101 Dalmatian Street: Disney's second animated series based on 101 Dalmatians

Since the announcement of Disney's second animated series for 101 Dalmatians got announced last Summer. I decided to create this thread after we gotten a first look at the series from Disney Channel in the Netherlands/Belgium.

Apparently a preview of the series was shown at the Annecy film festival and the Bridging the Gap Animation Lab event where it gained a lot of praise.

The series was originally set to premier this Fall. But was pushed for 2019, but I might be mixing things up.

Edited by brb1006 on Aug 27th 2018 at 7:08:01 AM

"A Lady does not start fights but they can finish them"

Embedded version:

I am fairly certain that the puppy given the most focus there is Lucky. The blue collared one with the longer ears and somewhat different head shape looks a lot like Cadpig from the old series.

Edit: Or not looking up info it appears all the Dalmatians have gotten name changes.

Edited by Envyus on Aug 27th 2018 at 11:57:17 AM

Did some digging (heh, dog pun) and found a wealth of information. So huge, I had to use folders (I also fixed up the grammar since some of the spelling is horrendous. Also this info's from June 2018):

Edited by TargetmasterJoe on Aug 31st 2018 at 7:40:18 AM

That actually sounds kinda fun.

I’m not sold on the art yet, and kinda wish they borrowed more stylistic elements from the from the original movie, since it’s one of the most unique of the Disney animated cannon, but i’ll wait to see it in action

Edited by megaeliz on Aug 30th 2018 at 7:40:29 AM

I was watching the original movie again, and I've almost forgotten how good it was. The Art Design and character animation is great (I also like the sketchy xerox look though), and it's incredibly funny, and just has this unique look and feel from it, that hasn't really been seen from Disney before or since.

The character animation on Cruella in particular, is fantastic. She was solely animated by Marc Davis, and her character design and movements compliment her character perfectly. (Milt Kahl was on Rodger, and a lot of Anita). A great part about this scene, is when as Rodger sings, "Like a Spider waiting for the kill", Cruella's silhouette in the window looks like a spider.

Another really cool thing about this movie, was that even the backgrounds were part of the xerox process. After the backgrounds were painted, the artists then drew rough pencil sketches of it, which were then xeroxed onto a cell, and placed over the paintings, giving them their unique sketchy look.

Also, that car looks strikingly modern, right. Almost like a 3D model? That's because it is (while kind of anyway). Imagineering helped them to create cardboard models of the cars, and physical sets to move them in, which were then rotoscoped. It's how they managed to pull off the climatic car chase scene. (which I might add, still holds up amazingly well today.)

Edited by megaeliz on Sep 25th 2018 at 12:34:13 PM

Even just in terms of design, I always say that the duality of having Cruella be spindly and skeletal in frame, while wrapped in a massive coat that makes her nonetheless huge and imposing, was a stroke of genius - especially in her more exuberant scenes.

Imo, she's one of Disney's most wonderfully animated villains.

Edited by KnownUnknown on Sep 26th 2018 at 1:30:55 AM

"The difference between reality and fiction is that fiction has to make sense." - Tom Clancy, paraphrasing Mark Twain.

Just look at the way her coat flies out behind her in the car chase scene. It’s just so good!

The whole story behind that movie is facinating. It was the first Disney movie to use Xerox in any significant way as well as being set in contemporary London, which the animators embraced, even as Walt himself, did not.

The fact that Milt Kahl liked the Xerox look so much, that he got really mad if anyone tried to clean up his drawings, is kind of hilarious to me.

Edited by megaeliz on Sep 27th 2018 at 8:55:01 AM

Some Pencil Tests from 101 Dalmatians. The first two are Milt Kahl, and the last is by Mark Davis.

In the actual film, he takes his coat from a chair and the hat from Pongo’s mouth when he jumps up to give it to him. The way he moves here is just so smooth and fluid, and he even fumbles a bit with his sleeve, just like a real person would! There’s just so many great little details that you might not even notice on first watch, but just bring this little movement to life.

And this is just a quick one of Cruella in all her hammy, overacted, glory! Even without sound, her personality comes through in just the way she moves.

Edited by megaeliz on Oct 5th 2018 at 10:32:23 AM

As much as Cruella was memorable and great, the original movie butchered the characters of Lieutenant Willow (genderflipped to Sergeant Tibbs in the movie), Lucky (an Adaptational Wimp) and Cadpig (just another generic girl puppy, called Penny, in the film).

apparently, the author did say that she considered the movie a better version of her book, for what it’s worth.

The sequel for the original novel also became a sci-fi story where aliens from the Sirus system arrive to take all the dogs from Earth to their home planet to avoid nuclear war. No, really.

In all fairness, the movie added that awesome fight of Pongo and Perdita against Horace and Jasper.

Combining Perdita and Missus into one character was also an improvement.

I guess, in retrospect of my original critique, the movie was pretty faithful. The only changes I still take issue with are with Lucky being nerfed from awesome-leader-eldest-brother to helpless Butt-Monkey, along with the Willow/Tibbs genderflip.

Although it might interest you that I liked the animated sequel a bit better. The pups were given more personality, and acted more like their book versions.

EDIT: I also have to add Character Development. Because in the original film things just happen, while the sequel is more driven by the characters and their actions.

Edited by BrightLight on Oct 9th 2018 at 2:43:53 AM

I haven’t seen that one in years. Here’s the Doug Walker’s Disney-cember review.

A lot of Disney DTV sequels are notoriously bad, but this one actually looks pretty good, with nice animation and art style (not quite as nice as the original, but that’s not a fair comparison), and just looks like a lot of fun.

Edited by megaeliz on Oct 8th 2018 at 12:58:17 PM

He is a Composite Character of Cadpig and himself after all. In the 90s cartoon, Lucky and Cadpig were spliced back into two characters which gave them different characterizations.

Maybe Disney might finally revive The Aristocats: Animated Series idea in the future?

"A Lady does not start fights but they can finish them"

I know there hasn’t been a lot out yet, but from what little art we have, what do you guys think about the show’s art style?

Personally I’m not that crazy for it. I get that technology and style preferences change over time, but I wish they could have kept it a bit closer to it’s midcentury, stylistic roots.

The original movie had this unique, midcentury avant-garde art inspired, graphic style, and a sort of energy that really sets it apart from the rest of the Disney Animated Cannon. The use of Xenogrophy forced a more cartoony and exaggerated style than the classical Disney films, but the designs are still appealing and relatively realistically proportioned.

The flat, flash-eque design of the new show, is not nearly as appealing to my eyes, and just feels stiff and a bit too cartoony for my liking. (The dalmations barely look like Dalmatians, honestly.) I’ll wait to see if in motion though.

But what are your guys’ thoughts?

Edited by megaeliz on Oct 9th 2018 at 11:15:29 AM

I'm sure the art style might grew on us.

Edited by brb1006 on Oct 11th 2018 at 11:34:19 AM

"A Lady does not start fights but they can finish them"

I think part of that’s throwing me off, is that the dogs don’t actually look like Dalmatians. Their heads are way too big, and the proportions are all off.

In the original movie, while it was stylized,they still look like Dalmatians, and the you can tell the effort that went into studying Dalmatian anatomy. In fact, Milt Kahl’s design for Pongo was rejected for looking like more like a Great Dane than a Dalmatian.

Edited by megaeliz on Oct 11th 2018 at 1:18:49 PM

Then again I liked Cadpig's design in 101 Dalations: The Series.

"A Lady does not start fights but they can finish them"

WOAH NELLY! That clip was awesome! The one from the animated movie I mean. I thought all the Xerox Disney Movies looked like crap. How wrong was I! Hehehe!

Discord: Waido X 255#1372 If you cant contact me on TV Tropes do it here.

Pongo was either animated by Frank Thomas and or Ollie Johnston, and Roder was animated by Milt Kahl, I think. It just looks so nice. I think it helps that the story’s setting and visual style are very suited for the scratchy Xerox look, as well as the use of abstract backgrounds and looser linework.

Here’s some more production and concept art from the movie.

Another favorite from that era is A Symposium on Popular Music. I mean, the character animation on Ludwig is just so smooth and expressive, and complements his character perfectly!

I wonder who animated Ludwig Rocking out in the the last scene?

Edited by megaeliz on Oct 13th 2018 at 2:40:01 PM

here’s an interview with some of the creators. (It won’t let me embed)

And here’s a teaser:

While it could grow on me, I don’t really like the art style they went with that much.

Edited by megaeliz on Nov 14th 2018 at 5:04:19 AM

It's cute. I wonder who the villain could possibly be. That teaser was so vague with its music choice.

Mega Man fanatic extraordinaire

I really like the art-style. I would prefer a more down-to-earth xenofiction show but a goofy show is fine too.