Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- whimsical
- kinetic
- romantic
- family movie night
- animation showcase
What critics said
Critics broadly admired the film's extraordinary hand-drawn animation while finding its re-edited narrative, songs, voiceovers, and added footage uneven.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The animation bends perspective, shape, and form around elaborate movement and constantly shifting visual compositions.
The royal city, vizier, princess, desert setting, prophecy, magic, and One-Eye army evoke Arabian Nights traditions.
Richard Williams's long production history and distinctive hand-drawn craft are central to the film's reputation and identity.
The Thief's antics, Zigzag's theatrical villainy, and the film's escalating battles rely heavily on movement, timing, and visual metamorphosis.
Films like The Thief and the Cobbler, and why
Aladdin
hand-drawn fantasy adventure, musical spectacle, comic villains, and a princess-centered quest
The Princess and the Frog
family-friendly animated fantasy with ornate visual design, romance, and a struggle against authoritarian evil
The Secret of Kells
surreal hand-drawn fantasy, eccentric humor, and visually transformative animation
Movie Details
- Director
- Richard Williams
- Release Date
- 1993-09-23
- Runtime
- 72 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (146)
Cast
- Vincent Price
- Matthew Broderick
- Jennifer Beals
- Anthony Quayle
- Joan Sims
- Donald Pleasence
- Jonathan Winters
- Paul Matthews
- Miriam Margolyes
- Eric Bogosian
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Thief and the Cobbler about?
- A bashful cobbler and a determined princess race to recover magical palace orbs before a scheming vizier unleashes an army on their city.
- What is The Thief and the Cobbler like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Thief and the Cobbler as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Thief and the Cobbler violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Thief and the Cobbler as mild.
- What did critics think of The Thief and the Cobbler?
- Critics broadly admired the film's extraordinary hand-drawn animation while finding its re-edited narrative, songs, voiceovers, and added footage uneven.
- Which films are like The Thief and the Cobbler?
- Films with a similar feel include Aladdin, The Princess and the Frog, and The Secret of Kells.
- How long is The Thief and the Cobbler?
- The Thief and the Cobbler runs 72 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Thief and the Cobbler?
- In United States, The Thief and the Cobbler is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
