Original animated film: “One Hundred and One Dalmatians” is the 17th animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Productions, released in 1961. The film is based on the 1956 novel “The Hundred and One Dalmatians” by Dodie Smith.
Dodie Smith’s inspiration: The author of the original novel, Dodie Smith, owned nine Dalmatians and was inspired to write the story after a friend remarked that they would make a lovely fur coat.
Xerox technology: “One Hundred and One Dalmatians” was the first Disney film to use Xerox technology in its animation process. This allowed animators to transfer their drawings directly onto cels, saving time and money, as well as creating a distinctive, sketch-like style.
Cruella de Vil: The film’s primary antagonist, Cruella de Vil, is one of Disney’s most iconic villains. Her name is a pun on “cruel” and “devil.” In the 1961 animated film, Cruella was voiced by Betty Lou Gerson, while in the 1996 live-action adaptation, she was portrayed by Glenn Close.
Color symbolism: The use of color plays a significant role in the film, with Cruella de Vil’s bold black, white, and red wardrobe contrasting sharply with the softer, muted tones of the Dalmatians and their human family.
Animation style: The film features a distinctive visual style, with its sketchy lines and angular character designs, which was a departure from the more fluid and rounded animation of previous Disney films.
101 Dalmatians II: “101 Dalmatians II: Patch’s London Adventure” is a direct-to-video sequel released in 2003, focusing on the adventures of Patch, one of the original Dalmatian puppies.
Live-action adaptation: In 1996, a live-action adaptation of the film was released, directed by Stephen Herek and starring Glenn Close as Cruella de Vil, Jeff Daniels as Roger, and Joely Richardson as Anita.
102 Dalmatians: A live-action sequel, “102 Dalmatians,” was released in 2000, featuring Glenn Close reprising her role as Cruella de Vil. The film introduces a new set of Dalmatian puppies and a plot involving Cruella’s attempt to steal them for a new fur coat.
Music: The 1961 animated film’s score was composed by George Bruns, while the memorable song “Cruella de Vil” was written by Mel Leven. The tune became an instant classic and has been covered by numerous artists.
Pongo and Perdita: The two adult Dalmatians in the film, Pongo and Perdita, are responsible for the daring rescue of their kidnapped puppies. In the original novel, their names were Pongo and Missis.
Cameos: The film features cameos from several characters of other Disney films, including Lady and the Tramp, who can be seen during the “Twilight Bark” scene.
Unique dalmatian spots: The animators drew a total of 6,469,952 spots throughout the film, with each Dalmatian puppy having a unique pattern of spots.
Animation team: The animation team included several Disney legends, such as Ken Anderson, Milt Kahl, and Wolfgang Reitherman, who went on to work on numerous other Disney classics.
Box office success: “One Hundred and One Dalmatians” was a major box office success, earning over $215 million (adjusted for inflation). It was one of the highest-grossing films of 1961.
