1) Description
The clues are in, the chase is on, and the case of the century is about to break wide open in Disney's greatest little mystery in history! Let the creators of ALADDIN and THE LITTLE MERMAID take you on an adventuresome journey through the cobblestone streets of 1897 London, where some suspicious "mousechief" is the suspenseful start to this thrilling musical adventure. Olivia, the brave daughter of a beloved London toymaker, turns to Basil of Baker Street for help with her father's disappearance. Basil's jolly assistant, Dr. Dawson, and loyal dog Toby lend a hand ... and nose ... as they sniff out clues through their charming miniature world. The final chase leads to Professor Ratigan (voiced by Vincent Price), a hard-hearted criminal whom Basil must outwit to save all of Mousedom! Now digitally remastered, fully restored and full of unforgettable characters and spectacular animation -- all leading to a climactic climb atop Big Ben -- it's elementary who you'll want to watch again and again ... THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE!

2) Amazon.com
Just because Walt Disney created contemporary and traditional classics of animation doesn't mean the studio is out of ideas--not by a long shot. The Great Mouse Detective is richly animated and offers a clever tale. It may not be as easily recognized a title as Aladdin or The Little Mermaid, but all three share the same director, Ron Clements. Originally released theatrically in 1986, the mystery borrows easily from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and is based on Eve Titus's book Basil of Baker Street. When a brilliant toymaker is kidnapped by a creepy peg-legged bat, his daughter, Olivia, enlists the aid of the legendary Basil. Basil, Olivia, and Basil's assistant, Dr. Dawson, are part of an intricate city system of Victorian-era London mice. Basil quickly realizes his archenemy, Professor Ratigan (a rat who wants to be a mouse), is behind the abduction. Ratigan (voiced by Vincent Price) fiendishly aspires to take over London rodents--and will stop at nothing to achieve his greatest desire. The unlikely trio of good guys become heroes, of course. The engaging story line is a perfect introduction to Doyle's work and mysteries in general. Look for a very cleverly executed voice-cameo by Basil Rathbone (as Sherlock Holmes, natch). Alan Young (Mr. Ed) also provides a voice. Ages 4 and up. --N.F. Mendoza

1) The Sherlock Holmes of Mousedom   [Rating: 4 out of 5]
I can hardly believe that I went over 20 years without seeing this film. Based upon Eve Titus's Basil of Baker Street (Basil of Baker Street ): Basil of Baker Street and its sequels, it tells the story of intrigue and peril in a hidden Victorian-era society of mice, complete with its own beloved queen (about, like the humans' Victoria, to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee), its craftsmen and army (Dr. David Q. Dawson, like John Watson, is recently out of service in Afghanistan), and, like all societies, its crime, criminals, and dedicated battlers for justice, notably the great Basil, who lives in a mousehole neatly tucked into the foundations of 221B Baker Street. When toymaker Hiram Flaversham--a genius with objects mechanical--is kidnapped from his home, his motherless daughter Olivia seeks out Basil in hopes of getting help in finding him. Basil at first thinks such a task beneath him, but when he realizes that the crime was committed on orders of his nemesis, Prof. Ratigan, he plunges into the case with enthusiasm, accompanied by Dawson and (quite against his preferences) Olivia, plus Toby, the sniffing hound who often works for Holmes.Basil isn't the most sympathetic of heroes--he seems to have most of his human model's weaknesses (arrogance, vanity, and an occasional tendency to self-pity not the least) and few of his virtues (except for courage). But he's also brilliant, and with Dawson's stolid backing he follows the clues to an exciting climax that finds him pursuing Ratigan through the gears and escapements of the Big Ben clock and very nearly re-enacting (or perhaps more accurately anticipating) Holmes's plunge off the Reichenbach Falls. Ratigan himself is a smooth yet scary villain, like so many of Disney's bad guys, and is wonderfully voiced by horrormeister Vincent Price. (His henchbat, Fidget, may be even scarier, especially when he first bursts through the Flavershams' window.) He also stoutly denies that he's a rat, even though he obviously is. Kids may well want to find out more about Arthur Conan Doyle's tales after watching this movie, and adults familiar with them will enjoy picking up on the similarities between the two.

2) Far too scary for children   [Rating: 1 out of 5]
Although I am a lover of all things Disney, this movie was just far too scary for children. When I was little, Ratigan and Fidget scared me to death. I watched the movie again not too long ago and found that they still frightened me--even after more than a decade. I also found the movie horribly predictable. This is one Disney film that I will never purchase for my family.

3) The Great Mouse Detective   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
An animated Sherlock Holmes with "Basil" the mouse as the Sherlockesque character. Very cute Rattagan makes a fun villian.

4) Very Underrated Classic   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
This is one of my favorite Disney films of all time. It unfortunately does not get the credit it deserves. This little gem is an absolute delight for kids and adults. It brings the classic world of Sherlock Holmes to children; it's an absolute delight to be able to share the exciting, whodunnit mysterious of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle with kids. Conan Doyle's classic characters are brought to new life in the form of likable mice, and it's not hard at all to tell who's who. The plot line is easy to grasp and kids and adults will both enjoy following the heroes through this mysterious adventure. Very young kids might get scared at some of the more desperate or scary moments of the film, so I would recommend this movie for kids 7 up, but it all depends on your child.

5) Ah childhood memories...   [Rating: 4 out of 5]
This is a great version of a classic Sherlock Holmes-style scenario. I remember watching this all the time when I was a kid and loving it. Great movie!