101 Dalmatiner

"One Hundred and One Dalmatians" is among my Mouse House's favorites.And Cruella is second only to Sleeping Beauty's Maleficent ,as far as the villains are concerned.Cruella's character is so vile that my wife gave that nickname to her wicked headmistress (who really looks the part)! Pongo,Perdita,their offspring and all the rest have a long way to go before tasting the quiet joys of home.Very good scene in the park when the two dogs fall in love and make their masters do the same.And during the long walk across the snow ,aren't they nice all these puppies? I did not like the remake (and its abominable follow-up) Cruella is a cartoon character and even a superior actress such Glenn Close was bound to fail.

I liked this film mainly for its drawings. It was a departure from previous Disney animated films in that it had harder-edged drawings instead of the soft pastels. I found the detailed sketches of the building to be fascinating. I could actually watch this film with the sound off and just enjoy the artwork.

I actually saw this movie AFTER the 1996 live-action version with Glenn Close so I was familiar with the story. The only deviation was that there were more animals involved in the rescue of the puppies in the latter version.

The narration was very good in the beginning and film is okay, nothing super. It lags in a few parts, which is the only complaint I would have. It certainly is a nice story.

If there's any classic Disney movie that's less likely to be forgotten because of the modern Disney movies, this would be one of them. Part of the reason may be the live action version and its upcoming sequel. Skip those remakes and watch the real deal. The other part of the reason is because this movie is just so charming. Cruella De Vil is one of the more memorable Disney villains ever made. Romance abounds in this movie, and don't forget those adorable puppies. This may not have the animation or the big fancy songs of the moderns, but all that fanciness usually distracts from the story. Classic Disney always rocks, and this is no exception.

This film is beautiful, and superior to the 1996 live action version. The animation is just beautiful, and I delighted in seeing those puppies's tails wagging. Those puppies were very cute, and a lack of any voice overs in the 1996 version was sorely missed. The scenes like the Twilight Bark added a sense of poignancy to the well-written story.I also want to say, I absolutely love the book by Dodie Smith, and I am 16. Another high point was the villain Cruella DeVil(voiced to perfection by Betty Lou Gerson), who was truly diabolical in every sense. The dogs, Pongo and Perdy were very lovable, and their scenes with the puppies were often very touching. Supporting characters like Tibbs, Captain, Colonel, and of course Jasper and Horace were very well done. The songs, were not as memorable as the ones in the Jungle Book, but at least they were tuneful. In conclusion, a beautiful and entertaining animated film, that is underrated in my opinion. 9/10 Bethany Cox

One Hundred and One Dalmatians is a classic Disney film from the company's brilliant late 50's and early 60's period. The film has a number of Disney high points including fantastic supporting characters, great suspense and a heavy atmosphere. The film can be considered another excellent feature for the legendary company.

The story sees Dalmatian Pongo and his 'pet' Roger find love with two of their kind in Perdita and Anita. When Perdita gives birth to 15 puppies the cruel Cruella De Vil wishes to buy them but is turned away. With the help of her bumbling henchmen she kidnaps the puppies in order to make fur coats of them. Its then up to Pongo and Perdita, with the help of a collection of animals, to find the puppies and return to London. The story is simplistic but wonderfully executed. It has so many great elements that make it such an engaging movie, from the way dogs view their owners to the many escape attempts.

The characters are superb. Rod Taylor is perfect as the very likable Pongo who we see as brave and caring as the film goes on. The relationship between him and Perdita is better than most as they do care for each other. Cruella is one of Disney's stronger villains, it's the way she is so crazed and manic but always trying to be stylish that makes her so entertaining. Jasper and Horace are brilliant henchmen, supplying lots of fun comic relief. Their so inept and clumsy that there's never a dull moment with them. The team of the Colonel, Tibbs and the Captain are brilliant. The Colonel is lovingly silly and Tibbs is so likable due to his never say die attitude. Roger and Anita are good as they are presented as a normal pleasant couple. The other dogs that help out like Danny the Great Dane and Towser are nice, solid supporting characters.

Though the rougher animation isn't to everyone's taste it does fit in really well here. The way it looks fits in with the gritty darkness of London and the wilds of the countryside, it's a nice change from the angular style of the films preceding it. When you consider the amount of puppies they had to animate it's an impressive feat. It is certainly one of the Disney's most suspense filled and exciting films. It's not very often that a Disney climax has a car chase and it's an outstanding sequence. The whole search for the puppies has a brilliantly tense feel and watching Cruella search for them has some really well made strong moments. This leads on to another highlight which is the atmosphere the film has. The whole 'twilight bark' is a great piece and the scenes where Tibbs and the Colonel investigate the matter have a really effective dark feel. These are underlined by the superb visuals of a gloomy London and the demonic looking 'hell hall'. The music is also very memorable as it contains the usual solid score Disney does, as well as the fantastic songs ''Cruella De Vil'' and ''Dalmatian Plantation''. The other effective scenes include a humorous look at how dog owners are similar to their pets and the what's my crime TV show that's funny.

This is one of Disney's most entertaining movies filled with many great elements.