ONE HUNDRED & ONE DALMATIANS (101 DALMATIANS) (U)
Walt Disney's first animated feature of the 1960's is arguably the last true classic of the studio head's lifetime.
Based on the novel by Dodie Smith, it gets its usual bit of Disney tweaking, with the usual songs added to tell the story of a pair of dogs who have to save their puppies from a cruel villainess who plans to use their skins for fashionable clothing.
Though the story is quite dark, in Disney's hands it's transformed into something perfectly apt for all the family. The songs aren't quite as memorable as other Disney works, but the animation is just fine, particularly on the dalmatians themselves and the brilliantly-realised London backgrounds.
101 DALMATIANS (U)
D: Stephen Herek
Disney / Great Oaks (John Hughes & Ricardo Mestres)
US 🇺🇸 1996
103 mins
Comedy/Fantasy
W: John Hughes [based on the novel “The Hundred & One Dalmatians” by Dodie Smith]
DP: Adrian Biddle
Ed: Trudy Ship
Mus: Michael Kamen
Glenn Close (Cruella de Vil), Jeff Daniels (Roger Dearly), Joely Richardson (Anita Campbell-Green-Dearly), Joan Plowright (Nanny), Hugh Laurie (Jasper), Mark Williams (Horace)
At least a decade before Disney resorted to remaking ALL their animated classics as live action films, screenwriter John Hughes adapted Dodie Smith’s novel for a family audience.
Glenn Close receives top billing and seems to have lots of fun in her performances as the villainous Cruella de Vil, who plans to make a coat from the hides of the Dalmatian puppies belonging to Roger & Anita Dearly.
The performances are all in good fun, but every human actor is upstaged by the dogs. A fine family movie, but I wouldn’t choose this version over the 1961 animated classic.
6/10