It’s about time. Walt Disney finally re-releases their animation masterpiece 101 Dalmatians on the well-received Platinum Edition label, after years of undeserved moratorium. Outstanding animation and unforgettable characters make this classic film a staple of any Disney collection. While 101 Dalmatians only manages to squeeze in two songs amongst the plethora of spotted puppies, the inimitable villainess Cruella De Vil and the members of the Twilight Bark add plenty of unmatched thrills and comedy to this timeless work of art.

Pongo wiles away his bachelor life peering through the window of his flat, looking for the perfect match for his pet Roger. Pongo is, of course, a picturesque Dalmatian, and Roger is a workaholic musician. When Pongo spies a beautiful female dog accompanied by an equally handsome human specimen, he tricks Roger into taking him for a walk to the park. With a little luck and some old-fashioned charm, Roger and Anita are soon married, as are Pongo and his newfound love, Perdita. Not long after that, the perfect dog couple awaits the birth of their first litter.

Pongo becomes the proud father of 15 cute little puppies, and the entire family couldn’t be happier. That is until Anita’s old schoolmate Cruella De Vil shows up, demanding to purchase the puppies. Roger timidly refuses, and so the wicked Cruella hires bumbling thieves Horace and Jasper to kidnap the litter. Pongo and Perdita find themselves depending on the legendary Twilight Bark, a chain of dogs scattered throughout London that send news back and forth via yipping, yapping and howling. Setting out on a trying adventure, the two desperate Dalmatians must figure out how to rescue not only their own children, but dozens of additional puppies that have all been acquired for Cruella’s dastardly plot of making dogskin coats.

Legendary Bill Pete penned the masterly story, and the plot fits together flawlessly. As with most of Disney’s animated features, the animals take the place of humans in the lead roles, and 101 Dalmatians takes this a step further with narration by Pongo, who lovingly dubs his owner as the “pet”. The super intelligent animals must take charge and enlist amazingly smart tactics to outwit the nimble-minded human antagonists, namely Jasper and Horace, who rarely pose a real threat.

Cruella De Vil on the other hand, is one of the finest villains ever to grace an animated feature – as well as one of the most memorable evil-doers in the entirety of cinema. Always followed by the catchy tune devised by Roger, the dastardly Cruella utters unspeakably horrifying retorts about skinning the pleasant puppies, and favors the words “idiot” and “imbecile” when shouting at her clumsy partners in crime. Her design is magnificently menacing, with black-widow-spindly arms and legs, and a monstrous fur coat encircling her like the green smoke that billows out of her odious cigarettes. Her face is emblazoned with a permanent sneer, and her black and white painted hair adds to her unforgettable physique - later three-dimensionalized by actress Glenn Close in the live-action remake).

“The humans have tried everything – now it’s up to us dogs,” says Danny, a member of the Twilight Bark who passes on the word to The Colonel, The Captain and Sgt. Tibbs. This hilarious trio attempts to command order and discipline between a dog, a horse and a scrawny cat. These supporting characters aid in the great escape that sees 99 puppies trekking across harsh terrains and freezing winds. The Colonel continuously shouts orders to his comrades, all of which are grossly uncalculated – perhaps a subtle commentary on the army. He is then corrected by Tibbs who diplomatically mentions the more strategic way of maneuvering the army of Dalmatians.

It was released in 1961 and yet the look is superb, matching the same outstanding caliber of Disney’s newer animated classics. With such a timeless story and wonderfully unique characters, 101 Dalmatians is a must-see film that was visually ahead of its time, and holds up surprisingly well even in comparison to more contemporary traditionally animated efforts. Where execution is concerned, it trumps just about everything CG features have to offer.

- Mike Massie

More Recent Reviews:

Chronicle (2012)

Innkeepers, The (2012)

Kill List (2012)

Woman in Black, The (2012)

Man on a Ledge (2012)

 

  Recommendations: