ONE HUNDRED AND ONE DALMATIANS

US, 1961, 79 minutes, Colour.
Voices: Rod Taylor, Betty Lou Gerson.
Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske.

Classic Disney animation. With Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in the thirties and the subsequent classics of the forties, for example Pinocchio and Bambi, the Disney studios established a standard for animation films and audience expectations. In the fifties they had mixed successes with such films as Alice In Wonderland, Lady And The Tramp, Sleeping Beauty - the latter of which was made in Technirama. It was not the expected box office success. However, this film at the beginning of the sixties, was a great success. Later animation ventures of the studios were a combination with live action in Mary Poppins and then The Jungle Book. After Disney's death such films as The Aristocats, Robin Hood and The Rescuers were released.

This film is entertaining in its presentation of animals - in relation to humans (and the humans mirroring their pets!). Rod Taylor leads the human voices. There in an excellent wicked witch characterization in the character of Cruella de Ville? surely a distant relative of the witch in Snow White. The Sherman Brothers contributed the songs - they were to contribute many songs to many musicals over the next decade and had great success, especially with Mary Poppins.

1. The appeal of the Disney film? The qualities of the animation? Audience expectation of humour sentiment plot, style?

2. The styles of animation - realism, layout, human characteristics, animals, English voices? The balance between dogs and humans? The humour of the animation - the paralleling of the dogs and humans? The style of the voices? The music and the songs? The quality of the credits sequence and the indications of potential for animation?

3. The adventure aspects of the plot combined with romance, escape, humour? The echoes of the war escape stories and their being made explicit with such characters as the Colonel? The younger audience identifying with the pets, the peril, the escape, heroism? Adult audiences - with memories of war films and escape films?

4. Pongo as hero, his narrative, his personality? His introduction to his pets, the humans! Roger and Anita mirroring Pongo and Perdita? The quick elaboration of the situation, the observations on Roger and his musical career, the love for Anita? Pongo's acting as hero, suitor. husband father rescuer? A good and likable Disney hero?

5. Roger and Anita as nice human beings - but subordinate to Pongo and Perdita? The dogs elaborating the meeting of the two, the falling in the water, the wedding (and the commitment of Pongo and Perdita at the back of the church)? The birth of the babies and the tender sequence of the young puppy thought dead but still alive? Roger and Anita and their concern about the disappearance of the puppies?

6. Cruella de Ville as villainess? Her initial appearance, the car, the furs, the phone? Her voice? Physical appearance? The song and its lyrics? Her driving, chasing, smoking? The crashes? Her intensity of purpose, betrayal of friendship, cruelty to animals? Her henchmen? The final chases and her defeat? Cruella as the witch character?

7. Jasper and Horace: Thugs, their drinking? The nanny and the dognapping? Their being fools in their work, guarding, chasing and comeuppance?

8. The sequences of Pongo and Perdita at home - the parallel of the human situation? The puppies watching television, the dog hero and the parody of the western, the advertisement for genuine Krunchies? The humorous parallel with Jasper and Horace watching the T.V. programme "What's My Crime?" and the humour of the screen play and dialogue?

9. The device of the Twilight Bark? The range of dogs shown and their helping? The network and the links throughout the countryside? The range of voices used for personalities? The Colonel, the Horse, Tibbs? Their appearance and voices, participation in the rescue an well as seeing them in their homes? Tibbs and his help, the rescue, the balance? Pongo and Perdita and their journey to the rescue?

11. The details of the escape, the help of the Horse, the Labrador? The importance of the soot disguise and its being discovered?

12. The build-up to the climax, the chase, the happy ending? Audiences being satisfied?

13. The atmosphere of delight and enjoyment, fantasy and reality? The humorous parallel of humans and pets, for example the early sequence of the women mirroring the dogs and vice versa, walking along the park?

14. The basic human themes that audiences respond to, heroes and heroines, loss, challenge, rescue and escape? The status of the film as a Disney classic?