The Dalmatians are Back!

Get ready for outrageous fun in Disney's 102 Dalmatians. It's a brand-new, hilarious adventure, starring the audacious Oddball, the spotless Dalmatian puppy on a search for her rightful spots and Waddlesworth, the wisecracking, delusional macaw who thinks he's a Rottweiler. Barking mad, this disparate duo leads a posse of puppies on a mission to outfox the wildly wicked, ever-scheming Cruella De Vil (Glenn Close). Filled with chases, close calls, hilarious antics and thrilling escapes all the way from London through the streets of Paris - and a Parisian bakery - this adventure-packed tale is wacky good fun your entire family will want to howl over again and again.

Title: 102 Dalmatians
Release: November 22, 2000
Genre: Family
MPAA Rating: G
Based On: The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith
Writer: Kristen Buckley & Brian Regan
Director: Kevin Lima
Music By: David Newman
Produced By: Edward S. Feldman
Distributed By: Buena Vista Pictures
Run Time: 100 minutes
Official Site

Four years after Disney’s success with their first live-action remake of one of their animated films, it was decided that the live action film deserved a sequel, 102 Dalmatians. It wasn’t quite as big of a hit theatrically as 101 Dalmatians (which had been one of the top 10 highest grossing films of 1996), even with Glenn Close reprising her role as Cruella; however it did receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design.

Of all the two live action Disney films based on Dodie Smith’s The Hundred and One Dalmatians, I personally think 102 Dalmatians is the best. Not because of the plot (which even I have to admit was original) or even because of the cuteness of the Dalmatian puppies, no what makes this better than the first film is Waddlesworth. In 101 Dalmatians, the comic relief was mostly thanks to Horace (Mark Williams) and Jasper (Hugh Laurie) but in this one, it all rests one the wings of one bird who believes himself to be a dog (but he doesn‘t mimic, he talks).

There has been a lot of grumbling over the years about this sequel with many people saying it was “ridiculous” but then these same people applaud the first film, which was so full of plot holes I’m surprised the puppies didn’t fall through them. Of course being a sequel, there were some corners cut so while I still think this was better than the first film, it isn’t one of my favorites. Still, there are some great parts like the re-creation of the scene from Lady and the Tramp and Waddlesworth’s lines. I also have to give credit to Glenn Close, whether she’s Ella or Cruella she was the second best thing in this film.

Related Posts: One Hundred and One Dalmatians (animated) & 101 Dalmatians (live- action)

Links: Wikipedia, Imdb.com, Digital Dogs (Computer Graphics Article)

Trailer:


Opening Credits:


Music Video:

The Man Behind His Words

This captivating biography of the bestselling children’s author in history reveals at last the man who had a unique influence on four generations of Americans, who championed children’s rights before that phrase was familiar, and who revolutionized the way children learn to read. The very name Dr. Seuss inevitably provokes a smile and some recollection of a beloved character - Horton, perhaps, or Thidwick or the Cat in the Hat. Yet during his lifetime, their creator was an enigma. In his years at Dartmouth, Oxford, New York, and Hollywood, mingling with the famous and notorious, he remained reclusive and plagued by self-doubts, but never lost his love of childish playfulness.

Was Ted Geisel really a genius, as his publisher Bennett Cerf believed, or, as he himself always insisted, just lucky? In forty-seven books of nonsensical charm, from And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street in 1937 to Oh, the Places You’ll Go! in 1990, his recurring theme was that children had an inalienable right to mischief, love, and hope. But many librarians and teachers consider him a subversive influence when his revolutionary Cat in the Hat signaled the demise of dreary Dick-and-Jane primers.

Ted Geisel was a dreamer who saw the world “through the wrong end of a telescope.” In his eighty-seven years, he met seven U.S. presidents, but was more proud of the fact that he had seen Halley’s Comet twice. An obsessively private man, he rarely revealed anything of his personal and professional agonies - or of the bawdy Seussian verses he wrote for friends.

Judith and Neil Morgan knew Ted Geisel in the latter half of his life, and here they merge their firsthand insights with scholarly research, drawing material from hundreds of letters and interviews, as well as from their subject’s notes for an unpublished autobiography. They had full access to Geisel’s voluminous papers, illuminating his relationship with both of his wives and providing instructive glimpses of his creative processes. The result is a frank and felicitous biography as unique as its subject.

Title: Dr. Seuss & Mr. Geisel
Author: Judith & Neil Morgan
Start & Finished: Long Term Read-6/18/08
Published: 1995
Publisher: Random House
Pages: 293
Genre: Biography

Dr. Seuss’ (aka Theodore Geisel) wonderful rhyming stories have been a part of people’s lives for many decades now. Some of his first books may not have been bestsellers but as his bibliography list grew so did his popularity. Over the years, it has launched movies, music, theme parks and even a Broadway musical. And to think that it all started on Mulberry Street!

I’ve been fond of Dr. Seuss’ many stories for as long as I can remember, something I have in common with almost everyone in the whole world now. Of the forty something books published by him, I think my favorite Dr. Seuss book would have to be Green Eggs and Ham. I remember when the teacher read it to our class when I was in kindergarten and afterwards we actually had green eggs and ham for lunch! Plus, it’s amazing that it was only 50 words long and still such a great story.

Judith and Neil Morgan did such a wonderful job capturing the life of this whimsical, iconic man. Their descriptions paint such beautiful pictures in your mind and I was so pleased that they obviously did their homework when researching Mr. Geisel. Not only did the interview countless people who knew him but they also dug up tons of information that I didn’t know (like he was a part of the war effort making wartime cartoons, Gerald McBoing-Boing was his idea, and he was co-founder of the Random House Beginners Books). They were also friends and neighbors so I doubt anyone else could have captured him so well.

Related Posts: Dr. Seuss Animated Adaptations, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, & Halloween is Grinch Night

Links: Dr. Seuss (Wikipedia), Dr. Seuss Wiki (wikia), The Animated Seuss (Animated Views), Dr. Seuss' Art (American Archives), Fansite (Fanpop), Obituary, Cake Challenge
Official Sites: Dr. Seuss Memorial & Seussville

Anywhere is Possible

From the director of The Bourne Identity and Mr. & Mrs. Smith comes the evolution of extreme - a high-powered shot of adrenaline that stretches the very limits of imagination. Next stop: Anywhere! David Rice is a young man who knows no boundaries - a Jumper, born with the uncanny ability to teleport instantly to any place on Earth. When he discovers others like himself, David is thrust into the midst of an ancient war while being hunted by a bloodthirsty band of zealots sworn to destroy all Jumpers. Now, David's extraordinary gift may be his only hope for survival!

Title: Jumper
Release: February 14, 2008
Genre: Action-Adventure/ Sci-Fi
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Based On: Jumper by Steven Gould
Writer: David S. Goyer, Jim Uhls, & Simon Kinberg
Director: Doug Liman
Music By: John Powell
Produced By: Simon Kinberg, Lucas Foster, Jay Sanders, & Stacy Maes
Distributed By: 20th Century Fox
Run Time: 90 minutes

Official Site

Science fiction author Steven Gould published his first full-length novel Jumper in 1992 about a guy who learns he can teleport at will. Sixteen years and two sequels later, 20th Century Fox produced a film adaptation of Gould’s work starring Hayden Christensen (David Rice), Samuel L. Jackson (Roland), Jamie Bell (Griffin), and Rachel Bilson (Millie).

Advertised as “epic” with great locations, neat special effects, and an interesting storyline, Jumper disappointedly, doesn’t quite live up to the hype that surrounded it when it first came out. Despite the fact that it was number one at the box office for a while (which led to a video game being produced too), the fact remains that the trailer was almost better than the film. That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy it because I really did! Doug Liman is one of the best directors of action-packed films and Hayden Christensen makes a great anti-hero. I guess I was just expecting that “epic”-ness that the cast kept talking about in interviews.

Still, I was very impressed with most of the movie. The cast was great and anti-hero David’s ability was one of the most interesting I’ve ever heard of, not to mention the fact that because of that ability, Jumper was filmed all over the world: Prague, Paris, Egypt, Japan, and even Rome- yes, that is the real Coliseum too. Oh and there is also a really cool car chase and fight scenes where David (Christensen) and Griffin (Bell) fight the Paladins and even each other!

The end of the film kind of leaves it open as to whether or not there will be a sequel (Mr. Gould wrote two more in this series) and there have recently been talk about a Jumper 2 being filmed. Millie (Bilson) is supposed to have a bigger and better part and be less of a damsel in distress (she does hold her own sometimes but when it comes right down to it, she’s there to be rescued), so I’m hoping it won’t take too long to make. Even though I thought this film could have been better and maybe a little stronger as an opening in a continued film franchise, I will still be in line to see the next one whenever it comes out.

Links: Wikipedia, Imdb.com, ReelzChannel

Interview: Hayden Christensen (ET)

Trailer:


Premiere:

Making the Magic Real

Unleashing every ounce of Disney magic, 101 Dalmatians thrills audiences of all ages with fast-paced adventure and comedy -- featuring a brilliant performance by five-time Academy Award nominee Glenn Close (including Best Actress, Dangerous LIASONS, 1988) as Cruella De Vil. Achieving new heights of hilarity, Disney's all-time classic puppy tale comes to life as a worldwide box office sensation. In their small London flat, Dalmatians Pongo and Perdy, and their human "pets" Roger and Anita, are overjoyed by the arrival of 15 puppies. But when the spotted-fur-loving Ms. De Vil and her clumsy cohorts, Jasper and Horace, dognap the litter -- along with every other Dalmatian pup in London -- Pongo and Perdy must rally the town's animals to the rescue. The plan hurls them towards a thrilling climax filled with uproarious moments as the puppies attempt to outwit their captors and bring on a final showdown with Cruella!

Packed with one of the largest and cutest collections of puppies ever brought to film, 101 Dalmatians also features a superb cast of talented humans, including Jeff Daniels, Joely Richardson and Joan Plowright.

Title: 101 Dalmatians
Release: November 18, 1996
Genre: Family
MPAA Rating: G
Based On: The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith
Writer: John Hughes
Director: Stephen Herek
Music By: Michael Kamen
Produced By: John Hughes
Distributed By: Buena Vista Pictures
Run Time: 103 minutes

Official Site

In 1961, the Walt Disney Company brought Dodie Smith’s The Hundred and One Dalmatian’s to the screen in beautiful Technicolor animation. Thirty-five years later, they brought it back in a new format: live-action. Although this first live action 101 Dalmatians film claims to be based on Ms. Smith’s story, it is actually based on the original Disney animated creation, including using dialogue directly from it.

Marc Davis was one of Walt Disney’s best animators and one of the original Nine Old Men but he also happened to be the creator of one of the scariest villainesses of all time: Cruella de Vil. Even though Dodie Smith did create her first, Davis gave her a different look, a more flamboyant attitude and in my opinion, made her even scarier. How anyone would ever be able to impersonate her in a live action film was going to be a challenge, if not down right impossible, yet Glenn Close took Cruella to a completely new level. Sure, she’s not as amazing as the animated Cruella, but she almost is. However, she’s still not the star of the film… that would be the Dalmatian’s themselves.

Another thing the film had going for it, besides the cuteness of the Dalmatian puppies, is the comedy. At times, it even has a bit of a Home Alone feel to it but that is no great surprise since the director of this film, Stephen Herek was also the director of those movies. One of the people who is the comedy relief team in the film has actually become very well known today by playing the main character in the TV show House. Yes, Hugh Laurie plays Jasper (although it has been said he was offered Roger’s part) with little of his sharp, cutting wit, but his presence is definitely felt whenever he is on screen and no one, not even Cruella herself dwarfs that.

There is a good reason why the motto of Hollywood is “never work with children or animals”, but films in which an animal is a main character have usually done well in theaters. There was just no way that audiences would be able to stay away from a film with so many animals (there were over 200 Dalmatians alone) in it. I know for a fact that I’ve always been a sucker for Disney dog movies myself, add in the fact that there are supposed to be 101 Dalmatians (some are computer animated, which is kind of obvious when viewing it today) not to mention the cows, raccoons, sheep, and other dogs… you could easily have a disaster on your hands but instead this film was one of the highest grossing movies of 1996. It even helped a couple of sequels (one live action, one animated) as well as an animated TV series be made too.

Related Posts: One Hundred and One Dalmatians

Links: Wikipedia, Imdb.com
Interview: Glenn Close on Charlie Rose Show 11-28-96 (video 2:00-21:55 min.)

Trailer:


Cruella Behind the Scenes:

Professional Girlfriend on the Run

Not much can go wrong when you're traveling first-class with your fabulously wealthy boyfriend -- until you find his wife's body in your hotel suite. Convinced she's next on Nick Noble's hit list, Jennifer Chaise takes off down the Vegas Strip armed with only her wits and a Kate Spade bag full of money. Giving herself a drastic makeover -- complete with a new name -- she lands herself a waitressing job in a nearby town. For someone used to private jets and waterfront condos, the change in lifestyle couldn't be greater. Yet, oddly enough, Jennifer couldn't be happier.

And then she meets Alex Nichols. One of the Las Vegas police department's finest, he's everything she's ever wanted. But when Nick's bodyguards arrive in town, Jennifer knows that if she wants a future she's going to have to deal with her past . . .

Title: Runaway Mistress
Author: Robyn Carr
Start & Finished: 6/14/08
Published: 2005
Publisher: MIRA Books
Pages: 376
Genre: Romance

Robyn Carr, the bestselling romance author of the Virgin River series published several stand-alone novels that were generally received well such as Runaway Mistress. This 2005 release was more of a women’s fiction novel than an actual romance that has a fresh plot with great characters.

Despite her recent popularity with her newest series, I had not had the pleasure of reading anything by Ms. Carr. Nor had I realized that I actually owned one of her books in my massive collection of unread paperback romances but while I was in the mood for a “fluff” romance, the cover and the title captured my attention. Unfortunately, this wasn’t quite as fluffy as I had hoped it would be and it actually had enough substance to pull me out of my mood for romance but since I enjoyed it, so much I’m not complaining!

Thanks to Linda Lael Miller’s Springwater series, I discovered that I have an affinity for friendly little small towns so the fact that Runaway Mistress was mainly set in one made me enjoy it even more. I sincerely hope Carr decides to go back to this little Nevada town someday, maybe using Buzz (the person who gives Jennifer a job when she comes to town) as the main character? I'd like to see him happily settled and find out more about the pretty much unofficial "meals on wheels" thing he has going. I guess I'm hoping for a contemporary version of what Miller did with Springwater.

This was a wonderful town with very interesting characters. I'm honestly not sure whether I like the town more than the main character (although Jennifer had a good story to tell too)! Sure the whole "running away and becoming another person because of an abusive husband, boyfriend, etc. isn't exactly new (hello, Sister Act?) but Carr took a common book and movie idea and turned it into something, while not exactly new, very very good.

Links: Author (Wikipedia)

Picture Explanations
Black Lab: This is Alice. "Doris" (Jennifer) makes friends with an elderly lady at the diner and is asked to pet and house-sit when the lady goes out of the country.
Private jet: Jennifer was a professional girlfriend to one of Vegas' high-rollers whom the casino always personally flew in.
Sheep: "Doris" (Jennifer) gets up close and personal with some wild sheep on accident...