From Walt Disney Home Entertainment:
When Pongo and Perdita, a pair of adorable Dalmatians play Cupid for their human pets, wedding bells soon ring! In a short time, the dogs become the proud parents of 15 winsome puppies, but their happiness is short-lived. The wicked Cruella De Vil wants to buy the all puppies-to make a coat! When her dastardly offer is turned down, she orders her bumbling henchmen Horace and Jasper to abscond with the puppies as well as every other Dalmatian puppy in London. Pongo and Perdita must rally a network of animals across England with the "twilight bark" to help find Cruella's secret hideaway and rescue 99 precious puppies.
101 Dalmatians Voice Cast List
Rod Taylor
Betty Lou Gerson
Cate Bauer
Ben Wright
Frederick Worlock
Lisa Davis
Martha Wentworth
J. Pat O'Malley
Tudor Owen
Tom Conway
George Pelling
Thurl Ravenscroft
David Frankham
Ramsay Hill
Queenie Leonard
Marjorie Bennett
Barbara Beaird
Mickey Maga
Sandra Abbott
Mimi Gibson
Barbara Luddy
Paul Frees
101 Dalmatians Is another classic from Disney's stable of animated films. 101 Dalmatians was the first of the animated films that had a more contemporary style to it and departed from the more romantic and classical formula and style that were staples of the previous Disney animated films. It was more action-oriented with only three songs. It also was the first to use a Xerox process to transfer the animators' art to cells, which did away with need for a staff of inkers that softened and rounded the animators' drawings. Add to that the visual possibilities of dozens of white spotted Dalmatians and the fantastically drawn villainess, Cruella De Vil, and 101 Dalmatians is by far the most stylistically unique film of the Disney classics and thus a critical favorite.
Of course, the animation style isn't the main reason why 101 Dalmatians has remained a family favorite for decades, but rather all those adorable dogs. After all, there are one hundred and one puppies in the film. What is wonderful about the film is that every puppy seems to have a unique personality of its own. Some of the running bits, such as the puppies' television viewing, are still spot-on even nearly fifty years after the film's release. Even Cruella De Vil, who was drawn as a modern-day witch, still represents rampant greed and materialism (think Leona Helmsley). So when she's ultimately foiled, today's generation cheers just as loudly. 101 Dalmatians' continuing popularity spawned a live-action film adaption and its own sequel in the 1990's, although this original classic animated film cannot be improved upon.
The DVD:
This two-disc edition features restored picture and sound, which is probably enough to warrant buying this DVD. It also has a number of extras that are good, but not great. There is no commentary track, which could have been fairly interesting if the animators had a chance to talk about the film's unique style and use of a then-new Xerox process. Instead, there are two different Pop-Up Trivia tracks with a total of 202 facts. The second disc has a number of extras. However, the making-of features only clock in at around forty-five minutes. The rest of the extras include a recreation of correspondence between Walt Disney and Dodie Smith, the author of the book, which is a nice inclusion. The remainder of the extras are several abandoned or deleted songs and some games for the kids. Much like the recent release of The Aristocats there is a virtual pet game and a language game, which seem to becoming standard on these releases. The extras are not as good as can be found on previous platinum edition releases, but are again solid and perhaps geared towards the family and children even moreso than previous release.
101 Dalmations Platinum Edition DVD Extras: Disc 1:
- Games & Activities: Optional Pop-Up Trivia Facts for the Family - 101 amazing facts
- Games & Activities: Optional Pop-Up Trivia Facts for the Fan - 101 amazing facts
- Music & More: "Cruella De Vil" Music Video by Selena Gomez
Disc 2:
- For "The Humans" - Backstage Disney: Redefining the Line - The Making of One Hundred and One Dalmatians [34:00]: "Puppy Dog Tales"; "Howling At The Moon" "New Tricks"; "Animation 101"; "Drawing All Cars"; "Seeing Spots"; "A Dog's Eye View"
- For "The Humans" - Backstage Disney: Cruella De Vil - Drawn To Be Bad [~7:05]
- For "The Humans" - Backstage Disney: "Sincerely Yours, Walt Disney" [~12:35] - Recreation of correspondence between Walt Disney and 101 Dalmatians author Dodie Smith
- For "The Humans" - Backstage Disney: Trailers, Radio & TV Spots
- For "The Humans" - Backstage Disney: Art Galleries
- For "The Humans" - Music & More: "March of the One Hundred and One" - Deleted Song Sequence
- For "The Humans" - Music & More: "Cheerio, Good-Bye, Toodle-oo, Hip Hip!" - Abandoned Song
- For "The Humans" - Music & More: "Don't Buy A Parrot From A Sailor" - Abandoned Song
- For "The Humans" - Music & More: "Dalmatian Plantation" - Extended Version and Temp Version
- For "The Humans" - Music & More: "Cruella de Vil" - Demo Recordings and Alternate Takes
- For "The Humans" - Music & More: "Kanine Krunchies' Jingle - Alternate Takes
- For "The Dogs" - Games & Activities: Disney Virtual Dalmatians DVD-ROM
- For "The Dogs" - Games & Activities: Disney Virtual Dalmatians Set-Top Sampler
- For "The Dogs" - Games & Activities: Puppy Profiler
- For "The Dogs" - Games & Activities: One Hundred and One Dalmatians Fun with Language Game
