I typically don’t get around to watching many full-length movies these days. A two-year old doesn’t allow for very much down time and then, truthfully, I’d rather read books. However, every so often my husband and I will decide to spend an evening watching movies. Having recently read the book 101 Dalmations by Dodie Smith (same author who wrote I Capture the Castle), I picked up a copy of 101 Dalmatians (starring Glenn Close) at our local library. I had seen this version before but it had been years since I had watched it. Of course I was more familiar with the Disney animated movie but wanted to refresh my memory of the live action film. (As we settled down to watch this I discovered that my husband hadn’t ever seen the animated version! ACK! How’d that happen!?)
For the record, I thought the book was awesome. I highly recommend reading it. I have a good memory of the animated version and although Disney, as usual, took some liberties with it, I think that overall they did well with it. What surprised me when watching the live action movie was not the change in storyline or plot at times….but what was lost in not being able to hear the dogs talk. (Plus I had to wonder if Glenn Close ever felt ridiculous when performing the mad maniacal laughter of Cruella De Vil. But anyway.) In the book, the dogs communicate with one another, of course, and can “talk” to one another even though their human pets don’t seem to understand their language. The story feels rich and full because the dogs are actively thinking and doing. In Disney’s animated film they allow the dogs to talk and you find yourself identifying with them and cheering them on. In the live action film the only ones able to talk are the humans. Since the movie is all about the dogs, a lot of time you are watching a “silent screen” (minus the soundtrack, of course) and, if you’ve never read the book, then I would just think that the movie would be very boring.
This IS a great classic story. There is a reason the Disney company picked it up and turned it into one of their Cartoon Classics. I think they should have stopped right there and refrained from making an attempt to fiddle with their magic. Not only is the live-action film even further away from Smith’s original story but it’s just not as exciting because it’s hard to make dogs look like they are talking and have it be remotely believable. As a cartoon though, it works well enough.
It was fun to do a little compare and contrasting between book and screen but I think the general rule still remains: it is better to read than to watch.
Carrie comes by her book obsession honestly, having descended from a long line of bibliophiles. She blogs about books regularly at Reading to Know.
Jennifer, Snapshot says
I loved your comparison of the 2 movies and the book. I wouldn’t even have known it was a book really. We’ll have to look into it this summer and the original animated version!
Barbara H. says
I don’t know if I knew it was based on a book. I will have to look it up.