The definitive telling of an oft-told tale, Disney's family-friendly animated adventure exhibits plenty of energy, wit and style.
101 Dalmatians (1961)
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Reviews Counted:36
Fresh:35
Rotten:1
Average Rating:8/10
Consensus: With plenty of pooches and a memorable villain (Cruella De Vil), this is one of Disney's most enduring, entertaining animated films.
Runtime: 80 mins
Genre: Childrens
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... 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]
Starring: Rod Taylor, Lisa Davis, Cate Bauer, Ben Wright
Starring: Rod Taylor, Lisa Davis, Cate Bauer, Ben Wright, J. Pat O'Malley, Betty Lou Gerson
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman, Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman, Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi
Screenwriter: Bill Peet
Story: Dodie Smith
Composer: George Bruns
Producer: Walt Disney
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Reviews for 101 Dalmatians
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.
It is the wittiest, most charming, least pretentious cartoon feature Walt Disney has ever made.
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.
The canine crew seems more real and infinitely more likeable than the humans, and this story is an enjoyable today as it was decades ago.
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.
...despite flaws, we have constant admiration for the insanely-written plot.
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
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.
What has truly kept 101 Dalmatians alive ... is Cruella De Vil herself, one of the most deliciously nasty characters in Disney's oeuvre.
Latest News for 101 Dalmatians
February 13, 2008:
Exclusive sketches from 101 Dalmatians
RT has an exclusive look at some of the early drawings of Cruella De Vil. More...
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