Spot-on brilliant.

Rating: 9/10 (18 October 2008)

My Take: An irresistible Disney classic.
It's probably a bit strange to say this 1961 Disney animated movie as one of their best animate films in the Golden Age of the studio. Still, I ask no apologies. 101 DALMATIANS is a sweet, clever and splendidly entertaining animated adventure and, in my opinion, one of the very best films in their classic era. But lets face it! Although I took a fonding of Disney's classic animated films, some of them (PETER PAN comes to mind) are extremely overrated. So far as I've seen, only FANTASIA lives up to the term "classic", but then again, I haven't seen them all. But even if I did, I'll always have a space in my list of favorites for 101 DALMATIANS. Not only do I find it one of the very best Disney films, it's also on of the very best talking animal fables ever to hit your theaters.
One of the aspects of the film is its villain. With the exception the Evil Stepmother and Maleficent, DALMATIANS' Cruella DeVille (voiced by Betty Lou Gerson) is an outrageous and colorfully written villain, and yes, the mention of her name brings in wonderful memories. But, although Cruella is one of the finest aspects of the film, there are other pleasures to behold. Mainly, the clever portrayal of its talking animals. With clever voice acting but mostly due to much more clever writing, the animal characters here don't just talk for our fondness, they talk with precise and clever speeches. The animal characters are far more intelligent and colorful than its human counterparts, but I guess that's what they meant to do. In fact, sometimes throughout the film, I can almost see a sort of human personality among all of the animals, be it cats, dogs or the dalmatians, one and all.
The animation has its flaws, and the energy level drops at a rather low point midway, but the film never failed to cheer me up. Colorful characters, beloved animation and no lack of energy help make this little Disney film a big delight. Now, if your still looking for an apology when I say 101 DALMATIANS is one of the best Disney movies ever, your probably better of not reading this review in the first place. I make no apologies about it, 101 DALMATIANS is terrific, if not flawless, entertainment. Bundle up the kids!
Rating: ****1/2 out of 5.