Back in 1961, Walt Disney got a little hip with
101 Dalmatians,
making use of that flat Saturday morning cartoon style that had become
so popular. The result is a kitschy change in animation and story. Pongo
and Perdita are two lonely dalmatians who meet cute in a London park
and arrange for their pet humans to marry so they can live together and
raise a family. They become proud parents of 15 pups, who are stolen by
the dastardly Cruella De Vil, who wants to make a fur coat out of them.
Cruella has become the most popular villain in all of Disney; she's
flamboyantly nasty and lots of fun. But it's the dalmatians who shine in
this endearing classic, particularly those precocious pups. Telling the
story from the dogs' point of view is a clever conceit, a fundamental
flaw of the live-action remake. --
Bill DesowitzOn the DVD
This
two-disc platinum edition features great sound and incredibly bright,
intense colors thanks to the restoration process, but its most
impressive selling point is the huge assortment of bonus features
designed to delight children, families, and the most serious Disney
fans. Kids will have fun caring for their very own puppy in the virtual
Dalmatian game for television or on DVD ROM and can find out just what
kind of puppy they're most like and which human Disney character they're
most compatible with in the puppy profiler game. The fun with language
game is geared toward the very young preschooler and teaches numbers
and the names of common household items. A modern Selena Gomez music
video of "Cruella DeVil" will appeal to tweens and teens. The whole
family will enjoy the "101 Pop Up Facts For Families" option which
prints various movie facts like the name and author of the original book
and how specific scenes differ between the book and the movie right on
the screen during the movie and Disney fans will love the similar "101
Pop Up Facts For Fans" feature which supplies a wide variety of film
trivia about featured voice talents, famous Disney animators that worked
on the film, technical devices employed like multi-pane shots and the
Xerox process, and which artists directed specific scenes in the movie.
Eleven separate Backstage Disney featurettes interview a host of
animators, writers, historians, producers, and story men regarding the
film's contemporary feel and the groundbreaking technical processes like
the then-new Xerox process utilized in making 101 Dalmatians.
Also highlighted is Bill Pete's amazing storytelling contribution to the
film, the technical and mechanical innovations of Ub Iwerks, the
songwriting process, and the animation prowess of famous Disney
animators like Woolie Reitherman, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, Milt
Kahl, Marc Davis, Ken Anderson, and Walt Peregoy. The 12-minute
dramatization of the longstanding correspondence between author Dodie
Smith and Walt Disney is intriguing and the trailers and radio and
television spots provide fun historical reference for the film and its
various releases. Finally, the "Music and More" feature presents a
variety of deleted and abandoned songs as well as many alternate
versions and takes of songs used in the final film. --Tami Horiuchi
Stills from 101 Dalmatians (click for larger image)
Product Description
101 Dalmatians has charmed audiences for generations with its
irresistible tail-wagging stars, memorable music, and a wonderful blend
of fantasy, humor, and adventure. Now, with spectacular new bonus
features and brilliantly restored, Walt Disney s beloved animated
classic shines like never before in an all-new 2-disc Platinum Edition.
Cruella
De Vil, Disney s most outrageous villain, sets the fur-raising
adventure in motion when she dognaps all of Pongo and Perdita s puppies.
Through the power of the Twilight Bark, Pongo leads a heroic cast of
animal characters on a quest across London to rescue them.
Bring
home the exciting 2-disc Platinum Edition with something for everyone,
including the all-new virtual Dalmatians game, over 101 pop-up trivia
facts, an all-new music video and much more!
