The definitive telling of an oft-told tale, Disney's family-friendly animated adventure exhibits plenty of energy, wit and style.
101 Dalmatians (1961)
Runtime: 80 mins
Synopsis: When the wicked Cruella de Vil and her henchmen kidnap Dalmatian puppies for their cherished spotted fur, it is up to the puppies' parents, Pongo and Perdita, and some brave farm animals, to free the caged canines. Though 101 DALMATIANS has fewer songs than many of its animated brethren, the... When the wicked Cruella de Vil and her henchmen kidnap Dalmatian puppies for their cherished spotted fur, it is up to the puppies' parents, Pongo and Perdita, and some brave farm animals, to free the caged canines. Though 101 DALMATIANS has fewer songs than many of its animated brethren, the essential musical number "Cruella de Vil" is as much fun as any 10 tracks. Based on the book by Dodie Smith, this Walt Disney animated classic spawned the 1996 live-action remake, as well as a sequel called 101 DALMATIANS II: PATCH'S LONDON ADVENTURE. [More]
Genre: Childrens
Starring: Rod Taylor, Lisa Davis, Cate Bauer, Ben Wright, J. Pat O'Malley
Screenwriter: Bill Peet
Story: Dodie Smith
Composer: George Bruns
Producer: Walt Disney
DVD Info
Release:
Apr 3, 2008
DVD Features:
- Region 1
- Keep Case
- Full Frame - 1.33
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround - English, French, Spanish
- Subtitles - French, Spanish - Optional
Additional Release Material:
- Deleted Songs
- Featurette - 1. CRUELLA DE VIL: DRAWN TO BE BAD
- 2. Sincerely Yours, Walt Disney" -- Experience The Actual Correspondence Between Walt Disney And The Author Of The Book
- Making-Of - REDEFINING THE LINE: The Making of
- Music Video - All New Cruella De Vil Music Video
Interactive Features:
- Trivia - Pop Up Trivia
- Game - 1. Virtual Dalmatians Game
- 2. One Hundred And One Dalmatians Fun With Language Game
- 3. Pop-Up Trivia Tracks - As You Watch the Movie Discover Over 101 Things You Never Knew
Reviews
Dog-lovers, in particular, will go ga-ga for this, but this remarkably fresh and funny period tale (set in England, fact fans) has all the ebullience and lovability of its titular characters.
good enough to merit repeated viewings. Particularly if you're two.
What has truly kept 101 Dalmatians alive ... is Cruella De Vil herself, one of the most deliciously nasty characters in Disney's oeuvre.
Capturing the essence of Dodie Smith's wonderful children's book, this unforgettable animation. It is one of my favourite animations of all time.
"Cute and cuddly" pretty much sums up this canine caper - once you get past the idea of a lady looking to make a coat out of dalmatian puppies.
The Platinum Edition (Mar 4, 08) has numerous bonus features, such as Virtual Dalmatians, which allows you to adopt, name, and care your own virtual puppy with 101 possibilities, and Puppy Profiler through which you can find out which do you're most like
Three hundred artists worked on this project for three years and came up with one of the best feature cartoons ever produced by Disney Studios.
While not as indelibly enchanting or inspired as some of the studio's most unforgettable animated endeavors, this is nonetheless a painstaking creative effort.
For years... "101 Dalmatians" was my favorite. Looking back on it years later, it still is.
Cruella De Vil is so much a tour de force that she single-handedly snatches the movie away from any retroactive comparisons to post-classical Disney features whose sloppiness is the is their only saving grace.
101 Dalmatians holds up well after all these years and continues to provide some rousing good fun.
This was the last Disney animated feature (1961) that Uncle Walt lived to see through personally; it can't be a coincidence that it's also the last Disney animated feature of real depth and emotional authenticity.
Related Forums

by: rakastaa 2/9/04
Pictures
News
posted by Matt Atchity February 13, 2008
RT has an exclusive look at some of the early drawings of Cruella De Vil.


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