{ Disney }
I'm going out on a limb here and making the assumption this page was reserved for the Official Disney site of the film. The full title and link is Disney Archives | "The Great Mouse Detective". Here is a sample, but I do recommend visiting the site for the rest of the discussion and more goodies. Yes, goodies such as character descriptions, image downloads and wallpapers.
The animated adventures of a mouse, Basil of Baker Street, called upon to search for a toymaker, Flaversham, who has been kidnapped to make a robot replica of the queen for the evil Ratigan. Basil, aided by the intrepid Dr. Dawson, helps the toymaker's daughter, Olivia, search for her father. They foil Ratigan's plot and eventually save the queen.
After a four-year period of story development, animation took just over one year to complete. This remarkably short production span was possible due to new efficiencies in the production process (such as video tests and computer-assisted layouts and graphics), and an increased emphasis on story development prior to the start of production. 125 artists were involved in making the film. An innovative application of computer technology can be seen in the climactic scene where Basil faces Ratigan in a final confrontation inside the turning and thrashing gearworks of Big Ben. The 54 moving gears, winches, ratchets, beams, and pulleys were literally drawn by the computer, and created a unique background for the characters, which had been animated in the usual way. The film was rereleased in theaters in 1992 under the title "The Adventures of the Great Mouse Detective." Released on video in 1992.
