DVD review (region 1 & 2)
Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton S. Luske, Wolfgang Reitherman
Starring the voices of Rod Taylor, Betty Lou Gerson, Cate Bauer, Lisa Daniels
Release date Out now

The first Disney animation that wasn’t inspired by a fairy tale, 101 Dalmatians tells the incredible story of a group of canines and their fight to avoid becoming fur coats…

Presenting an anti-fur message 30 years before it was fashionable, 101 Dalmatians is a charming tale that avoids being overly cutesy. It retains a distinct edge thanks to some truly beautiful animation that showcases a scratchy style that was far less smooth than what had gone before.

Despite being set in contemporary times, Cruella De Vil is every bit the classic Disney villainess. Looking like a female version of the Joker, she is, in essence, a fairy tale witch with all the attributes of her counterparts in Snow White and Cinderella. She might not have their magical abilities, but her special power is her ruthless determination.

The other human characters tend to feel rather bland in comparison. But then the stars of the movie are unquestionably the dogs themselves, and they have distinctive, if tokenistic, personalities that are enough to make us care about their dramatic plight.

Aside from the beautifully remastered movie itself, the extra features included here are nothing short of tremendous. The interviews with the animators who worked on the film make for fascinating viewing. Essentially doing the job of actors and defining the personalities of their drawn characters, it’s amazing to see the various thought processes involved in giving the deceptively simple illustrations a sense of life.

It’s fascinating to hear that Walt Disney himself hated the animation style employed (it was necessarily cheap after Sleeping Beauty tanked at the box office) when several animators working today rate it as Disney at its most groundbreaking and influential. Jonathan Wilkins

VERDICT: 9/10
As essential for the insightful extra features as for the movie itself, this is wonderful stuff from the House of Mouse.