MovieChat Forums > 101 Dalmatians (1996) Discussion > This had such potential

This had such potential

posted 17 years ago by yeley
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This could have been a really great movie if they would have followed the original book. The book had so many touching moments that easily could have gone into a live-action film.

The fact that Pongo and Missus were the married dogs and Perdita was a foster mother would have been great to add. The meeting of the old dog who lived with his master and gave them sweet hot tea and toast with butter and then the dog's master woke up and thought the dalmations were ghosts from his youth was a touching moment.

The church where the puppies found a little "puppy-sized dog bed" was such a great touch in the book.

How about showing the terror they felt as Cruella was chasing them as real terror and not a slapstick comedy? Kids are smart enough to get it. Give them a chance.

The relationships between all the dogs they met on the road to Suffolk was what made the book so great.

Less slapstick and a more faithful following of the book could have made this Disney's masterpiece and it would have appealed to older audiences as well as kids.

The animated version is great for the kids, but the book is so much deeper and still workable.

[–] kbroflovski 16 years ago

Thank you! I absolutely agree. The original can be enjoyed by everyone. This one was too watered down. I'll admit Glenn Close did a terrific job in the role she was to play, but had they stuck to the original movie/book, she would have been very much incorrectly cast, as I found because I was relating to the 1961 movie. The twilight bark and the scenes in the country of isolation would have been amazing, had they replicated it.

Another thing that I didn't like about this movie, was the poor writing. I realize that in the original movie it goes from the park scene to the church for the marriage, but I'm pretty certain that the transition they used was supposed to replicate time passing, rather then proposing THAT AFTERNOON! I thought that was a terrible idea, and much of the dialogue leaves NOTHING to the imagination. They always say whatever the audience is meant to think- not even little kids need to be coaxed along like that. Another point worth mentioning was the recycling of quotes from the original. For the most part this really threw me off. It would have been alright, had they not totally shifted the tone, mood and atmosphere of the movie. Not even the best actors or actresses in the world could have made those bits work without sounding so rehearsed

The casting was OK, but I'm sure a couple of the characters could have had better matches. This of course doesn't include Joan Plowright. There is not an actress alive that could have done better justice for the original part of 'Nanny'. She even sounds the same.

And the last part that I remember being disappointed with ever since I originally saw it 13 years ago, was her car. The original was beautiful. Menacing, brooding. It was a huge part (at least for me) of the original The one used in this one reminded me of a little MG runabout. Not a menacing bolt on the whole vehicle. I'm sure there were cars made that would have been a better fit. And keep it red for god sakes- yes! we get it! Black and white! Like the dogs! HA! HA! Clever! Now please stop.