Rock-a-Doodle/YMMV


 * Adaptation Displacement: This movie is very loosely based on a little-known play called Chanticler written by Edmond Rostand. In the play, a rooster named Chanticler is the protagonist, the Goldie character is a non-anthropomorphic pheasant, Edmond and the magical elements are completely absent, and both Patou and the Grand Duke appear (although both have significantly smaller roles than they do in the movie). Most significantly, Chanticler's crowing does not make the sun rise, and he accepts that.
 * Animation Age Ghetto: Although Siskel & Ebert mostly pointed out the flawed plot, they both griped about the amount of violence and darkness in the film, saying that violence does not belong in a children's film. One has to wonder what made them think this was strictly a children's film. Maybe because it's animated. They made the same complaints for most of Don Bluth's previous films as well.
 * But as the front page notes, it's not just animated. It's G-rated, edits out any references to alcohol, characters burst into song at the drop of a hat, and the bad guys can be scared off by a flashlight. It has all the hallmarks of not just being for children, but for young children.
 * Non Sequitur Scene: The Don Bluth staple. Especially weird is where Edmund apparently runs into his own BRAIN?! after Peepers' Disney Death, to resolve a minor character flaw.
 * Cult Classic: Despite its flaws, its a decent children's film that tries to tell an interesting story.
 * Ensemble Darkhorse: The people who like this movie tend to like the Duke's hilariously psychotic nephew, Hunch. Let's be honest, though, did you really care about how this boy who got turned into a kitten was going to find this big rooster so he can bring up the sun again, or did you wonder why the nutty little owl is so desparate for his uncle's affection? Also the Duke.
 * Snipes, although being Eddie Deezen helps a lot.
 * Jumping the Shark: For a lot of fans, this is when Don Bluth's movies started to go downhill.
 * Memetic Sex God: Everyone's Chanticleer for Goldie.
 * Mondegreen: The whole "adequate pipe" bit.
 * Jeepers, I'm a furry! (The line is actually "I'm all furry", but the kid's terrible acting makes it sound very different.)
 * Narm: Really scary owl designed to be a really intimidating villain pukes Lucky Charms. And, as already mentioned, his sidekick calls him "Uncle Dukie."
 * The fact that the Duke can be driven away by a flashlight makes him even less threatening.
 * Not to mention that weird subplot with the dog Patoo struggling to tie his shoes.
 * Best line ever when taken out of context: "And now I'm licking myself!"
 * "IT'S AN AQUEDUCT PIIIIPE!"
 * Multiple inflections of, "Oh, no!" from the aforementioned furry throughout the movie.
 * GIANT TWEE! A HUNDWED FEET AND CLOOOSSIIIING!
 * Patoo's almost demonic whispering of "Chanticleer"
 * The owl henchmen. They sing amusingly stupid songs (this troper listens to them when she needs a good laugh), one of them prances to the table with a picnic basket during their last song, the same owl and another owl show a psychotic look during the same song, the second song they sing is about batteries and it's only about twenty seconds long, and if you pay close attention to them when Edmond shines the helicopter light on them, they cling to each other.
 * Thanks to his hilarious Elmuh Fudd Syndwome, almost everything Edmund says is narm, or just annoying depending on your opinion.
 * "Attention owls, this is Edmund. We have Chanticleer!"
 * The big chase scene isn't nearly as dramatic as it could be.
 * Snark Bait: Easily.
 * So Bad It's Good
 * The Scrappy: Edmond and the actor who plays him. His voice alone is completely annoying, not to mention the rest of the character.
 * This Is Your Premise on Drugs: Chaucer on Acid?!
 * What the Hell, Casting Agency?: Christopher Plummer as The Duke Of Owls.
 * Hell, Glen Campbell as Chanticleer. Campbell's music was hardly Elvis-esque.
 * Well, both did do pretty damn good jobs all things considering.
 * The Woobie: Edmund is supposed to be one, but it didn't work. However, some viewers feel sorry for Hunch, the Grand Duke's much-abused nephew.