Even Better than the Original

After growing up with the animated classic "101 Dalmatians," I wondered how a live action movie could measure up. After all, there are so many things you can do with animation that you could never do in real life. Still, I saw the previews and was looking forward to seeing this new version in the theater at Thanksgiving a few years back. I was not disappointed.

The details of the movie had changed considerably, though the main storyline was the same. In this movie, Roger is a video game designer instead of a songwriter. Anita is a fashion designer who works for Cruella DeVil. They get around town on their bikes with their dogs attached by leash. If you ever want to convince someone that this is a bad idea, have them watch this movie!

Once again it is Pongo, Roger's dalmatian, who spots Anita and Perdita, her dalmatian. He leads Roger on a wild ride across town that eventually lands Roger in the pond. Later, the tables are turned and Perdita does the same to Anita. True to Disney style, Roger proposes to Anita that very night.

The real trouble begins when Anita gets pregnant and must work from home. Cruella comes to visit and discovers that Perdita will be having puppies soon, and she is determined to buy them and make a puppy-fur coat. Soon after they're born, her henchmen steal them, and the great search begins.

What makes this movie so remarkable is that, other than a few computer animated stunts, everything is done by real live animals. The opening scene in which Pongo does half a dozen household tasks before waking up Roger is priceless. The scenes containing only animals manage to be even more effective than the scenes with dialogue in the cartoon, and the dialogue between the humans, especially the villains, is hilarious.

Slapstick abounds towards the end of the film, making it reminiscent of "Home Alone". And, of course, the dogs triumph in the end, as does Roger -- this time producing a thrilling video game instead of a hit song. This more modern version of the Disney classic is a wonderful new take on a story we've all grown up with. And with real dogs doing the acting, you can't help but start to wonder if maybe it's not so far-fetched after all...