When the puppies of Pongo and Perdy are stolen by two henchmen in the service of the wealthy (and witch-like) Cruella De Vil, the two Dalmatians take it upon themselves to find their 15 children, and ultimately rescue the other 84 puppies before they all become a new fashion statement.

CRITIQUE

As a kid, I was never a big fan of 101 Dalmatians.  The story never hooked me and the art bothered me.  I was more familiar and in love with the earlier ink and paint Disney features. 101 Dalmatians, in my young eyes, looked a little ugly.  Luckily, there were many other Disney films that I could turn my attention to. Now, as an adult, I am able to look back at this film with a different eye.

I am still not the biggest fan of the film.  The story is still very shallow, filled with too many convenient moments that undermine the drama.  Even the final chase, doesn’t hold much tension (through I believe that this is the only Disney film in which the villain never really gets any comeuppance.) Even with the powerhouse blend of vocal and animation work that is Cruella De Vil, possibly the greatest modern Disney villain (the greatest classical villain being Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty,) the film really doesn’t have much that keeps it afloat beyond its target audience. 

That being said, there isn’t anything “wrong” with 101 Dalmatians. The voice work is good, the animation looks wonderful (the restoration team deserves lots of praise for their work, compare the restored film to the trailers to see how truly phenomenal this print looks.)  The lack of songs makes this feature unique, and what few songs there are, are good. Who can’t leave this film at least humming “Cruella De Vil?” But as a film, it just never comes together as a whole.

This film marked the end of an era for Disney animation.  With the financial failure of Sleeping Beauty (which was a critical success and is one of my personal favourites,) Disney’s animation department was now strapped for cash.  But instead of closing its doors, the creative minds at Disney found a solution – Xerox.  It was now possible to take the original pencil work and photocopy it.  While this was a way to save time and money, it also lead to the dismissal of the entire ink and paint department and changed the way Disney’s features would look for the next few decades.

THE VIDEO

The film is presented in its original 1.33:1, and looks amazing.  The colors are bright and vibrant throughout.  The restoration team did a fantastic job.

THE AUDIO

101 Dalmatians is presented in 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround as well as in its original mono mix.  The 5.1 mix sounds wonderful, and it’s nice to hear the original theatrical mix coupled with the enhanced visuals.

THE EXTRAS

Disc 1:

101 Pop-up Trivia Facts: Two pop-up tracks, one for families and one for fans of the film, that deliver information about the film and the original story.  The fan track has some interesting information about what sections were directed by which person and the like, while the family track is more about the original novel vs. the film version.

“Cruella De Vil” music video by Selena Gomez

Disc 2:

Redefining the Line: The Making of The One Hundred and One Dalmatians: An extremely informative look at how 101 Dalmatians we conceived and how it evolved and at what the film ultimately “cost” the studio.

Cruella De Vil: Drawn To Be Bad: A look at the creation of Cruella.

Sincerely Yours, Walt Disney: A dramatized series of letters between Walt Disney and Dodie Smith, the author of the original novel.

Deleted/Alternate Songs: A few deleted songs, none of which are all that interesting to listen to, as well as a few alternate versions of “Dalmatian Plantation,” “Cruella De Vil,” and even the “Kanine Krunchies” jingle.

FINAL THOUGHT

101 Dalmatians is a wonderful film for the kids.  This release is definitely a good buy for both the young and those who love the film dearly.