Search - 101 Dalmatians (Limited Issue) on DVD

Restored, retaining the correct screen aspect ratio of 1:33-

Paul J. Mular | San Carlos, CA USA | 03/04/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After goofing up the aspect ratio of the re-mastered Jungle Book DVD, Disney got this one right.

101 DALMATIANS was shot in the old 1:33-1 aspect ratio & projected that way at theaters. For the many theatrical re-issues it had, Disney produced special "window-boxed" 35mm prints so that the theaters would not mask off the top & bottom. I saw this in a theater in 1991 with black bars on the left & right side of the picture.



Once and for all, there is no question. This was produced and intended to be seen in 1:33-1 aspect ratio.



I am also glad that this movie has finally gotten the respect of a two-disc DVD release. I don't remember Walt promoting the film much during its original release like he did many others. With the stigma of being the first "Xerography" processed Disney animated film, this title often gets overlooked when talking about the classics."

Fabulous, Revolutionary, and Fun!

Benjamin J Burgraff | Las Vegas | 03/06/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

""101 Dalmatians" may be the most unfairly slighted of Walt Disney's 'classic' animated films, as this dog-napping adventure literally saved the studio, introduced the ultimate Disney villainess, Cruella De Vil, and ushered in a visually graphic 'style' that would set the industry standard for a decade. Oh, and it's great FUN, too!



Based on Dodie Smith's 1956 novel (inspired by her own Dalmatian pets), Disney knew it would be a 'natural' for the screen, at a time when he desperately needed a blockbuster. Despite the huge success of "Cinderella", in 1950, the decade, with the studio's resources stretched between both live and animated features and shorts, television, and the opening of Disneyland, had been a costly one, and the skyrocketing cost of producing animation, after a string of less successful cartoons (culminating in the failure of "Sleeping Beauty"), threatened to curtail any future animated films. It was a desperate time (most of the major studios were shutting down their animation departments, and the 'limited animation' of Hanna-Barbera, which Disney detested, appeared to be the 'future' of cartoons), and he turned to production manager Ken Anderson to find a way to make the film cost-effective while maintaining the 'Disney' look.



Anderson's solutions didn't please Walt, but would create a film revolutionary in style, and far less expensive to produce. Utilizing xerox technology to copy original artwork directly onto cels, he eliminated the huge staff of painters who had traditionally inked and colored each frame. The line work had a scratchier quality, which he complimented by more stylized, linear backgrounds, with splashes of color. As the story would be the first 'contemporary' Disney feature (with far less music, and a more dramatic plot), the new 'look' worked perfectly (especially in the brilliant conception of the scene-stealing De Vil, who quickly achieved 'legendary' status among Disney villains). The technique did have shortcomings (the climactic chase between De Vil's hot rod and a Dalmatian-filled moving van, as she plows into a snow bank, looks artificial, particularly as snow covers her car), but the film, as a whole, was an astonishing achievement.



Despite Walt's misgivings, the film was exactly the blockbuster the studio needed, becoming the top-grossing film of 1961, and, for years, the highest grossing animated film of all time. Critically praised, it became such a fan favorite that it was re-released frequently, always successfully. Blessed with a rich, funny plot, unforgettable characters, and 101 of the cutest dogs you'll ever see, it certainly has earned a place beside "Snow White", Pinocchio", "Bambi", and "Cinderella".



While I wish somebody had invited Rod Taylor (the voice of Pongo) to share his experiences of the production, I was blown away by the extraordinary quality of image and sound of this remastered edition, and enjoyed the second disc of special features (did you know TWO actresses voiced Perdita?)



This Platinum Edition is an absolute ESSENTIAL for every Disney collection!







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