101 Dalmatians

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Great family fun!, 2009-01-06
This movie is great family fun. The "real" people put a new spin on the Disney classic. My children loved the original and now claim, "this one is even better". Glenn Close is over the top as Cruella!

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101 Dalmatians, 2008-11-19
Modern technology has taken live-action filmmaking to limitless heights, but there are still some stories that are more suited for feature-animation. Dodie Smith's "The Hundred and One Dalmatians" is one of them. Walt Disney knew this and his "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" is one of the most loved animated films of all time. Unfortunately, director John Hughes did not and his live-action remake, "101 Dalmatians, comes up short in the end. br / br /It is not a bad film, but it is incredibly awkward and extremely unfocused at times. Instead of a seamless blend of animal and human characters, we are now forced to get involved almost solely with the two-legged heroes of the picture, which is occasionally sweet, but obviously not right for a film that is supposed to be about dogs. Pongo and Perdita along with their brood of ninety-nine puppies have been pushed to the wayside and the collection of fur and feathered supporting players, which include a menagerie of barnyard creatures, are reduced to slapstick. br / br /Cruella DeVil is still the driving force of the plot, but Glenn Close's marvelously overblown performance is still no match for her animated predecessor voiced by Betty Lou Gerson. And Cruella's bumbling cronies, Horace and Jasper (Mark Williams and Hugh Laurie) are merely cockney clones of the burglars in the "Home Alone" movies, which coincidentally were also directed by John Hughes. br / br /The only characters that seem right are Roger (Jeff Daniels) and Anita (Joely Richardson). Daniels and Richardson have genuine chemistry and the prescence of Joan Plowright only adds to the warmth. The three of them deserve a movie of their own.

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LIVE-ACTION REMAKE IS PERFECT COMPANION TO ORIGINAL ANIMATED FILM., 2008-10-12
John Hughes' ("Sixteen Candles", "The Breakfast Club," "Ferris Bueller's Day Off") live-action remake (directed by Stephen Herek) of this beloved Disney animated classic is long on slapstick and other types of physical humor. It's easy to see Glenn Close's portrayal of evil dog-napping Cruella De Vil as a Disney variation of her manipulative, scary (and best-remembered) roles in "Fatal Attraction" and "Dangerous Liaisons." Glenn Close keeps Cruella close to her original cartoon origins, going deliciously and delightfully over the top. Clearly, Cruella is another Disney Witch. br /To emphasize this point, there is a scene where Cruella, draped in lion skin, gazes at her reflection and says, "Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Who is the Fairest One Of All?" Hugh Laurie (of TV's "House") portrays one of Cruella's criminal cronies. It is great fun to watch assorted animals (dogs, racoons, rabbits, birds, pigs, etc.) rule over evil, but stupid, humans who attempt to kill or abuse them. Joan Plowright ("Nanny") and the always dependable Jeff Daniels ("Roger Darling", human pet of Dalmation Dog Pongo) are featured as two of the more kind humans. br / I'm very glad Disney has released both the original animated and live-action versions (Which I have wanted for a LONG time) of "101 Dalmations" on DVD. If you are a fan of the original animated version, you will likely enjoy the live-action remake as well. The two versions perfectly compliment each other. My favorite line of dialogue here comes towards the end. In the police wagon, Cruella screams at her three criminal cohorts, "Outwitted by a bunch of animals! You three have just one the Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals in the Morons Olympics!!" Jasper then asks, "Who won the Gold?" br / The Sequel, "102 Dalmations", however, should be AVOIDED, by ALL means.

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One of my childhood favorites., 2008-09-21
I have to admit, like "Toy Story," "101 Dalmatians" was one of my favorite childhood favorites from Disney. Although the worst part of the film was that Cruella DeVille use to give me the freaks. But I would have to admit that even though she still gives me the freaks, Glenn Close's performance is actually pretty good. br / br /The movie tells the story of a guy named Roger who has a dog named Pongo and then he falls in love with a lady named Anita. Anita has a dog named Pertie. But the real catch of the dog is that they are dalmatians. Soon, Roger and Anita get married and together they have their own life with their maid Nanny. br / br /The family soon gets puppies, which are dalmatians, but the one thing that is bothering them is that Cruela DeVille wants to kidnap them. She hires her two best friends, Jesper and Horace, to kidnap them. Pongo and Pertie want to find their missing puppies. br / br /The DVD doesn't offer too much but sneak peeks. But it's still a great movie and a fun movie to watch. Different from the cartoon version, but that's all right. I was at least entertained with the movie and now we also have "102 Dalmatians" for me to finish.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Glenn Close steals the show, 2008-09-11
Disney remade their classic animated film of the same name 35 years after the original, as a live-action movie in 1996. The tale is familiar to most: two Dalmatians, Pongo Perdy, bring their owners together. Roger (Jeff Daniels) and Anita (Joely Richardson) fall in love almost at first site when they meet in the park. They get married and their Dalmatians have puppies. Sounds like a lovely romantic tale, right? It would be if it weren't for Anita's boss, the evil Cruella de Vil (Glenn Close). Cruella is a fashionista who loves fur...and her latest desire is to own a coat made of Dalmatian fur. When she learns that Anita's dog has had a litter of 15, she sets her sites on them to make her desire come true. Anita Roger turn down her offer, so she sends her bumbling minions Jasper Horace (Hugh Laurie Mark Williams respectively) to steal them for her. br / br /Does it equal the original? No, not really...but this is not a surprise. How could you top Marc Davis' animation of Cruella, one of the most memorable characters in animation history? Still, you have to give Glenn Close much credit for making Cruella her own...remove her and you have little reason to watch this film. With her fright wig and amazingly over the top costumes, Close truly comes close...she is an evil delight to watch as she barks orders (pun intended) and does everything in her power to make the fur coat a reality. Laurie (now starring in the hit series "House") and Williams are excellent as her bumbling henchman. The animals are also lots of fun to watch, as they often show that they are much smarter than their human counterparts. br / br /Note to parents: this movie is somewhat darker than the animated versions, with a few creepy scenes with the taxidermist. Nothing major, but still parents might want to be careful as Glenn Close's characterization is more frightening and nightmare inducing than her animated namesake. br / br /Sadly and surprisingly, there are no extras on this DVD other than a theatrical trailer. The widescreen (2:35:1) picture is excellent (enhanced for 16x9 TVs), and there is a wonderful Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround mix. br / br /Overall, an enjoyable film that is bumped up a few notches thanks to Glenn Close's performance.