Rewatching a movie that I used to love as a child is an odd experience. The Secret of NIMH is one of those movies that I watched many times as a little kid, then never encountered since. I didn't remember much about it before watching it again, but as I watched, a scene here and a phrase there resonated with the childhood memories buried deep in my brain.
Honestly, I didn't know what to expect, watching a kid's movie as an adult, but it surprised me. Yes, its storyline is as simple as you would expect from a movie targeted at young audiences, but what it lacks in complexity it makes up for in depth. It carries an emotional weight that is far beyond most films of its ilk.
What I remembered best about the film, and what impacted me most as a child, was its atmosphere. Though I wasn't hit nearly as hard by it now as I was then, I could still appreciate it. The tone of the beautiful backgrounds is always dark, mystical, and brooding, while the characters are, for the most part, gentle and cutesy (though, thankfully, they don't act the part). The contrast between the two creates a wonderful effect.
What I did not remember at all about the film, and what surprised me the most, was the music. The score is beautifully orchestrated. Unlike so many animated kid's movies, this is not a musical, for which I am deeply grateful. However, the symphonic sounds added at least as much to the atmosphere as did the artwork.
Lastly, one of the voice actresses is named Hermione, proving that, sadly, there are parents in this world who would inflict that name on their children. The world would be a better place if it were just the heinous invention of JK Rowling's mind.
