Like many of the other reviewers on this site, my earliest memories of seeing this cartoon were created in my after-school program, with the film being shown on an old projector. I remember Rikki-Tikki-Tavi to be one of the coolest films that we were shown as kids back in the mid '80s. This cartoon classic had everything: adventure, humor, suspense, just a touch of evil (with the two cobras, Nag and Nagaina) to make things interesting, a great story, and a happy ending.
Fast-forward to the present day. By chance, I saw this video for sale at the local Wal-Mart, and the memories started to come back into my mind. Needless to say, I bought the video and watched it again this afternoon. Everything was almost exactly as I remember it from back in the day. Plus, since I've grown wiser with my years, I came to recognize this cartoon as a real classic piece of work. The animation is solid and consistent, just what you'd expect from Chuck Jones. All of the voice work is good, but the stand-out performance has to go to Orson Welles as the narrator, Nag, and the sniveling muskrat. Not only do I now know about Welles being the mastermind behind "Citizen Kane", I also respect his work from his later years, as he provided narration for a couple of killer Manowar songs. I'm glad that I bought the video, as it will most likely become a well-loved addition to my collection. See this with your kids and let them create their own memories of this great cartoon!
