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'101 Dalmatians Platinum Edition (Ltd Edition with Dalmatian Toy) [1961]' starring Rod Taylor and directed by Clyde Geronimi. (StaEAN 8717418151119)

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 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 is flamboyantly nasty and lots of fun. But it is 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 Disney's 1996 live-action remake. --Bill Desowitz

Great animation, characterization, sound, and imagery rule in "101 Dalmations." It's action, excitement and love, but with a dark theme that's a bit scary.

Being one of my favourite Disney animated movies, I just couldn't resist buying it, and the restoration of colour is perfect! It is a brilliantly original movie, where Cruella De Vil attempyts to kidnap 99 dalmatian puppies, to turn into a fur coat. Along with the help of the dogs of London town and their animal friends, Pongo and Perdita save their 15 puppies and bring them home safely. It is truly one of the best Disney movies! While all modern Disney movies are in connection with Pixar animation or are live-action, it is always nice to keep the classics. Buy it now and don't be dissappointed. We never know when these movies will be put back in the vaults and brought out again.

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Life is lonely for bachelor Pongo (Rod Taylor) and his pet Roger (Ben Wright). Roger is a composer living alone in London except for his faithful Dalmatian companion. That changes when Roger meets Anita (Lisa Davis) who just happens to own Dalmatian Perdita (Cate Bauer). Soon the two couples are married and the dogs are expecting puppies.

But all is not rosy. Anita's childhood friend Cruella de Vil (Betty Lou Gerson) has decided a spotted fur coat is the must have fashion statement of the season. When Roger refuses to sell the puppies, she decides to steal them. Soon, Pongo and Perdita are on an all out rescue mission. Can they find their puppies in time?

This movie expertly balances the fine line between comedy and suspense for kids. There are some wonderfully funny scenes early in the film as we get to know the characters. Even Cruella's early scenes are more funny then scary. It's only as the film develops that the suspense builds. Heck, even rewatching the film, I get caught up in the climatic scene and can't take my eyes off the screen.

Much of the success of this film is due to Cruella. She is a memorable character, and everything meshes perfectly to make her work right.

This film represented a style change for Disney animation with the invention of the Xerox process. Frankly, I prefer the softer styles of their earlier and later films, but that's only a minor distraction.

Fans of the film will love the new two disc set. The film has been restored and certainly looks and sounds great. The first disc also features two different pop up trivia tracks with some fun bits of information. Disc two contains some games for kids and plenty of behind the scenes stuff for fans. There are several deleted songs. I found the correspondence between the author of the original book and Walt Disney fascinating. And the new 30 minute documentary told me all kinds of new (to me) behind the scenes information about the making of this film.

This new release is worth adding to your Disney collection. It will entertain you and your family for years to come.

Note: This review is of the most recently issued (2008) version.

I find it difficult to believe that it has been 47 years since this film first appeared. (I also find it difficult to believe that I now have ten grandchildren with whom to watch it.) Credit the Disney organization with providing with this latest restored version a generous selection of bonus features that substantially increase the pleasure of seeing this classic film once again. They include a DVD-ROM of a "Virtual Dalmatians Game," "Op-Up Trivia Facts," and "The Making of One Hundred and One Dalmations," and correspondence between "Sincerely yours, Walt Disney" and Dodie Smith, author of the novel on which the film is based.

The basic plot involves two lonely dalmatians (Pongo and Perdita) who meet in a London park and whose owners then meet and marry. Over time, the dalmatians become parents of 15 puppies who are stolen by Cruella De Vil who is determined to make a fur coat out of their skins. That doesn't happen, of course, but younger children get all caught up in efforts to rescue the puppies (at least when viewing the film for the first time) just as they do when hoping that Pinocchio will be reunited with Gepetto, that Snow White will awaken from her deep sleep, and that Belle and the Beast will live happily ever after. In the best of Disney's animated features, there always seems to be a subtext of menace and this film is no exception. When observing Cruella De Vil's behavior, many of those in my generation will be reminded of Gloria Swanson's portrayal of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. In terms of quality of its story, art, and music, 101 Dalmatians deserves to be ranked among Disney's finest animated films. The special features offer an exceptional "bonus."

My only concern, frankly, is that once again, many adults who are charmed by the Dalmatian puppies will decide -- or feel great pressure from children -- to purchase one. They would be well-advised to learn all about the breed first. Perhaps the next time around, Disney could add a special feature that provides such information. Just a thought....

This is one of the best Disney films ever made and is an absolute classic. It has action, suspense and comedy and have brilliant characters like Cruella DeVil, Horace and Jasper and of course the Dalmations, all in all a very good film.