▁animated ▁films ▁usually ▁focused ▁on ▁adult ▁fare ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁influence ▁of ▁Ralph ▁Bak sh i ▁films . ▁However , ▁even ▁though ▁they ▁didn ' t ▁became ▁popular ▁until ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 9 0 s ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 0 s ▁due ▁to ▁public ▁preference ▁of ▁TV ▁animation , ▁some ▁well - known ▁films ▁were ▁made ▁during ▁the ▁ 8 0 s , ▁especially ▁with ▁Don ▁Bl uth . ▁A ter ▁he ▁left ▁Disney ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁Bl uth ▁formed ▁his ▁first ▁animation ▁studio ▁and ▁produced ▁the ▁moder ately - success ful ▁The ▁Secret ▁of ▁N IM H ▁( 1 9 8 2 ). ▁Bl uth ▁later ▁te amed ▁up ▁with ▁Steven ▁Spiel berg ▁to ▁produce ▁An ▁American ▁T ail ▁( 1 9 8 6 ) ▁and ▁The ▁Land ▁Before ▁Time ▁( 1 9 8 8 ) ▁which ▁both ▁became ▁box - office ▁success , ▁and ▁proved ▁there ▁was ▁still ▁confidence ▁in ▁animation ▁for ▁the aters . ▁After ▁breaking ▁up ▁with ▁Spiel berg , ▁Bl uth ▁independently ▁produced ▁All ▁D ogs ▁Go ▁To ▁Heaven ▁( 1 9 8 9 ). ▁Meanwhile , ▁the ▁Disney ▁studio ▁was ▁having ▁hor rible ▁times ▁and ▁the ▁box - office ▁failure ▁of ▁The ▁Black ▁Ca uld ron ▁( 1 9 8 5 ) ▁almost ▁put ▁the ▁studio ▁in ▁je op ard y . ▁However , ▁in ▁later ▁years , ▁the ▁mod est ▁success ▁of ▁The ▁Great ▁Mouse ▁Det ect ive ▁( 1 9 8 6 ), ▁and ▁their ▁collaboration ▁with ▁Spiel