Directors: Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton S. Luske, Wolfgang Reitherman
Starring: Rod Taylor, Ben Wright, Cate Bauer, Lisa Davis
Running Time: 80 minutes
Certificate: U
Extras: Redefining The Line: The Making Of 101 Dalmatians, Virtual Dalmatians To The Rescue!, Cruella De Vil: Drawn To Be Bad, Sincerely Yours, Walt Disney, 101 Pop-Up Trivia Facts, English-language learning activities
Back in 1959 Disney released SLEEPING BEAUTY to critical acclaim and audience approval, but the work and cost put into the production almost killed our most beloved family entertainment goliath. Fortunately they survived, but things had changed. Then 1961 saw the release of 101 DALMATIANS, with scratchy animation, and action confined to small and simple © 2012 Disney rooms. Gone were the gregarious colours and glorious landscapes of SLEEPING BEAUTY and others before. Disney was back to basics and it worked; 101 DALMATIANS has grossed over $140 million in the US including various re-releases.
Told almost entirely from the perspective of Pongo (Taylor), who begins the film with owner Roger (Wright), 101 DALMATIANS is a classic tale of good versus evil. Good: Roger and Pongo, and Roger’s new missus Anita (Davis) and Perdita (Bauer) against evil: Cruella De Vil (The Cruel Devil), and to a lesser extent her money-hungry henchmen Horace and Jasper. Following a night of too much wine Pongo and Perdita get down and dirty, and eight-nine weeks later 15 little ones crawl out. However, keen on a new spotty fur coat, Cruella tries to buy the dogs but fails when Roger stands in her way, so she does what all evil people do, and tries to nick ’em all.
At just 80 minutes 101 DALMATIANS passes the time pleasantly enough: it’s paced well and largely enjoyable, but there is something missing. Each of the Disney films released prior to this had a little bit of magic: Dumbo flying, Pinnochio and the whale, and Alice In Wonderland’s plain bonkers-ness. 101 DALMATIANS just doesn’t have that little extra to raise it above mediocrity. Undoubtedly, in 1961 it was deemed a marvel – indeed the opening credits are fantastically inventive in their use of dog spots –but judged next to the leviathan of animated movies we now have it just sits comfortably in the middle. Something of a misstep for Disney, 101 DALMATIANS is merely adequate entertainment when judged by Uncle Walt’s previous output.
101 DALMATIANS is available on Disney Blu-Ray and Disney DVD now and can be purchased here
