, Hollywood, and the Disney Renaissance
The Final Assessment
The Secret of NIMH remains a heartwarming, inspiring classic for the entire family. Masters of Cinema’s release of this film offers some insightful commentaries, video essays, and writing to help adults who saw this film as children gain even deeper understanding of their beloved childhood favorite. Highly recommended.
The Secret of NIMH (Masters of Cinema) is out on Blu-ray in the UK December 9, 2024 from Eureka Entertainment
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A field mouse turns to a colony of clever rats to help save her ailing son in this animated classic. The Secret of NIMH [Masters of Cinema] Blu-ray Review
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