101 Dalmatians (animated) (Exclusive Mini Review Series)

101 Dalmatians (Exclusive Mini Review Series)

Initial release date: January 25, 1961

Studio: Walt Disney Pictures

Plot: In a Disney animation classic, Dalmatian Pongo is tired of his bachelor dog life. He spies lovely Perdita and maneuvers his master, Roger, into meeting Perdita’s owner, Anita. The owners fall in love and marry, keeping Pongo and Perdita together too. After Perdita gives birth to a litter of 15 puppies, Anita’s old school friend Cruella De Vil wants to buy them all. Roger declines her offer, so Cruella hires the criminal Badun brothers to steal them - so she can have a fur coat.

Cast

Rod Taylor - Pongo

J. Pat O’Malley - Colonel/Jasper

Betty Lou Gerson - Cruella De Vil/Miss Birdwell

Martha Wentworth - Nanny/Queenie/Lucy

Ben Wright - Roger

Cate Bauer - Perdita

David Frankham - Sgt. Tibs

Frederick Worlock - Horace/Inspector Graves

Lisa Davis - Anita

Queenie Leonard - Princess

Writer: Bill Peet (Sword in the Stone; Sleeping Beauty; Peter Pan; Alice in Wonderland)

Dodie Smith (novel)

Director(s): Clyde Geronimi (Lady and the Tramp)

Hamilton Luske (Peter Pan; Lady and the Tramp)

Wolfgang Reitherman (The Rescuers; Robin Hood; The Aristocats)

Rated G (79 minutes)

With ‘Cruella’ now playing at the Dietrich, I’m going to be taking another look at the 1961 animated version of ‘101 Dalmatians’.

This 1961 animated feature introduced us to the notorious Cruella De Vil, the woman who wants to steal all the dogs so she can have a fur coat. After this movie, she ultimately became one of the most infamous Disney villains ever!

The hand drawn animation still looks amazing and the entire feature is just delightful fun for the entire family. This classic Disney movie has been seen by numerous people over the years and will always be one of the major favorites of the classic Disney era.

The animated ‘101 Dalmatians’ can also be funny at times and dog lovers will also enjoy the flick!

‘101 Dalmatians’ is available on Disney Plus if you have a subscription. Also available to rent via YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV, Vudu and Amazon Prime.

Here are some interesting tidbits about the animated ‘101 Dalmatians’:

• The birth of the puppies actually happened to the author Dodie Smith. Her dalmatians had 15 puppies, one was born lifeless and her husband revived it. However, they sold most of them, and kept only a small number.

• Xerox was a crucial help in the animation of hundreds of spotted dogs. Disney was able to bring the movie in for about half the cost thanks to this process.

• Disney was in debt following the flop of 1959s ‘Sleeping Beauty’ and desperately needed a hit. There was even talk of closing down the animation division as the company was refocusing on live action movies, TV and theme parks.

• The 1991 re-release was the 20th highest grossing film of that year.

• When Walt Disney read Dodie Smith’s story in 1956, he immediately snapped up the film rights. Smith had always secretly hoped that Disney would do just that.

• Writer Bill Peet kept in close consultation with Dodie Smith while preparing the story, including sending her some sketches of the characters. Smith felt that the Disney studios were improving on her story.

• Cruelle De Vil ranked as No. 39 on the American Film Institute's 2003 list of Top 50 Greatest Movie Villains.

• ‘101 Dalmatians’ was first released in theaters on January 25, 1961. The film was re-released theatrically in 1969, 1979, 1985 and 1991.

• First released on VHS on April 10, 1992, as part of the Disney Classics video series. By June 1992, it had sold 11.1 million copies.

• During its initial theatrical run, the film grossed $14 million in the US and Canada, which generated $6.2 million in distributor rentals. The film was re-released in 1969 where it earned $15 million. In its 1979 theatrical re-release, it grossed $19 million, and in 1985, the film grossed $32 million. During its fourth re-release in 1991, it grossed $60.8 million.

• The film’s total domestic lifetime gross is $145 million domestically - and $303 million worldwide.