Les 101 Dalmatiens

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.

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.

Lion King has always been my favorite Disney movie. But One Hundred and One Dalmations is on my top 5. The movie is filled with so many laughs, you have to love it.

Pongo is a lonely pup with his lonely musical master, Roger. When he spots two lovely women(one being a dog of course), he sets Roger up to meet the woman. They hit it off immediatly as well does Pongo with his new mate, Perdita. When Perdita has puppies, Perdita's(her master) old friend, Cruella DeVille wants to buy them from her. But only to make the puppies into a new fur coat. When Roger refuses, Cruella kidnaps the puppies. Pongo and Perdita go out to save the puppies. And the rest is left for you to see for yourself.

8/10

One of the most lovely films of all,1001 dalmatians is one of the classics from Disney that all people should watch. I was surprised to know that it was made in 1961,because I watched it for the first time in 1993 (I was 7) and it looked a modern cartoon for me,such as Lion King.

Pongo and Perdita (a couple of dalmatians) and their owners Roger and Anita, are living happily and peacefully in their new home,until Perdita give birth to some puppies: Cruela,the evil friend of Anita, wants to do a new coat,using the little dalmatian's fur. She kidnaps them,and now Perdita and Pongo needs to save their puppies,before being too late.

I have always thought that the animation and story of "101 Dalmatians" were actually a bit weak. After all, a crazy lady who wants to steal puppies to make them into a coat ISN'T especially deep. And, the xerox process they used in this film did make the movie look a lot cheaper than the exquisitely animated films of the 1950s. But what makes it very good and well worth watching is the character Cruella De Vil. Her voice work by Betty Lou Gerson was just fabulous--and very obviously inspired by Tallulah Bankhead. Her mannerisms, style and voice were Ms. Bankhead all the way--but with a wonderful insane quality that made a horrific act (slaughtering puppies) so ridiculously comical that it was watchable and fun. Otherwise, this film would have been seen as cruel and just awful. Plus the "Cruella" song was a hoot--with great lyrics and a perfect accompaniment to this horrid character.

The bottom line is that I nearly scored this one a 9--it's awfully good. But having the sub-standard animation brought it down a point. Enjoyably sick and funny--even for adult audiences.