One Hundred and One Dalmatians (January 25, 1961)

The film, based on the 1956 novel, The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith, starts off with a charming opening credit sequence which reminded me of the jazzy one from Monster’s, Inc. It played off the black and white spots of the dalmatians until it burst into splendid color. I also enjoy the narration by Pongo as he has a unique view of the world as a dog. He is a charmer who helps his owner, Rodger (whom he calls “my pet”) finds suitable ‘mate,’ Anita, and in doing so he finds one of his own, Perdita. Rodger and Pongo are such a great pair- Rodger who writes songs for a living had a great writ of his own. He writes and performs the song, “Cruella De Vil” after a visit from the viper who was a childhood classmate of Anita. The complete story is Pongo and Perdita have 15 puppies (by the end of the movie they find 84 additional puppies to add up to the namesake 101 dalmatians) whom Cruella kidnaps in order to make them into a spotted fur coat. The puppies and pooches are all delightful each though few are given enough time to show off their personalities. But the network of dogs that help all of the dalmatians get back home is a great concept that is well executed. I love the charming London ad surrounding English countryside setting and it provides a great backdrop for the story. The animation itself is also very stylish- rougher hewn than previous films which adds character. The soundtrack adds to the ambiance with its jazzy tones reminiscent of the original Scooby Doo cartoons. It tells a simple and conventional tale of a kidnapping (though with an unconventional character in Cruella and quite charming in the Disney style) that is entertaining until the end but I wish there were a few more songs in the film to help keep the energy especially as the film led up to its final climatic chase sequence and additional screen time for Cruella instead of her henchmen. Overall I find One Hundred and One Dalmatians to be a charming family film filled with heart (and plenty of canines!) and it is well worth watching the original even as it has birthed sequels, live action adaptations, and even a television show!

Final Rating: 7.5/10