MovieChat Forums > One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961) Discussion > I didn't like it

I didn't like it

posted 16 years ago by sweetj
13 replies | jump to latest

I've got to just come out and say it. I did not like this movie. I have a large collection of animated Disney movies, probably 20 or so, and I've loved them all. But I got this one recently, and I don't remember if I'd ever seen it at all as a kid. But I know that I couldn't wait for it to end. The animation was incredible, as all Disney movies were back in the day, but the story was severely lacking. It just dragged on and on.
Before I get a bunch of people jumping on my back, let me set you straight. I am a huge Disney fan. My wife and I have been to Disney World three times in the last seven years. I collect the classics on DVD, and watch one every so often. I have the highest respect for Walt Disney and the empire HE ran. Watch "The Man Behind the Myth". Incredible.
But I just thought this movie lacked heart, depth, and generally sucked in the story department. Am I alone here?

[–] cjh818 16 years ago

i understand what you mean... i think a lot of people will actually agree. this was not one of the best disney films.... but i kinda like it, actually i think may even love it!

you see, there's no princess, no magic, and no cheesy love story... i guess perdita and pongo may count for a "love" story but that is only a small section of the entire film. this is a good film depicting good vs. evil with puppies!

and cruella! she's so evil. she may be one of best villians in all of disney. i'm quite surprised you never saw it as a kid... you have heard of it before, right?

i just feel that it is the most genuine of all the disney movies...

and, i actually did not know that it was made in 1961! i thought 70s at the earliest.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] PreachCaleb 16 years ago

I didn't like it either when I first saw it, but it's grown on me over the years.

For love denied blights the soul we owe to God.

[–] Exorphitus 15 years ago

I don't know what movie you were watching, but nothing you just said describes the movie I know and love from my childhood. I dont know how you can tae anything you just said seriously because the story and the sincerity of the characters are what sells this movie. What can be more powerful than a story of parents going to great lengths to save their children? Is it because they're dogs? Are you dogist? Pongo and Perdita are so very genuine in their fear and concern for their children. For example, after Sgt. Tibbs reveals Cruella intends to kill the puppies and turn them into coats, a shocked Perdita says "She's a devil! A.. a Witch!" and she sounds so genuinely terrified and aghast that I tear up every time. The villians are humorous while still being ruthless and deadly. I'll never forget Cruella chasing down the moving van with that look of sheer psychotic rage on her face. At tht moment she's no longer the sinister, yet still amusing Cruella, she's an evil sadistic monster who will kill anyone in her path in order to get what she wants. The story itself may be simple, but it's the performances of the characters that make it powerful. Everyone involved played their character with genuine depth and feeling. I simply don't understand how you can attack the very things that make this movie great.

"The things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end. If not always in the way we expect." - Luna Lovegood

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Kkarensheart 15 years ago

I dont know wat movie ur watching then, this movie lacked heart????? and wat parts were exactly "creepy" its a family cartoon, not just that u actually feel for the puppies and Pongo and Perdy when they loose them, and how the story dragged??? it was well devoloped and well paced, i dont what ur tripping on but this actually known as one of Disney's best, the best scene is when the dogs are cought in the blizzard and lucky wanted to give up, u saying that didnt have heart?

[–] SusanJL 14 years ago

Sweetj, you have every right to your opinion. I bought this movie on dvd because I wanted my granddaughter to see the film I had loved so much and saw in the movie theater in 1961 at age 9. I have to admit, it didn't seem nearly as wonderful as I remembered on our first viewing together. But as many 3 yr. olds are wont to do, we watched it over & over & over, and she loved it as much as I did as a kid! Maybe it helps to be a young child to really love this movie.

[–] rams_lakers 14 years ago

Dragged on and on? Dude this is classic Disney, not some rushed-through script with 15 side stories and subplots. The trouble with movies these days is that everything is at a rushed pace.

The only thing that I don't like about this movie is that though it is clever, the Cruella song sticks in my head!

[–] GSmith9072 13 years ago

"Dude this is classic Disney, not some rushed-through script with 15 side stories and subplots."

Well it sure felt like it. It seems as though there are some cultural pressures to like every 'classic' Disney movie even if it sucks and has nothing intelligent going on.

BUGS

[–] MetFanMac 13 years ago

I'm sure everyone's entitled to not like at least one movie from the Disney canon. For me it's Sleeping Beauty, for you it's this, and there are probably people out there who hate Snow White or The Lion King as well...

Supermodels...spoiled stupid little stick figures mit poofy lips who sink only about zemselves.

[–] leskataus-1 13 years ago

That's all right. This movie just didn't do it for you and there's nothing wrong with that. I like it but it's not one of my favorites. For me, the Disney animated movies I really don't like are "Alice In Wonderland", "Fun & Fancy Free", and "Sleeping Beauty".

[–] rams_lakers 13 years ago

I'm not big on the Alice in Wonderland either. I guess I can only take about 30 minutes of pure ridiculousness. If I had to really bash a Disney animated movie though it would be any of the sequels.

[–] blackkittyangel 13 years ago

I did not like the movie as much as I thought I would. My mother gave me the original book when I was young which I loved. I was disappointed to find that some of the characters had been removed or merged together when the movie was made.

1). There was 3 main adult dalmations. Mr. Pongo and Mrs. Pongo were black spotted dalmations. Perdita was a liver spotted dalmation that was rescued by the human couple to help Mr. and Mrs. Pongo to care for their puppies. She too had older puppies that had turned up missing. Disney merged Mrs. Pongo and Perdita into the same dog.

2.) My absolute favorite of Mr. and Mrs. Pongo's puppies from the book was Cadpig but she was never in the original disney movie. Lucky pup was a close second. I found out that a later disney 101 cartoon series introduced Cadpig, but she wasn't like the same Cadpig from the original novel.

There once was a little black kitten called Angel.