After Sleeping Beauty tanked at the box office, Walt decided to cut down his animation department to it's bare minimum, having only one story man, four lead animators, and only a few other animators left around by 1960. Also, Walt decided to go for a film that could be made cheaply but effectively, something like Dumbo. The result is the splendidly crafted One Hundred and One Dalmatians, which did strong enough business to keep Disney Animation flowing into the sixties, while also priming the Disney Animation library with another gem for Walt Disney's crown of excellence.Plot: On the streets of modern day London (at least 1961 London) a dalmatian lives with his owner in a bachelors pad. The dalmatian, Pongo, decides it's time to have his "pet" settle down and marry, ultimately finding romance with a clothing designer and her female dalmatian. The two humans marry, as do the puppies, as the female dalmatian, Perdy, prepares to give birth to a litter of puppies. In comes fashion maniac Cruella DeVil, who wants to buy the puppies from Roger and Anita. When they are born, Cruella is refused her puppies and hires two thugs to steal the puppies, all in the pursuit of making a fur coat out of the puppies. The two dalmatians rally the help of the London dogs and begin a desperate rescue mission to save their dalmatians before Cruella makes them into a fur coat.
What's Bad?: The animation isn't anything to brag about, specifically coming after Sleeping Beauty. The film seems to be in the roughest textures, but it still is very unique and interesting to watch, especially watching them back to back. In fact, some scenes still have rough pencil sketches in them, as the animators now had to clean up their own drawings.
What's Good?: Everything else. That's it, plain and simple. Cruella is one of the funniest villains to watch, while the thugs are also pretty funny. The dogs and side animals are also good characters. I also like the fact that the puppies that do get screen time do have their own personalities.
The one really good song is "Cruella DeVil" which has one of the catchiest beats of any of the other Disney songs in the library. The score, again by George Bruns, is also very enjoyable, ranging from action packed and loud, to simple and plain themes like the "Kanine Krunchies" TV song.
I also think it's surreal to have such a modern film come out after several fairy tales and older stories like Cinderella and Peter Pan.
Overall: The film has all the makings of a great Disney film and meets it's expectations to nearly every degree. The film's jazzy score and bombastic villain are worth the viewing alone. But this film is one of the greatest Disney Classics for a reason, watch it if you haven't already.
Report Card
Hero: B
Heroine: B
Villain: A+
Side Characters: A
Songs: A-
Musical Score: A
Animation: B
Special Effects: A+
Theme: B
Story: A
Final Score: A-
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