The Secret of NIMH's 30th Anniversary

On July 2, 1982, an animated feature film based on the Newbery Award-winning novel by Robert C. O'Brien, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, hit theaters on this hot summer day. Two weeks after it's opening week, this animated film hit the silver screen nationwide. The film that we know and love today is now celebrating it's thirtieth anniversary. Let's take off our hats to Don Bluth, Gary Goldman, John Pomeroy and the rest of the entire team that helped create an animated masterpiece called The Secret of NIMH.

The film was released to much critical acclaim and was a moderate box office success, grossing in $14,665,733. Even though it earned a little more than twice the budget, Gary Goldman expressed their disappointment in a 2000 Cinefantastique article:

Quote :

"My biggest disappointment was when Secret of NIMH only made $13 million ... We had given two years of our lives, a hundred and ten hours a week. We were thrilled with the results ... Today, you could give me the biggest success in the world and I don't know if I'd feel it as much as I would have if we had gotten that success during The Secret of NIMH."

The 2012 Adjusted gross for The Secret of NIMH is now $39,507,700.

Right before our eyes, and beyond our wildest dreams, we have discovered The Secret of NIMH to what most consider to be one of the most beautifully animated films ever to be produced. Many were lucky to see the film as it appeared in theaters while others may just remember growing up with the film. As more people discover this jewel today, they rediscover the child in themselves of yesterday.

I remember watching this film for the very first time back in 2006 in my sixth grade class. I immediately fell in love with the film, but we never finished it in class, so I wanted to find out more about it online. I stumbled across many NIMH fan sites such as Thorn Valley and Maximum NIMH. Later, I became a member of Thorn Valley on April 10, 2006 after only watching the movie halfway through in my class. About a month later, I was able to borrow the movie from a friend and watch it from start to finish on my own time. Ever since I first saw this film, I have always shared a strong passion with it and I always will.

Happy 30th Anniversary NIMH! Here's to another thirty years!