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| by Cochaman Peef with additional writing by Bridget Petrella | ||
| Disney's' ‘101 Dalmations Platinum Edition’— A Timeless Classic. | ||
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Perdita is scared of her
and knows she is nothing but trouble. The birth scene of the puppies is
really cute as the housekeeper counts up to 15 in the new litter. After
the birth, when Cruella is unable to convince Anita and Roger to sell
her the puppies, she uses her henchmen to kidnap them. Once Pongo learns
that the puppies are gone, he utilizes the “twilight bark” to issue an
all dog alert. This stretches all over the city and even makes it out to
the country where the puppies are discovered by some farm animals along
with 84 other Dalmatian puppies. Once news of their location gets back
to Pongo and Perdita, they are off to the rescue and the rest of the
movie is action-packed. According to the information in the DVD
collection, a restoration team found the original Technicolor “dye
transfer” of the film. They were able to confirm the color palette
approved by Walt Disney and the artists, so that they could enhance the
lines and proper shading of the puppies. Their work doesn’t go
unnoticed. The newly enhanced picture is fantastic. The colors are
vibrant and the animation brings the characters more to life. The dreary
look of London also creates a great backdrop for the story. The detail
on the puppies is amazing and really adds to the enjoyment of watching
the film. The restored soundtrack is very well done as well. It is crisp
and clear. Walt Disney began
correspondence with Dodie Smith, the author of the novel the film was
based on, prior to the release of the movie that then continued for
years. “Sincerely Yours, Walt Disney” offers a dramatic re-creation of
that correspondence. “Trailers, Radio and TV Spots” is exactly what the
title implies. “Art Galleries” showcases the art behind the animation.
“Music & More” features deleted, abandoned, extended, and alternative
versions of the songs from the film. “Games & Activities” gives children
the opportunity to adopt a Dalmatian puppy to play with either on the
computer or on TV. It also includes a questionnaire to help match up the
viewer with the right breed of dog. I have a feeling this was done to
help encourage parents to buy the right kind of pet for their kids and
to not rush out and buy them a Dalmatian. There is some fun with
language games for younger viewers too. |
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Despite a number of short-term
unwarranted arrests for a virtual plethora of misdemeanors,
which, for some odd reason, remain "classified", Cochaman Peef
has continued to let his beloved hemp play a substantial role in
his ever-waning life. Whether he’s smoking from a hand-blown
glass pipe while studying Eastern religion and Woody Harrelson
philosophy, or just smoking Jamaican sticks and watching Kung-Fu
with David Carradine on DVD [he claims to know Carradine
personally, a fact we've yet to dispute]. |
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I
have to admit that 101 Dalmatians was not one of my favorite Disney
stories growing up. Those were the days before Disney Channel was free
and when VCRs were expensive, so I started my Disney education by
reading my sister’s hand-me-down books and listening to records that
told the stories. I always thought that the cartoon was kind of creepy,
as far as Disney stories go, based on these childhood memories of old
drawings and the scary Cruella De Vil chasing after puppies. After
watching the two-disc Platinum Edition DVD, however, I have a new
appreciation for the film as a whole. The film is based on the book
written by Dodie Smith, a British woman who owned a Dalmatian named
Pongo. Someone remarked to her one day that Dalmatian fur would make
beautiful coats, and she got the idea that that would make a great
story. Walt Disney agreed. Production began in the mid-1950s and "101
Dalmatians" and debuted in theatres in 1961. 101 Dalmatians is narrated
by Pongo, an adult male Dalmatian, and starts cleverly with him
introducing us to his human pet, Roger. Both are bachelors and Pongo is
trying to find them suitable mates. He spots a lovely female Dalmatian,
Perdita, and her pet, Anita, walking in the park. He manages to
orchestrate a meeting and both couples are married soon after.
Fast-forward several months and Perdita is now about to give birth to
puppies. This brings Cruella De Vil, a long-time friend of Anita’s, into
the picture. One of the great classic Disney songs, “Cruella De Vil” is
introduced at this point. Roger is a songwriter with a new melody but no
words and her visit inspires him. Cruella wants to buy the puppies for
top dollar but Roger and Anita are unwilling to sell.
The
2-disc DVD set is jam-packed with all sorts of bonus features.
“Pop-up Trivia Facts” offers information that pops up throughout the
film. There are two levels, one for the family and one for the fan. The
information is interesting but the pop-up format is rather distracting
and takes up a lot of room on the screen. There is also a newer “hipper”
version of “Cruella De Vil” performed by Selena Gomez, star of the
rather popular Disney Channel Original Series... 'Wizards of Waverly
Place,' and the set includes the corresponding music video. I had no
idea who this was nor did I enjoy the new version of the song but it
will probably appeal to teens. “Backstage Disney” includes the
featurette “Redefining the Line: The Making of One Hundred and One
Dalmatians”. The interviews, with many noteworthy people, and
information provided here are really interesting. 101 Dalmatians was a
new form of animation for Disney and the details behind this change are
fascinating given the state of animation today. “Cruella De Vil: Drawn
To Be Bad” continues the interviews and more in-depth specifics on how
Cruella came to be.
