101 Dalmatians

Director Stephen Herek does an admirable balancing job, though the movie slows whenever the animals solo onscreen. [27 Nov 1996 Pg.01.D]

Since each is more adorable than the one before - and together they're an irresistible mass of squirming speckles - the whole elaborate edifice holds up pretty well.

Though this film's considerable warmth derives from dalmatian puppies and other animals who take charge of their fates, Close steals the show.

But the tale has been squeezed to fit the mold of director John Hughes, which for long stretches makes it feel as much like the third "Home Alone" as the second "Dalmations."

Thanks to Glenn Close's delicious villainy, it succeeds in breathing archly theatrical life into the irresistibly monstrous Cruella DeVil. Otherwise, this remake goes to the dogs too often.

At times, the film feels like one painful, protracted pratfall.

But by the end, the charm and delicacy of the 1961 cartoon have long been replaced by laborious gross-outs. Is this now official Disney policy?

Esta película es un gran clásico de culto familiar Live Action de Disney y punto.

A true classic. Who doesn't like this movie. If you haven't seen it, I really recommend it. Especially for kids.

The movie is fun and very silly at times. The dogs are great but the movie drags at times and can be boring.

This film is a live-action that repeats and updates the story of "101 Dalmatians", an animated film that Disney launched in the early sixties. The plot has some minor changes and is brought to our time, but its virtually the same in both films. One of the most drastic changes, however, is that the animals in this film don't speak, even though they demonstrate intelligence and know how to face danger. The human cast has Jeff Daniels, Joely Richardson, Joan Plowright and Hugh Fraser, very experienced British and American actors, but its Glenn Close who stands out, in the iconic role of the villain, Cruella De Vil, giving us one of the most remarkable performances of her career so far, and the best interpretation of what, for many, is Disney's biggest villain. Remarkable! The team that created the costumes of this character also deserves congratulations, combining charm and good taste with Cruella's sinister attraction by genuine fur (of course, in the film they weren't real fur). Situational jokes are the strongest part of the film, thanks to Hugh Laurie and Mark Williams, who brought to life the two absolutely stupid thugs who were supposed to keep the dogs under control. They're the main comic element, contrasting with the sweetness of those little puppies. It's a great movie for the whole family to watch together, have a laugh and spend some quality time together.

101 Dalmatians was one of the worst remakes I have ever seen. The original was so much better. This one has cringy gags and disappointingly bad acting from actors that are respected worldwide. Stick to the original.