Any kid even slightly interested in animals experiences that white wolf scene like it was Gandalf the White coming to Helm's Deep. It was one of my first experiences of cinematic awe. James Horner really killed it. And the body language and character design of the animals is genuinely so good. Another wonderful video!
When I was little my mom would tell me that the white wolf was Balto's mother's spirit giving him hope, courage and confidence back. Super cute to think back on it now lol. Wonderful video to bring me back to that time ❤️
Balto is one of my favorite movies. Even though it hits differently for me as an adult, it still hits hard. It's a shame it wasn't a financial success, and was the last movie Amblimation ever made.
That's because the materials used to make a movie 'adult' are usually cheap overused distractions for the audience. Gore, romance, jumpscares, etc. A kids' movie that isn't entitely mind-numbing needs actual substance.
@@demo2823 Gore and romance in films, animated or otherwise, doesn’t always have to be a bad thing, just as long as they are written and constructed into the films well. Animated classics like “Watership Down” and “Princess Mononoke” have plenty of gore, but those films are widely remembered and cherished because of their thematic depth, animation, and characterization, and didn’t just rely on gore to sell the movie. I think the issue with most “adult” animated films is that they simply rely on shock value, heavy use of swearing or raunchy jokes that they come across as juvenile and more immature than the higher-quality animated films I mentioned, or “Balto”, that are actually mature in a good way but also can be enjoyed by kids and families.
Fully agree about the hard hitting moments. For me it was see the kid sized coffins and the dejection of the man making them. That got me as a 7 year old kid.
In Balto II Balto actually mentions he remembers his mother being a wolf with snow white fur and a beautiful voice. I know some people aren't big fans of the white wolf being given an identity since it was meant to be vague, but I remember losing my mind as a kid at the realization it was his mother, and the idea of Balto having a vision of her in his time of need made the scene so much more impactful to me. Chokes me up every time
Yeah! I also especially loved that moment where it looks like she walks away, and yet as soon as he howls it's almost like the vale drops and you see she was still there the whole time just waiting for him.
I also can see it as an interpretation of that classic line parents tell their children "I'll always be here, even when you can't see me." When Balto is in trouble, whether knowing it or not, his mother/mother's spirit comes to him and reminds him of the strength within himself ❤️
When I first saw the film as a small child I originally thought the white wolf was Balto's mother. That it was her spirit come back to show him that he has the strength within him to make the journey.
Man I missed hand drawn and 2D animation in old days I wished they would bring back it original glory and prominence before being overtaken and overshadowed by 3D and CGI animation
And this is why people like Don Bluth were big animator icons I know he didn't work on this film, but Im sure some others who worked with him at the time before they or after worked on this film, we need bring it back 3D and CGI is fine but even AI stuff which causing some negatives to be honest we still need human hands and brains to make stuff like this again, I miss it so much.
If you haven't already, you should check out the films by Cartoon Saloon. They do some really excellent 2D hand-drawn animated movies, Wolfwalkers from a couple years ago is absolutely beautiful.
CGI has ruined movies as it has made it too "easy" to make sub par movies in a quick fashion without any regard for storytelling. Most movies after the 2000s that have relied on CGI have mostly all lost its edge.
I'm so glad someone took some time to talk about how beautiful this movie is. And that I have read so many lovely comments here!!! I literally bawled my eyes out while watching this! THANK YOU!
This channel was a breath of fresh air in the video essay genre that is now plagued by people just reciting what happens through the media they talk about, thank you for giving proper care to the context and production
This movie and spirit stallion of the cimarron were both massive inspirations to me as a child and are still some of my all time favourite movies. They are the reason I’ve pursued animation as a career and I know they’ll inspire generations of children to come
There are so many beautiful little touches in this film, from the funny like how the telegraphist laughs in morse and his dog barks likewise, to the really touching, like how when the people celebrate Balto on his return. As they reach to pet him he shies away for a second, not used to human touch.
This is a film I’m desperate to see receive more recognition. It’s one of the last movies of the hand drawn animation era before CGI took over. (Although character coloring and many lighting and other special effects were done in photoshop.) It’s critically underrated and is one of the most impactful G-rated movies I’ve ever seen. I’m not asking for a live action remake or anything, but I wish Universal would give it more attention. It’d be cool if they did something in 2025, which will be the 30th anniversary of the movies release, and the 100th anniversary of the great race of mercy.
The white wolf sequence still gives me chills every time I see it. I love how it's never explained. You just have to FEEL it. I (and a lot of others) always got the sense that the white wolf was Balto's mother. Either her spirit or a vision of her.
@@counterstrike89 Balto has cartoonified animals. It's stylized. Princess Mononoke is animated in a more realistic style. They're very different things and neither is better or worse. It's just up to an individual's preference.
@@iclynnx I agree with that, I know its completely different, but my problem is, the Disney style in America got way to overused, and no one created something new, which can be done.
@@counterstrike89 Actually a fair criticism. I like that Pixar and Dreamworks have started experimenting with styles rather than trying to achieve realism. Examples being Turning Red (+ Luca) and Puss in Boots 2: The Last Wish. Spiderverse really inspired everyone to strive for more than "how realistic can we make it?" CGI animation is really starting to shine. Can't forget Arcane, animated by Fortiche, using both computer generated and hand-drawn effects.
@@iclynnx I still think the CGI has a too fast and too smooth look about it, I mean if you look at say the intro to the 1980s Thunder Cats, there's no way you can duplicate that with CGI, that can only come from the experienced hand of talented artist.
I always admire "Balto" as part of my childhood and I used to loved it because of its beautiful animation work and I like the true story, I put this movie with my other favorite animated movies like "Anastasia", "Lady And The Tramp" and my most favorite movie from the year of my birth "The Prince Of Egypt".
Interesting. My most favorite animated film of the year of my birth is Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”. I put “Balto” as one of my favorite animated films, too, along with “Beauty and The Beast”, “Howl’s Moving Castle”, and “Castle In The Sky”. I’m so glad that my mom and my elders exposed me to animated films like “The Secret of NIMH”, “Spirited Away” and “The Black Cauldron”, films that were grounded with heavy thematic material instead of being pandering.
I watched the first half of this last night, fell asleep intending to finish it in the morning, and woke up to an entire remaster? Christmas miracle. (Excellent work man, I’ve been binging your channel for a few days now, starting with the video about Fox and the Hound changing the animation landscape. Every video has been a treat so far)
First, extra points for the Wolf's Rain OST use. If you ever do a video on that series you'll have a watcher in me. Thank you for explaining why so many 90s-00s kids have taken to this movie. It's not the first animated movie to use animals in a metaphor for an anti-racism message (Land Before Time is another good example) but it's one of the best examples of such from my childhood. Perhaps watching this is partly why I'm still fascinated with the North and look up the nature and culture of Alaska, Canada, northern Russia etc. often. Kudos for giving the full background of the 1925 serum run. It's stories like that that are a credit to our species - and the canines'.
This film along iwth the others, shaped my childhood. I'd never seen such beautiful and surreal animation, along with the story that completely blew my 6 year old brain away. I often had dreams of it, and I watched all the movies again and again and again. I've never seen much appreciation for them so I'm very happy that someone else loves them as much as I do.
The movie's director Simon Wells has said in an interview that Balto's mother is a dog and his father is a wolf. But this is the best part of interpretations - each one is different, and each one can have merit. My problem is in the sequels they made her Balto's mother which ruined the whole mysticism THIS scene originally had
This movie makes me want to go back to the beautiful and meaningful animations of before. Especially those based on animal protagonists. It's something I'm thinking about for the future.
I havent watched this movie since i was a child back in the early 2000s, and watching this now unlocked that deep ugly crying i had back then as well xD. A great piece to watch as the temperature outside sits in the negatives looming christmas eve, thank you for making this!
UA-cam tossed you into my recs and I fell in love, as an artist making xenofiction comics, getting to find your discussions gave me a huge boost to genre.
Thank you so much for this video! Growing up Balto was one of my most beloved movies, and after seeing TOGO I felt sad that what I had accepted as a fantastically embellished story of childhood, negated to mention the bravery of other dogs and their mushers. I didn’t really know how to feel about Balto which I had once cherished. Thank you for telling the whole story, and also arguing that the spirit in which Baltos animated story was told lives in harmony and in respect with the real life events, relieved me of any guilt I had and helps me once again unconditionally adore this movie !
The thing that blows my mind every time, year and year, is how genuinely cold the atmospheres look. It is not a disney winter like it is in 'more sophisticated' frozen and friends, it's the genuine low angle of sun, blinding white, and dark blue of arctic winters, and I think that's why it never gets old for me.
I showed Balto to my students during our holiday party before winter break. They’d never seen it before and were all super engaged and ended up loving it. It’s really hard to get kids to sit and watch a movie because they are so used to things like TikTok and UA-cam shorts and other short form content. But they sat and watched Balto, and they loved it.
Thank you for this deep-dive into one of my greatest childhood favorites. Brought me to tears, and I loved the thoughtful historical introduction to balance the fantasy of the movie.
I grew up watching this, too. Even when I was younger, I could tell that it was different than the other movies. On par with the first Land Before Time and the first Rescuers movie for dark subject matter, thematic resonance, film quality in general, and how much “heart” was put into the film rather than just looking to make something that makes money. That said, even as a child I **hated** those idiot polar bears… as in I was genuinely angry that the animators put them in to make the film “more child friendly” aka patronizing af. TL;DR: thank you for doing a video on Balto this close to Christmas. You’re appreciated.
Your enthusiasm for the genre encouraged me to pick up your Book+pdf combo. I didn't want to wait to start reading but I still wanted a physical copy... Merry Christmas!
Wow! 😃 I just watched the older version of this video on the 27th anniversary of its release, and I had to do a double take when I saw that there was a re-release of this awesome video/analysis. "Balto" was one of those animated classics that got me through middle and high school as well as adolescence because I could easily relate to the title character's inner conflict. As a child, I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, a milder form of autism spectrum disorder. I can't speak for everyone who has Asperger's Syndrome (as ASD manifests itself differently for different individuals), but for me, it's like being a hybrid, or being half-autistic and half neuro-typical. Because of this, I seem relatively "normal" but with quirks that can set some people off-guard. For instance, I am a huge nature lover, and I can remember taking a cricket out the backdoor in the science classroom and hearing the classroom snicker as I put the insect outside to prevent it from being squished. Also, over the years, I have witnessed hobbies and interests that people on the spectrum or geeks tend to enjoy (i.e. animation/anime) or ASD itself become the subject of heavy derision. People tend to misperceive both people on the spectrum and animation in general as being juvenile. Thankfully, these once-common misperceptions are slowly shifting away from that. Anyway, I love your documentary/analysis on the true events that transpired almost a century ago and the animated feature film. For awhile, I found this movie to be decent but cheesy, but after seeing this video, I see this film with a new set of eyes. I don't think the film is perfect, and I agree that the polar bears Muk and Luk were not needed (which is a shame, since I like some of Phil Collins’ songs and believe he was wasted playing this role), but much of the film still holds up even after more than 25 years. I've noticed that the storytelling techniques of "Balto" share some similarities with Studio Ghibli films, like certain scenes having little to no dialogue and letting the animation and music tell the story. Also, many Ghibli films' conflicts revolve around man against nature and/or man against self, and I am always intrigued by stories delving into the character's inner conflicts. Speaking of Ghibli, Jim Cummings also voiced one of the antagonists in the film, "Castle In The Sky". I had a good laugh listening to his voice when watching the film the first time many months ago, and thought to myself, "Is that Jim Cummings? He almost sounds like Steele!" 😄 Plus, Mark Hamill, the voice of another antagonist in "Castle In The Sky" also voiced the antagonist in "Balto: Wolf Quest". Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts, and I hope you have a merry Christmas! 🎅⛄❄🎁♾
I went to New York City in 2016, and one of the things I've always wanted to see was the Balto statue and was so excited to finally see it in person, I love this film and watched it a lot between 2001-2003, I also remember watching this film with my grandfather (who passed in 2017) and he accurately predicted the whole plot at the scene where Balto watched Steele and his dog sled team leave.
This movie was my favorite and still lasts to be to this day. I even wanted to run the iditarod so bad as a kid. Im so glad I found your channel again, it's been a breath of fresh air and I got so many good book recommendations in the last few days. Thanks for what you do, it's obvious you put a lot of work into the research and presentation.
I have so many things to say about Balto (great video, btw!!), but the main thing that I always loved about the movie was the theme about belonging. I have noticed in so many people with a mixed background, thus feeling of not belonging anywhere. I see it in people who are mixed race and I see it in people who came from one culture but grew up in another. This existential homelessness has fascinated me and torn at my heartstrings for years. We have so many middle eastern immigrants in my country, Denmark, who are ethnically 100% middle eastern, but culturally they are a strange mix of their parents' background and Danish. For me, I just see them as Danes at this point, because we have had a growing population of middle easterners for a few decades now so it's not a new and strange sight here anymore. But I know that for many of them, there is an existential homelessness there, where they don't feel fully Danish and then when they visit their country of origin, where they thought they would fit in, they stand out even more. I have close friends who are mixed race and who struggle with felling like they don't fit in. One is part Asian and has struggled with feeling like they aren't Danish enough, despite being one of the most Danish people I know. I have another friend who lives in the middle east who is part white and passes for white and they too feel alienated in their own country. It's just such a fascinating topic and Balto nails it so well. We all have aspects of ourselves that alienates us from being content with who we are and it doesn't all have to be about where you grew up or who your parents are. Sometimes it's as simple as not fitting in with the other kids in school because your brain works differently from the others or your interests or personality doesn't fit with the group. But the theme of being stuck in limbo with your own identity is a very important one and I genuinely feel like Balto handled that subject in a way that every kid could understand and, if not in the moment then later on in adulthood, reflect on. I also agree with you on the score. What a powerful masterpiece that was. We were so spoiled in the 90s. What a decade that was for western animation.
I appreciate this video but I am disappointed you didn’t mention Jenna’s voice actor when you mentioned everyone else’s during the introductions. Sorry if it seems like a nitpick. Just something I noticed
I also must have watched Balto more than a dozen times when I was young, and I always loved it. Watching your retrospective reminded me of how excellent it could be, visually and musically, just as much now as when I saw it twenty years ago. I got a bit choked up during some of the scenes during your video, but when that Heritage of the Wolf scene played out, I definitely shed some tears. Just on its own, that sequence is so powerful. I'm glad I found your channel through this video!
I teared up like 3 times during this video. Balto was never a movie that I would say was a favorite of mine, but I did like it A LOT and rewatched it COUNTLESS times as a kid to the point that even though I haven't seen it in at least 15 years, I remembered every single clip here. But I never fully grasped how deep it really was back then. Seeing it now as an adult... honestly astounding. What a fantastic underrated film. I know so many people who have never even HEARD of Balto and I feel like they missed so much! Your part about our childhood films affecting us as we age is so true. So many scenes from the film bore into my brain and I used them for inspiration in my own works. Watership Down was THE piece of media that changed my entire creative mind. I wouldn't be ME without that film. Also, I am always SO happy to hear people talk about Togo and the other dogs while discussing Balto. Poor guys got the short end of the stick!
Fantastic breakdown of one of my favorite movies of all time. This film was my introduction to the 1925 sled dog relay and pushed me to study it further. So, even though it is framed as a grandmother's fable, it did lead me to learn the true story. I so miss animation like this.
Excellently written video, man, and with editing to match. Your choice of music to have in the background is always a nice touch, too. Whether it's an ambiance track from The Witcher, well, providing ambiance, or the theme from Fullmetal Alchemist when discussing mortality. Spot-on. You're articulate with your points and rarely carry on past the point where what you're saying is made clear. You being a writer makes sense.
this was the only kids dvd my grandparents owned when i was growing up, everything else was opera and church stuff. i’ll never forget this gem for the many times grandad and i parked up on the couch around Christmas and just watched this movie together
In my opinion, CGI is ruining animation. Even direct to VHS animated films with hand painted animation was very high quality compared to most direct to DVD CG films. especially those bargain bin atrocities. The only thing I don't like about Balto is that it's not done with cels.
“From The year of my birth…1995” (and thus I flinch) but well done and I grew up watching this too thanks for the historical context and attention to detail.
Such a great movie, I remember relating to balto so much being mixed white and native American not really fitting in anywhere. The scene with the tiny coffins was so profound conveying the unnatural greif of burying children. This was a very well done presentation 👏 👍 I'm 33 years old and I still tear up at the white wolf scene. Even though people will say it's not historically accurate most of us wouldn't know the real story at all if not for this movie
That scene with the tiny coffin hit me SO HARD as a kid. As well as of course the iconic white wolf moment. I loved this movie and it had some really funny moments too! Tho when you had clips of animated movies that grappled with death while playing ‘Bratja’ that may have been the hardest hitting moment of the video lol
This video is fantastic and definitely a much better one than the nostalgia critic review that I remember being shown years ago. Art at its best is illusions which point us towards truth, in a way, so nature can realize her goals. I saw Balto when it came out and that white wolf scene has never left my dreams, and you are right in that its power lies in the fact that whoever she is, it impacts regardless. Merry yuletide!
I agree. Nostalgia Critic constantly interrupted scenes giving context in the movie to make his stupid "jokes" or to put his stupid unfunny skit. I've never seen any of his reviews, Balto was the only video of him I've seen, but I've heard pretty bad things about his reviews. It's just that his Balto video allowed me to see it for myself. Seriously, what is up with movie critics not being able to comprehend the media they're watching?
The Land Before Time made me cry every time, but it was always, and will always, be among my favorite films. When my mother passed away in 2020, that scene, where Littlefoot lost his mother, took on a. . . Not COMPLETELY new cast. . . But it certainly was something that comforted me, allowing me to find healing in the memories of learning to deal with death of a mother so many years ago. And the White Wolf scene always took my breath away and brought tears to my eyes. So perfectly evocative!
My ex-boyfriend (still a very good friend) lost his mother several years ago, and I sent him a link to that scene of Littlefoot talking to Rooter. That little interaction has sooooo much packed in it, so much heart, and I hoped it would help him a bit, and it seemed to.
@@Andromeda14161 Oh man, yeah. The Rooter scene was SO impactful to the whole premise of the movie! And it gets so little praise in the scheme of things!
Only found this film a few years ago thanks to netflix recommending it to me. I thought "alright we'll try it if it's bad we'll watch something else". As soon as it got past the use of normal actors and I heard that score I instantly knew I was in for something good. I had to wipe away tears at least 3 times and it's now my second favourite film.
This film is still a timeless classic even though its fictional. Does the lesson of the story do well even if it is based on fiction? I'm inclined to say Yes it does. The Message of the film is to accept your past, and use it in the now to help yourself and others with your gifts, even if they are considered untamed by others. Be who you are and do your best
Balto was one of my absolute fav movies as a kid but damn did I realize watching this that I am NOT used to hearing this movie in English. I'm Swedish so I ofc grew up with Swedish dub but unlike my other favorites like Hunchback of Notredam I haven't been exposed at all to hearing the English version of this one
I will say tho it surprisingly doesn't feel as jarring or wrong as it usually does, the Swedish voice actors Really invoked and tried to do the characters the same way the English did. Except for a few humans and Balto, it actually sounds strangely the same, it didn't immediately jump at me that it wasn't the version I'm used to and I don't hate it like I usually do at first
It was so long ago I watched Balto, especially the Swedish dub, that I don't remember it. Unlike the Ice Age and Madagascar movies, that I watched a lot in Swedish with my family as a kid.
Imagine my surprise in seeing a newly posted hour long video essay of Balto in my recommended. I'm another one of those who watched this film over and over as a child, and it's beauty always haunted me. I have it on Blu Ray and still pop it in from time to time. The lack of good Balto content on the internet is sad, and I loved every part of your essay. It's nice to see someone still remembers and appreciates it into adulthood, and you managed to articulate so many thoughts I have about it so well. Though I do like Muk and Luk ;)
This movie was often played on TV between Christmas and New Year, and I have my birthday around that time, so it always had a special place in my heart. It was also the gateway to both online fandom spaces and my wolf phase as a tween, so when I visited New York City aged 11 it was utterly amazing to visit the memorial in Central Park. My parents and I were only there for a week but I went to see Balto three times. Even stranger, though I didn't have a particular interest in it as a child, I ended up studying infectious diseases at university. When we learned about diphtheria it only highlighted how terrible the stakes were for the people of Nome, and how relieved they must have been to receive the medicine from the dogsled relay. This film is not only beautiful but has had a profound impact on my life without me realising it until much later, and I'm glad so many others give it the attention it deserves.
Putting "Brothers" in the section where you talked about the concept of mortality hit me really hard. Wasn't expecting to get misty-eyed on UA-cam today, but here we are. Fully intending to watch Balto over the weekend and get misty-eyed over it, too.
I actually saw the movie for the first time in school, around christmas I think because although I'm dutch, I guess dutch folks thought the movie was a good holiday movie and I'd say it is! I remember being upset because when class was over (I was like 7 years old) and it was time to go home we hadn't finished the movie and I was left to wonder how it would end so I spent a lot of time trying to find the movie on youtube when I was 11 or 12 years old and had to make do with terrible quality rips. I'm glad I did it though, because while this is still my childhood, it just goes to show how childhood stuff can be hard to obstain for some even back then when you'd think this movie would be in a dollarstore bin or something. It's why videos like these matter, to keep them alive and introduce new audiences to these gems.
I like how I was watching the video credits section and was like "yeah there was probably Monty Python footage in there somewhere" only to realize that it was exclusive to the after-credits stinger
Thank you for this video - Balto was my favorite movie as a child, and it's wonderful to see it so thoroughly showcased the way that you have! I actually teared up rewatching the white wolf scene again. Child-Me had impeccable taste lol! Once again, great work!
I think you would like Spirit Stallion of the Cimarron. It is similar to this, but even more subtle and artistic with the animals. The colors are not as great, but the score is one of the best film scores ever made.
I think Cardinal West should review “Spirit: Stallion of The Cimarron”, too, because I think it would be right up his alley since the film is like xenofiction due to no dialogue from the horses. What’s interesting is that some of the animators and other staff from the Amblimation studio moved to DreamWorks Animation when Amblimation went defunct. In addition, Simon Wells, the director for “Balto”, also directed the DreamWorks Animation film, “The Prince of Egypt”.
@@cursedGalataea Yeah, it seems people are split on the Bryan Adams songs in “Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron”. You either really love them or really hate them. Although I personally don’t mind the songs, I can see why some people don’t like them, either, especially if they’re not too fond of songs in movies.
This movie is what got me interested in sled dogs and the culture around it, made me appreciate the polar beauty of Alaska and so much more. It may have been highly fictional and reality was a lot harsher than the movie implies, but Balto is definitely a core memory movie right beside Treasure Planet Also, thank you for covering the whole relay. A lot of cases skip over the effort and numbers in favor of one sled or another, especially Balto and more recently, Togo. There were many more hands and paws in the miracle run than them and they deserve the acknowledgement. Thank you. I also always thought it was hilarious that they were so against a wolf-dog when he probably would have been massive and extremely hardy in the cold, instead of the whispy pooch he is compared to a malamute but small things 🤷♀️
About your last point, I wonder if the screenwriters put that paradox in on purpose. Balto, the wolf dog, rarely gets vicious or bares his teeth unless when he gets really angry, like when he was mocked by Steele and his minions in the alley. On the other hand, Steele, in terms of aggression, acts like a wolf stereotypically way more than Balto does. This behavior of doing or being like the very same thing that you hate is seen in people in real life, and is sometimes called psychological projection. As a Bachelors grad in psychology myself, I marvel in the prospect that Freudian concepts were introduced in the film, regardless if it was intentional or not on the screenwriters’ part. 😆
This video reminded me of another childhood film of mine that is amazing is Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. It's such a good movie, and shows the flaws in the ideals of the "pioneers" of the west. It's too bad they just missed the point of the movie when they did that modern reboot.
My sister and I loved Balto so much as kids; so happy to see that you have made a video on it! I will definitely be checking out the book you suggested on the Great Serum Run!😃 15:51 I was wondering why the movie Balto always made me think of Jack London…
"We are prisoners in a jail of ice and snow. The last boat may be justifiably considered to have gone and this little community is left to its own recourses, alone with the storms, alone with the darkness and chill of the north." Are you certain this is from a newspaper? This feels like it's straight from a novel.
Watched as much decent Balto review/analysis content as I could find on UA-cam, and this one (didn't even need a remaster that much) is still the best. Due to the similar to the movie down-to-earth tone and obvious audible (as well as visible) emotional investment in it.
Thanks for making this video, it was such an enjoyable watch. Growing up in the rural country, surrounded by nature, dogs have been in my life since I was born, and there was always a sort of reverence for them, both as family members and companions. Parents always told me to "take the dogs with you" whenever I went out exploring, so they could watch out for snakes, coyotes, bobcats, and wolves (the few that were left back then). Dogs were always a positive force throughout my childhood. I remember reading a small picture book about Balto when I was around five or six, and being captivated by the heroism centered around a team of sled dogs. Once the film came out about a year or so later, I remember going to see it with my family. It only seemed natural that dogs would go to such lengths to save humans, as that was how they were in my own life. It's a real shame they don't make animation like this anymore. These are the kinds of films we need to preserve and show to our children.
The scene of Balto crying with his paw over his face just slams my heart everytime. It was also interesting to me as a kid even that they don't kill Steel. Disney would've had him die on that cliff. Amblimation went with a more powerful route I think. Nothing could be worse for a raging megalomaniac like Steel to be publicly exposed as a weak fool and ostracized for it.
You really need to be picked up by a streaming service and given a budget and access to a full team so more people can see your work. I absolutely adore what you put out. Keep it up!! Balto always was a favorite, as a bit of an outcast myself who lived on the edge of a small town growing up to say I identified pretty hard with the main character of this film is a vast understatement and it is one I will happily re-watch today. Heritage of the Wolf is an absolute banger of a scene.
I don't even know where to begin about how much this movie impacted my life way-back-when. I know I found it at the thrift store, on a beaten up vhs that shone to child me like a ray of holy light. The heroic story of a wolf, the sled dogs, the sled dog racing, the atmosphere and the music and everything about it. I couldn't stop drawing the scenes and interactions, in comics and stills, even creating comics very much different from the original material. It wasn't quite what first awoke my wolf, but it brightly lit the flames and kept them alight. The thing I believe is unique about my experience with Balto is that I was born, raised, and still live in my home Alaska. Howling at the moon in the dead of winter, at the Aurora borealis, laying in the sub zero snow at midnight with my sister watching the stars whilst pretending to be the white wolf and a human child she had befriended. I remember creating sled paths in our yard by crawling endlessly through the deep snow then pretending to be a sled dog, pulling my sister across the trails on our orange sled ( I'm proud to say out of our friends I was the fastest sled dog, stated clearly by my sister!) It was customary we learned about sled dog racing in school and it was wonderful, I remember in 5th grade being one of 3 kids who maneuvered a musher's sled into our classroom so that real Iditarod racers could explain its functions and elements while we climbed all over it. After which, we brought it back outside and the whole class got to play with one of their sled dogs. My parents have family friends who are mushers and I remember going to their dog yards and playing with all the huskies in their little huts. I remember also, my dad was an adamant adventurer and would relentlessly take me and my sister on adventures, in positive 90 and negative 20, whether we wanted to or not. The Alaskan wilderness, another home of mine, and the place I lived as a wild wolf- running through tundras (would't advise in areas with tussock), climbing tors, finding unseen edens in the wild and even climbing the gold-dredge! I always could trick my sister into playing along, even if she was a kitten in our games I was overjoyed to be a wolf! One of the things I find ever appreciated in Balto is the portrayal of the Alaskan wilderness in winter. Snow is reflective and at any given moment will reflect the color of the sky- and as you said, we have late sunrises and early sunsets ( in winter) so at 3 during the day the snow often reflects shades of bright yellow, orange, and pink. Even when the Aroura is out, if you're in a dark enough place it's light will be mirrored in the snow. Balto was greatly involved in my early life journey with art, I never could stop drawing wolves, it was beyond obsessive and helped me connect with and convince other kids to play games with me. There was a repeated effort in school that whenever I struck a chord with someone else we would attempt to create a wolf-centered art club, I would be the teacher and help others draw wolves. This art obsession has grown far beyond wolves, and far beyond paper art. I've always been entranced by animation, I created many paper and digital animations growing up and still do it. The expressions in movement and the emotions you can invoke with skillfully placed lines, the endless possibilities, such an overlooked invitation of imagination. I love the visual art of Balto, they never doubted how well attuned kids are to visual storytelling. I hope to someday create an animated wolf piece, I have a singular episode of a series idea in the process of being created that I may upload on my main account once finished - a bit of an homage to the films and UA-cam series that inspired me to draw as a child. Such things helped me gain my footing in hopes of becoming a mangaka, an animator, even a musician, I owe a lot to those wonderful wanderings Balto ( and others ) put my mind in. Scattered thoughts, just a few of the thousands of stories I could tell about wolves and being a kid. I'd absolutely recommend giving the youtube series "The White Wolf With the Blue Eyes" and "eighty-six" a viewing, seeing how you're into dark animal fiction- beware the blood and gory visuals, also quite slow paced! Loving the Wolf's Rain music btw, it was partially those early internet W's R AMVs that inspired me to play electric guitar!
Not only have You shared a thoughtful, intellectual journey with us about this film, You have honored the vastly talented creators with featured importance to their achievements, their animated masterpieces, in your research along the way... "Secret of NIMH", "The Plague Dogs" , "The Iron Giant", "Fantastic Mr. Fox", and " Water Ship Down"... among others.
Yo what the heck, I was just watching your One For Sorrow video when you mentioned you'd be covering Balto someday, only to discover today, 9 months or so after that video, the day I was watching it, was in fact, that day! I'm looking forward to this - Happy Holidays!
Any kid even slightly interested in animals experiences that white wolf scene like it was Gandalf the White coming to Helm's Deep. It was one of my first experiences of cinematic awe. James Horner really killed it. And the body language and character design of the animals is genuinely so good. Another wonderful video!
Agreed. This film's score is absolutely incredible.
To this day I get choked up just from THINKING about this scene. It's so powerful and perfect.
OMG yes! That moment when hope returns. Beautiful.
My brother ran up to the screen and howled lol
Don’t mind me just sitting here in tears from watching just the clip of that scene. Wow
I’ve watched this 149 times already, and can confirm that it is indeed a certified Cardinal West classic.
Yoooooo Cardinal West hearted my comment. Let’s goooooooo
149 times the day it was posted??? Wow.
@@pinkajou656 and even considering it's an hour long video...
truly impressive
When I was little my mom would tell me that the white wolf was Balto's mother's spirit giving him hope, courage and confidence back. Super cute to think back on it now lol. Wonderful video to bring me back to that time ❤️
I actually thought that is exactly what it was because isn't lore wise his mother a white wolf named anayu ?
Balto is one of my favorite movies. Even though it hits differently for me as an adult, it still hits hard. It's a shame it wasn't a financial success, and was the last movie Amblimation ever made.
Nice to see another FF7 fan here Happy New Year.
didn't balto have a sequel with his daughters and other wolves?
@@eliisemiku7590 Two sequels. Both of them have major problems, but many people still like them.
If Amblimation had to go, at least Balto was an excellent sendoff
"Kids" movies have usually had the hardest-hitting moments in them for me. I still remember the moment the doctor confirms he's out of anti-toxin.
That's because the materials used to make a movie 'adult' are usually cheap overused distractions for the audience. Gore, romance, jumpscares, etc. A kids' movie that isn't entitely mind-numbing needs actual substance.
@@demo2823 Agreed!
@@demo2823 Gore and romance in films, animated or otherwise, doesn’t always have to be a bad thing, just as long as they are written and constructed into the films well. Animated classics like “Watership Down” and “Princess Mononoke” have plenty of gore, but those films are widely remembered and cherished because of their thematic depth, animation, and characterization, and didn’t just rely on gore to sell the movie. I think the issue with most “adult” animated films is that they simply rely on shock value, heavy use of swearing or raunchy jokes that they come across as juvenile and more immature than the higher-quality animated films I mentioned, or “Balto”, that are actually mature in a good way but also can be enjoyed by kids and families.
Fully agree about the hard hitting moments. For me it was see the kid sized coffins and the dejection of the man making them. That got me as a 7 year old kid.
Another powerful moment is when Balto sees the carpenter sadly stacking child-sized coffins
In Balto II Balto actually mentions he remembers his mother being a wolf with snow white fur and a beautiful voice. I know some people aren't big fans of the white wolf being given an identity since it was meant to be vague, but I remember losing my mind as a kid at the realization it was his mother, and the idea of Balto having a vision of her in his time of need made the scene so much more impactful to me. Chokes me up every time
Yeah! I also especially loved that moment where it looks like she walks away, and yet as soon as he howls it's almost like the vale drops and you see she was still there the whole time just waiting for him.
It still isn't necessarily her. He was weaned by his mother, he might have vague childhood memories of her.
White wolf being his mother is my fav interpretation. I thought that as a child and I still do after all those years.
I also can see it as an interpretation of that classic line parents tell their children "I'll always be here, even when you can't see me."
When Balto is in trouble, whether knowing it or not, his mother/mother's spirit comes to him and reminds him of the strength within himself ❤️
When I first saw the film as a small child I originally thought the white wolf was Balto's mother. That it was her spirit come back to show him that he has the strength within him to make the journey.
Man I missed hand drawn and 2D animation in old days I wished they would bring back it original glory and prominence before being overtaken and overshadowed by 3D and CGI animation
And this is why people like Don Bluth were big animator icons I know he didn't work on this film, but Im sure some others who worked with him at the time before they or after worked on this film, we need bring it back 3D and CGI is fine but even AI stuff which causing some negatives to be honest we still need human hands and brains to make stuff like this again, I miss it so much.
If you haven't already, you should check out the films by Cartoon Saloon. They do some really excellent 2D hand-drawn animated movies, Wolfwalkers from a couple years ago is absolutely beautiful.
My words... my thoughts
@@pugnacious6290 they recently made a new one too on Netflix!
CGI has ruined movies as it has made it too "easy" to make sub par movies in a quick fashion without any regard for storytelling. Most movies after the 2000s that have relied on CGI have mostly all lost its edge.
I'm so glad someone took some time to talk about how beautiful this movie is. And that I have read so many lovely comments here!!! I literally bawled my eyes out while watching this! THANK YOU!
Me too!
This channel was a breath of fresh air in the video essay genre that is now plagued by people just reciting what happens through the media they talk about, thank you for giving proper care to the context and production
This movie and spirit stallion of the cimarron were both massive inspirations to me as a child and are still some of my all time favourite movies. They are the reason I’ve pursued animation as a career and I know they’ll inspire generations of children to come
There are so many beautiful little touches in this film, from the funny like how the telegraphist laughs in morse and his dog barks likewise, to the really touching, like how when the people celebrate Balto on his return. As they reach to pet him he shies away for a second, not used to human touch.
This is a film I’m desperate to see receive more recognition. It’s one of the last movies of the hand drawn animation era before CGI took over. (Although character coloring and many lighting and other special effects were done in photoshop.) It’s critically underrated and is one of the most impactful G-rated movies I’ve ever seen. I’m not asking for a live action remake or anything, but I wish Universal would give it more attention. It’d be cool if they did something in 2025, which will be the 30th anniversary of the movies release, and the 100th anniversary of the great race of mercy.
The white wolf sequence still gives me chills every time I see it. I love how it's never explained. You just have to FEEL it. I (and a lot of others) always got the sense that the white wolf was Balto's mother. Either her spirit or a vision of her.
Its still too goofy though, Princess Mononoke had better looking wolves.
@@counterstrike89 Balto has cartoonified animals. It's stylized. Princess Mononoke is animated in a more realistic style. They're very different things and neither is better or worse. It's just up to an individual's preference.
@@iclynnx I agree with that, I know its completely different, but my problem is, the Disney style in America got way to overused, and no one created something new, which can be done.
@@counterstrike89 Actually a fair criticism. I like that Pixar and Dreamworks have started experimenting with styles rather than trying to achieve realism. Examples being Turning Red (+ Luca) and Puss in Boots 2: The Last Wish. Spiderverse really inspired everyone to strive for more than "how realistic can we make it?" CGI animation is really starting to shine. Can't forget Arcane, animated by Fortiche, using both computer generated and hand-drawn effects.
@@iclynnx I still think the CGI has a too fast and too smooth look about it, I mean if you look at say the intro to the 1980s Thunder Cats, there's no way you can duplicate that with CGI, that can only come from the experienced hand of talented artist.
I always admire "Balto" as part of my childhood and I used to loved it because of its beautiful animation work and I like the true story, I put this movie with my other favorite animated movies like "Anastasia", "Lady And The Tramp" and my most favorite movie from the year of my birth "The Prince Of Egypt".
Interesting. My most favorite animated film of the year of my birth is Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”. I put “Balto” as one of my favorite animated films, too, along with “Beauty and The Beast”, “Howl’s Moving Castle”, and “Castle In The Sky”. I’m so glad that my mom and my elders exposed me to animated films like “The Secret of NIMH”, “Spirited Away” and “The Black Cauldron”, films that were grounded with heavy thematic material instead of being pandering.
I watched the first half of this last night, fell asleep intending to finish it in the morning, and woke up to an entire remaster? Christmas miracle.
(Excellent work man, I’ve been binging your channel for a few days now, starting with the video about Fox and the Hound changing the animation landscape. Every video has been a treat so far)
Balto was a very important movie to my childhood much like the book White Fang was. It's such a gorgeous film with some very emotional messaging.
First, extra points for the Wolf's Rain OST use. If you ever do a video on that series you'll have a watcher in me.
Thank you for explaining why so many 90s-00s kids have taken to this movie. It's not the first animated movie to use animals in a metaphor for an anti-racism message (Land Before Time is another good example) but it's one of the best examples of such from my childhood. Perhaps watching this is partly why I'm still fascinated with the North and look up the nature and culture of Alaska, Canada, northern Russia etc. often. Kudos for giving the full background of the 1925 serum run. It's stories like that that are a credit to our species - and the canines'.
This film along iwth the others, shaped my childhood. I'd never seen such beautiful and surreal animation, along with the story that completely blew my 6 year old brain away. I often had dreams of it, and I watched all the movies again and again and again. I've never seen much appreciation for them so I'm very happy that someone else loves them as much as I do.
I always thought the white wolf was like, the specter of Balto's wolf mother, idk it just felt natural to me
Same! After watching this video I was like oh wait maybe it's something else, but as a kid I always thought it was his mother
The movie's director Simon Wells has said in an interview that Balto's mother is a dog and his father is a wolf.
But this is the best part of interpretations - each one is different, and each one can have merit. My problem is in the sequels they made her Balto's mother which ruined the whole mysticism THIS scene originally had
I forgot how much the Heritige of the Wolf scene makes me cry.
This movie makes me want to go back to the beautiful and meaningful animations of before. Especially those based on animal protagonists. It's something I'm thinking about for the future.
I havent watched this movie since i was a child back in the early 2000s, and watching this now unlocked that deep ugly crying i had back then as well xD. A great piece to watch as the temperature outside sits in the negatives looming christmas eve, thank you for making this!
UA-cam tossed you into my recs and I fell in love, as an artist making xenofiction comics, getting to find your discussions gave me a huge boost to genre.
Thank you so much for this video! Growing up Balto was one of my most beloved movies, and after seeing TOGO I felt sad that what I had accepted as a fantastically embellished story of childhood, negated to mention the bravery of other dogs and their mushers. I didn’t really know how to feel about Balto which I had once cherished.
Thank you for telling the whole story, and also arguing that the spirit in which Baltos animated story was told lives in harmony and in respect with the real life events, relieved me of any guilt I had and helps me once again unconditionally adore this movie !
This movie has a special place in my heart and revisiting it with you was truly a fantastic journey, thank you so much!
I've always been fascinated by both Balto and Jenna, Balto for seeing myself in him and Jenna for thinking she was a pretty dog.
I own that book "The Cruelest Miles" . I wanted to do a retelling of these events from the dogs perspective and was using it for research. Great read
Balto is one of those movies that I will never forget. It was a masterpiece
The thing that blows my mind every time, year and year, is how genuinely cold the atmospheres look. It is not a disney winter like it is in 'more sophisticated' frozen and friends, it's the genuine low angle of sun, blinding white, and dark blue of arctic winters, and I think that's why it never gets old for me.
I actually cried like 3 times watching this video because of how beautiful and nostalgic the music and animation is
The red lantern is not only a metaphor but something that’s actually part of the race. The last person to finish the race gets the red lantern award.
I showed Balto to my students during our holiday party before winter break. They’d never seen it before and were all super engaged and ended up loving it. It’s really hard to get kids to sit and watch a movie because they are so used to things like TikTok and UA-cam shorts and other short form content. But they sat and watched Balto, and they loved it.
Thank you for this deep-dive into one of my greatest childhood favorites. Brought me to tears, and I loved the thoughtful historical introduction to balance the fantasy of the movie.
I grew up watching this, too. Even when I was younger, I could tell that it was different than the other movies. On par with the first Land Before Time and the first Rescuers movie for dark subject matter, thematic resonance, film quality in general, and how much “heart” was put into the film rather than just looking to make something that makes money.
That said, even as a child I **hated** those idiot polar bears… as in I was genuinely angry that the animators put them in to make the film “more child friendly” aka patronizing af.
TL;DR: thank you for doing a video on Balto this close to Christmas. You’re appreciated.
Your enthusiasm for the genre encouraged me to pick up your Book+pdf combo. I didn't want to wait to start reading but I still wanted a physical copy... Merry Christmas!
This was one of my favorite movies as a kid! But shout out to Togo, the real hero is in the serum run! 🐕
Wow! 😃 I just watched the older version of this video on the 27th anniversary of its release, and I had to do a double take when I saw that there was a re-release of this awesome video/analysis.
"Balto" was one of those animated classics that got me through middle and high school as well as adolescence because I could easily relate to the title character's inner conflict. As a child, I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, a milder form of autism spectrum disorder. I can't speak for everyone who has Asperger's Syndrome (as ASD manifests itself differently for different individuals), but for me, it's like being a hybrid, or being half-autistic and half neuro-typical. Because of this, I seem relatively "normal" but with quirks that can set some people off-guard. For instance, I am a huge nature lover, and I can remember taking a cricket out the backdoor in the science classroom and hearing the classroom snicker as I put the insect outside to prevent it from being squished. Also, over the years, I have witnessed hobbies and interests that people on the spectrum or geeks tend to enjoy (i.e. animation/anime) or ASD itself become the subject of heavy derision. People tend to misperceive both people on the spectrum and animation in general as being juvenile. Thankfully, these once-common misperceptions are slowly shifting away from that.
Anyway, I love your documentary/analysis on the true events that transpired almost a century ago and the animated feature film. For awhile, I found this movie to be decent but cheesy, but after seeing this video, I see this film with a new set of eyes. I don't think the film is perfect, and I agree that the polar bears Muk and Luk were not needed (which is a shame, since I like some of Phil Collins’ songs and believe he was wasted playing this role), but much of the film still holds up even after more than 25 years. I've noticed that the storytelling techniques of "Balto" share some similarities with Studio Ghibli films, like certain scenes having little to no dialogue and letting the animation and music tell the story. Also, many Ghibli films' conflicts revolve around man against nature and/or man against self, and I am always intrigued by stories delving into the character's inner conflicts. Speaking of Ghibli, Jim Cummings also voiced one of the antagonists in the film, "Castle In The Sky". I had a good laugh listening to his voice when watching the film the first time many months ago, and thought to myself, "Is that Jim Cummings? He almost sounds like Steele!"
😄 Plus, Mark Hamill, the voice of another antagonist in "Castle In The Sky" also voiced the antagonist in "Balto: Wolf Quest".
Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts, and I hope you have a merry Christmas! 🎅⛄❄🎁♾
I went to New York City in 2016, and one of the things I've always wanted to see was the Balto statue and was so excited to finally see it in person, I love this film and watched it a lot between 2001-2003, I also remember watching this film with my grandfather (who passed in 2017) and he accurately predicted the whole plot at the scene where Balto watched Steele and his dog sled team leave.
This movie was my favorite and still lasts to be to this day. I even wanted to run the iditarod so bad as a kid. Im so glad I found your channel again, it's been a breath of fresh air and I got so many good book recommendations in the last few days. Thanks for what you do, it's obvious you put a lot of work into the research and presentation.
Just hearing the soundtrack brought tears to my eyes
Balto is and always my favorite movie
I grew up watching Balto II but got the chance to watch the first one a few years back. Wonderful experience.
I have so many things to say about Balto (great video, btw!!), but the main thing that I always loved about the movie was the theme about belonging.
I have noticed in so many people with a mixed background, thus feeling of not belonging anywhere. I see it in people who are mixed race and I see it in people who came from one culture but grew up in another. This existential homelessness has fascinated me and torn at my heartstrings for years. We have so many middle eastern immigrants in my country, Denmark, who are ethnically 100% middle eastern, but culturally they are a strange mix of their parents' background and Danish. For me, I just see them as Danes at this point, because we have had a growing population of middle easterners for a few decades now so it's not a new and strange sight here anymore. But I know that for many of them, there is an existential homelessness there, where they don't feel fully Danish and then when they visit their country of origin, where they thought they would fit in, they stand out even more. I have close friends who are mixed race and who struggle with felling like they don't fit in. One is part Asian and has struggled with feeling like they aren't Danish enough, despite being one of the most Danish people I know. I have another friend who lives in the middle east who is part white and passes for white and they too feel alienated in their own country.
It's just such a fascinating topic and Balto nails it so well. We all have aspects of ourselves that alienates us from being content with who we are and it doesn't all have to be about where you grew up or who your parents are. Sometimes it's as simple as not fitting in with the other kids in school because your brain works differently from the others or your interests or personality doesn't fit with the group.
But the theme of being stuck in limbo with your own identity is a very important one and I genuinely feel like Balto handled that subject in a way that every kid could understand and, if not in the moment then later on in adulthood, reflect on.
I also agree with you on the score. What a powerful masterpiece that was. We were so spoiled in the 90s. What a decade that was for western animation.
Rewatching this movie… I now realize my high expectations in men come from a cartoon Kevin Bacon dog 😵💫 good thing my husband was up to snuff 😂
I appreciate this video but I am disappointed you didn’t mention Jenna’s voice actor when you mentioned everyone else’s during the introductions. Sorry if it seems like a nitpick. Just something I noticed
I also must have watched Balto more than a dozen times when I was young, and I always loved it. Watching your retrospective reminded me of how excellent it could be, visually and musically, just as much now as when I saw it twenty years ago. I got a bit choked up during some of the scenes during your video, but when that Heritage of the Wolf scene played out, I definitely shed some tears. Just on its own, that sequence is so powerful.
I'm glad I found your channel through this video!
I teared up like 3 times during this video. Balto was never a movie that I would say was a favorite of mine, but I did like it A LOT and rewatched it COUNTLESS times as a kid to the point that even though I haven't seen it in at least 15 years, I remembered every single clip here. But I never fully grasped how deep it really was back then. Seeing it now as an adult... honestly astounding. What a fantastic underrated film. I know so many people who have never even HEARD of Balto and I feel like they missed so much!
Your part about our childhood films affecting us as we age is so true. So many scenes from the film bore into my brain and I used them for inspiration in my own works. Watership Down was THE piece of media that changed my entire creative mind. I wouldn't be ME without that film.
Also, I am always SO happy to hear people talk about Togo and the other dogs while discussing Balto. Poor guys got the short end of the stick!
Fantastic breakdown of one of my favorite movies of all time. This film was my introduction to the 1925 sled dog relay and pushed me to study it further. So, even though it is framed as a grandmother's fable, it did lead me to learn the true story. I so miss animation like this.
The fact this man is pushing 30 caught me off guard so much.
I know Balto isn't a Don Bluth film, but I', 90% sure I just ran into Don Bluth in a Walmart bathroom.
Excellently written video, man, and with editing to match.
Your choice of music to have in the background is always a nice touch, too. Whether it's an ambiance track from The Witcher, well, providing ambiance, or the theme from Fullmetal Alchemist when discussing mortality. Spot-on.
You're articulate with your points and rarely carry on past the point where what you're saying is made clear. You being a writer makes sense.
this was the only kids dvd my grandparents owned when i was growing up, everything else was opera and church stuff. i’ll never forget this gem for the many times grandad and i parked up on the couch around Christmas and just watched this movie together
In my opinion, CGI is ruining animation. Even direct to VHS animated films with hand painted animation was very high quality compared to most direct to DVD CG films. especially those bargain bin atrocities. The only thing I don't like about Balto is that it's not done with cels.
“From The year of my birth…1995” (and thus I flinch) but well done and I grew up watching this too thanks for the historical context and attention to detail.
Such a great movie, I remember relating to balto so much being mixed white and native American not really fitting in anywhere. The scene with the tiny coffins was so profound conveying the unnatural greif of burying children. This was a very well done presentation 👏 👍 I'm 33 years old and I still tear up at the white wolf scene. Even though people will say it's not historically accurate most of us wouldn't know the real story at all if not for this movie
I've only just started the video but I just know you're going to agree with me that James Horner went hard on this soundtrack.
That scene with the tiny coffin hit me SO HARD as a kid. As well as of course the iconic white wolf moment. I loved this movie and it had some really funny moments too!
Tho when you had clips of animated movies that grappled with death while playing ‘Bratja’ that may have been the hardest hitting moment of the video lol
This video is fantastic and definitely a much better one than the nostalgia critic review that I remember being shown years ago. Art at its best is illusions which point us towards truth, in a way, so nature can realize her goals. I saw Balto when it came out and that white wolf scene has never left my dreams, and you are right in that its power lies in the fact that whoever she is, it impacts regardless. Merry yuletide!
I agree. Nostalgia Critic constantly interrupted scenes giving context in the movie to make his stupid "jokes" or to put his stupid unfunny skit.
I've never seen any of his reviews, Balto was the only video of him I've seen, but I've heard pretty bad things about his reviews. It's just that his Balto video allowed me to see it for myself. Seriously, what is up with movie critics not being able to comprehend the media they're watching?
I have noticed that Balto has an unusual hold over those of us born in 1995.
My childhood is right here 😭
The Land Before Time made me cry every time, but it was always, and will always, be among my favorite films. When my mother passed away in 2020, that scene, where Littlefoot lost his mother, took on a. . . Not COMPLETELY new cast. . . But it certainly was something that comforted me, allowing me to find healing in the memories of learning to deal with death of a mother so many years ago.
And the White Wolf scene always took my breath away and brought tears to my eyes. So perfectly evocative!
My ex-boyfriend (still a very good friend) lost his mother several years ago, and I sent him a link to that scene of Littlefoot talking to Rooter. That little interaction has sooooo much packed in it, so much heart, and I hoped it would help him a bit, and it seemed to.
@@Andromeda14161 Oh man, yeah. The Rooter scene was SO impactful to the whole premise of the movie! And it gets so little praise in the scheme of things!
Only found this film a few years ago thanks to netflix recommending it to me. I thought "alright we'll try it if it's bad we'll watch something else". As soon as it got past the use of normal actors and I heard that score I instantly knew I was in for something good. I had to wipe away tears at least 3 times and it's now my second favourite film.
This film is still a timeless classic even though its fictional. Does the lesson of the story do well even if it is based on fiction? I'm inclined to say Yes it does.
The Message of the film is to accept your past, and use it in the now to help yourself and others with your gifts, even if they are considered untamed by others. Be who you are and do your best
Balto was one of my absolute fav movies as a kid but damn did I realize watching this that I am NOT used to hearing this movie in English. I'm Swedish so I ofc grew up with Swedish dub but unlike my other favorites like Hunchback of Notredam I haven't been exposed at all to hearing the English version of this one
I will say tho it surprisingly doesn't feel as jarring or wrong as it usually does, the Swedish voice actors Really invoked and tried to do the characters the same way the English did. Except for a few humans and Balto, it actually sounds strangely the same, it didn't immediately jump at me that it wasn't the version I'm used to and I don't hate it like I usually do at first
It was so long ago I watched Balto, especially the Swedish dub, that I don't remember it. Unlike the Ice Age and Madagascar movies, that I watched a lot in Swedish with my family as a kid.
Imagine my surprise in seeing a newly posted hour long video essay of Balto in my recommended. I'm another one of those who watched this film over and over as a child, and it's beauty always haunted me. I have it on Blu Ray and still pop it in from time to time.
The lack of good Balto content on the internet is sad, and I loved every part of your essay. It's nice to see someone still remembers and appreciates it into adulthood, and you managed to articulate so many thoughts I have about it so well.
Though I do like Muk and Luk ;)
dam that wolf's rain soundtrack in the background gave me whiplash
This movie was often played on TV between Christmas and New Year, and I have my birthday around that time, so it always had a special place in my heart. It was also the gateway to both online fandom spaces and my wolf phase as a tween, so when I visited New York City aged 11 it was utterly amazing to visit the memorial in Central Park. My parents and I were only there for a week but I went to see Balto three times. Even stranger, though I didn't have a particular interest in it as a child, I ended up studying infectious diseases at university. When we learned about diphtheria it only highlighted how terrible the stakes were for the people of Nome, and how relieved they must have been to receive the medicine from the dogsled relay. This film is not only beautiful but has had a profound impact on my life without me realising it until much later, and I'm glad so many others give it the attention it deserves.
Loved that irl history recap at the beginning
You know I never cried at a video essay before, but this one? Man, right in the feels my guy.
Heck no! You leave Muk and Luk alone! They're funny, and friendly, and they saved Balto's life!
damm, I forgot how incredible this movie was.
well, I didnt forget, no.
I forgot how felt to watch these scenes
Putting "Brothers" in the section where you talked about the concept of mortality hit me really hard. Wasn't expecting to get misty-eyed on UA-cam today, but here we are. Fully intending to watch Balto over the weekend and get misty-eyed over it, too.
I actually saw the movie for the first time in school, around christmas I think because although I'm dutch, I guess dutch folks thought the movie was a good holiday movie and I'd say it is! I remember being upset because when class was over (I was like 7 years old) and it was time to go home we hadn't finished the movie and I was left to wonder how it would end so I spent a lot of time trying to find the movie on youtube when I was 11 or 12 years old and had to make do with terrible quality rips. I'm glad I did it though, because while this is still my childhood, it just goes to show how childhood stuff can be hard to obstain for some even back then when you'd think this movie would be in a dollarstore bin or something. It's why videos like these matter, to keep them alive and introduce new audiences to these gems.
Another beautiful video essay, this movie was my childhood, thank you so much for covering it and making remember this masterpiece ❤️
I like how I was watching the video credits section and was like "yeah there was probably Monty Python footage in there somewhere" only to realize that it was exclusive to the after-credits stinger
It took years for this to become a hit. In 1995 it was a box office failure. It did okay on VHS. DVD it did a little better. 😭😭😭🤔🤫😎🐺
I loved Balto as a child. I also thought the white wolf was Balto's mother, it just made sense at the time
Always good to get some dog-band synergy here - thanks for the shout ;)
Thank you for this video - Balto was my favorite movie as a child, and it's wonderful to see it so thoroughly showcased the way that you have! I actually teared up rewatching the white wolf scene again. Child-Me had impeccable taste lol!
Once again, great work!
I just watched your old video last night, pretty epic
I think you would like Spirit Stallion of the Cimarron. It is similar to this, but even more subtle and artistic with the animals. The colors are not as great, but the score is one of the best film scores ever made.
I think Cardinal West should review “Spirit: Stallion of The Cimarron”, too, because I think it would be right up his alley since the film is like xenofiction due to no dialogue from the horses. What’s interesting is that some of the animators and other staff from the Amblimation studio moved to DreamWorks Animation when Amblimation went defunct. In addition, Simon Wells, the director for “Balto”, also directed the DreamWorks Animation film, “The Prince of Egypt”.
It's mostly just Brian Adams songs though
@@cursedGalataea Yeah, it seems people are split on the Bryan Adams songs in “Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron”. You either really love them or really hate them. Although I personally don’t mind the songs, I can see why some people don’t like them, either, especially if they’re not too fond of songs in movies.
@@cursedGalataea exactly. he kills it in the soundtrack
IIRC much of the core animation team on Balto went on to be the founding animators at Dreamworks as well.
This movie is what got me interested in sled dogs and the culture around it, made me appreciate the polar beauty of Alaska and so much more. It may have been highly fictional and reality was a lot harsher than the movie implies, but Balto is definitely a core memory movie right beside Treasure Planet
Also, thank you for covering the whole relay. A lot of cases skip over the effort and numbers in favor of one sled or another, especially Balto and more recently, Togo. There were many more hands and paws in the miracle run than them and they deserve the acknowledgement. Thank you.
I also always thought it was hilarious that they were so against a wolf-dog when he probably would have been massive and extremely hardy in the cold, instead of the whispy pooch he is compared to a malamute but small things 🤷♀️
About your last point, I wonder if the screenwriters put that paradox in on purpose. Balto, the wolf dog, rarely gets vicious or bares his teeth unless when he gets really angry, like when he was mocked by Steele and his minions in the alley. On the other hand, Steele, in terms of aggression, acts like a wolf stereotypically way more than Balto does. This behavior of doing or being like the very same thing that you hate is seen in people in real life, and is sometimes called psychological projection. As a Bachelors grad in psychology myself, I marvel in the prospect that Freudian concepts were introduced in the film, regardless if it was intentional or not on the screenwriters’ part. 😆
This video reminded me of another childhood film of mine that is amazing is Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. It's such a good movie, and shows the flaws in the ideals of the "pioneers" of the west.
It's too bad they just missed the point of the movie when they did that modern reboot.
I always thought the white wolf was the ghost of his mother as a kid
My sister and I loved Balto so much as kids; so happy to see that you have made a video on it! I will definitely be checking out the book you suggested on the Great Serum Run!😃
15:51 I was wondering why the movie Balto always made me think of Jack London…
"We are prisoners in a jail of ice and snow. The last boat may be justifiably considered to have gone and this little community is left to its own recourses, alone with the storms, alone with the darkness and chill of the north."
Are you certain this is from a newspaper? This feels like it's straight from a novel.
Watched as much decent Balto review/analysis content as I could find on UA-cam, and this one (didn't even need a remaster that much) is still the best. Due to the similar to the movie down-to-earth tone and obvious audible (as well as visible) emotional investment in it.
I loved your analysis and explanation of the film and its strengths! You deserve many more subscribers
I can see this man maing a video about spirit stallion of the cimarron...and I'm waiting for the day to come
Thanks for making this video, it was such an enjoyable watch. Growing up in the rural country, surrounded by nature, dogs have been in my life since I was born, and there was always a sort of reverence for them, both as family members and companions. Parents always told me to "take the dogs with you" whenever I went out exploring, so they could watch out for snakes, coyotes, bobcats, and wolves (the few that were left back then). Dogs were always a positive force throughout my childhood.
I remember reading a small picture book about Balto when I was around five or six, and being captivated by the heroism centered around a team of sled dogs. Once the film came out about a year or so later, I remember going to see it with my family. It only seemed natural that dogs would go to such lengths to save humans, as that was how they were in my own life.
It's a real shame they don't make animation like this anymore. These are the kinds of films we need to preserve and show to our children.
The scene of Balto crying with his paw over his face just slams my heart everytime. It was also interesting to me as a kid even that they don't kill Steel. Disney would've had him die on that cliff. Amblimation went with a more powerful route I think. Nothing could be worse for a raging megalomaniac like Steel to be publicly exposed as a weak fool and ostracized for it.
You really need to be picked up by a streaming service and given a budget and access to a full team so more people can see your work. I absolutely adore what you put out. Keep it up!! Balto always was a favorite, as a bit of an outcast myself who lived on the edge of a small town growing up to say I identified pretty hard with the main character of this film is a vast understatement and it is one I will happily re-watch today. Heritage of the Wolf is an absolute banger of a scene.
wow, talk about timing - my fiancée and I just found your channel and finished the original version of this video last weekend!
I don't even know where to begin about how much this movie impacted my life way-back-when. I know I found it at the thrift store, on a beaten up vhs that shone to child me like a ray of holy light. The heroic story of a wolf, the sled dogs, the sled dog racing, the atmosphere and the music and everything about it. I couldn't stop drawing the scenes and interactions, in comics and stills, even creating comics very much different from the original material. It wasn't quite what first awoke my wolf, but it brightly lit the flames and kept them alight.
The thing I believe is unique about my experience with Balto is that I was born, raised, and still live in my home Alaska. Howling at the moon in the dead of winter, at the Aurora borealis, laying in the sub zero snow at midnight with my sister watching the stars whilst pretending to be the white wolf and a human child she had befriended. I remember creating sled paths in our yard by crawling endlessly through the deep snow then pretending to be a sled dog, pulling my sister across the trails on our orange sled ( I'm proud to say out of our friends I was the fastest sled dog, stated clearly by my sister!)
It was customary we learned about sled dog racing in school and it was wonderful, I remember in 5th grade being one of 3 kids who maneuvered a musher's sled into our classroom so that real Iditarod racers could explain its functions and elements while we climbed all over it. After which, we brought it back outside and the whole class got to play with one of their sled dogs. My parents have family friends who are mushers and I remember going to their dog yards and playing with all the huskies in their little huts. I remember also, my dad was an adamant adventurer and would relentlessly take me and my sister on adventures, in positive 90 and negative 20, whether we wanted to or not. The Alaskan wilderness, another home of mine, and the place I lived as a wild wolf- running through tundras (would't advise in areas with tussock), climbing tors, finding unseen edens in the wild and even climbing the gold-dredge! I always could trick my sister into playing along, even if she was a kitten in our games I was overjoyed to be a wolf!
One of the things I find ever appreciated in Balto is the portrayal of the Alaskan wilderness in winter. Snow is reflective and at any given moment will reflect the color of the sky- and as you said, we have late sunrises and early sunsets ( in winter) so at 3 during the day the snow often reflects shades of bright yellow, orange, and pink. Even when the Aroura is out, if you're in a dark enough place it's light will be mirrored in the snow.
Balto was greatly involved in my early life journey with art, I never could stop drawing wolves, it was beyond obsessive and helped me connect with and convince other kids to play games with me. There was a repeated effort in school that whenever I struck a chord with someone else we would attempt to create a wolf-centered art club, I would be the teacher and help others draw wolves. This art obsession has grown far beyond wolves, and far beyond paper art. I've always been entranced by animation, I created many paper and digital animations growing up and still do it. The expressions in movement and the emotions you can invoke with skillfully placed lines, the endless possibilities, such an overlooked invitation of imagination. I love the visual art of Balto, they never doubted how well attuned kids are to visual storytelling. I hope to someday create an animated wolf piece, I have a singular episode of a series idea in the process of being created that I may upload on my main account once finished - a bit of an homage to the films and UA-cam series that inspired me to draw as a child. Such things helped me gain my footing in hopes of becoming a mangaka, an animator, even a musician, I owe a lot to those wonderful wanderings Balto ( and others ) put my mind in.
Scattered thoughts, just a few of the thousands of stories I could tell about wolves and being a kid. I'd absolutely recommend giving the youtube series "The White Wolf With the Blue Eyes" and "eighty-six" a viewing, seeing how you're into dark animal fiction- beware the blood and gory visuals, also quite slow paced! Loving the Wolf's Rain music btw, it was partially those early internet W's R AMVs that inspired me to play electric guitar!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful experience with this movie.
Not only have You shared a thoughtful, intellectual journey with us about this film, You have honored the vastly talented creators with featured importance to their achievements, their animated masterpieces, in your research along the way... "Secret of NIMH", "The Plague Dogs" , "The Iron Giant", "Fantastic Mr. Fox", and " Water Ship Down"... among others.
Can you imagine being the sole doctor, isolated, and then having to handle an epidemic?
Just as Disney, art used in it's natural, genuine way. I miss animation and hand drawn works and world!!
Outstanding as always!
Yo what the heck, I was just watching your One For Sorrow video when you mentioned you'd be covering Balto someday, only to discover today, 9 months or so after that video, the day I was watching it, was in fact, that day!
I'm looking forward to this - Happy Holidays!