101 Dalmatians - The New Era of Disney Animation 

101 Dalmatians is my favourite Disney movie exactly because of the xerography and its little flaws. As a child I'd watch this movie and seeing the little traces of sketch marks made me understand I wasn't watching something magical but a film that was tangible and created in real life. It must have been the first time I have ever thought that I could become someone who could do something like that :)

I've always found the stories of _Sleeping Beauty_ and _101 Dalmatians'_ production really interesting. The thing that I find funny is that the two of them are probably two of my absolute favorite Disney movies, and it's largely due to the way both of them have very specific artistic styles.

This was the start of my favorite era of Disney’s animation. So much focus on the characteristics and movement of the characters is focused, it’s hard not to easily remember how any character moves once you’ve watched them.

Xeroxing those cardboard models was INGENIOUS! It's basically 3D modeling before computers!

Although aesthetically Sleeping Beauty was far superior, its really not hard to see why Dalmatians outperformed the former, mainly because while Beauty was experimental, Dalmatians, while also a stylistic risk with a modern setting, relied on a more proven formula. Beauty was critiqued for lacking warmth, specifically lacking the usual "comic relief" delivered by animals - for instance the mice in Cinderella - so common in Disney films (although Aurora had her animal friends, they really didn't have distinct personalities of their own); Dalmatians, by contrast, obviously had an abundance of "cute animals" by virtue of its title alone. Both films had formidable antagonists, but while Maleficent was inapproachable and all-powerful, Cruella was flamboyant and distinctly more familiar to audiences, right down to her smoking of cigarettes. Both had secondary romance pairs of humans, but while Aurora and Phillip were beautifully animated, Roger and Anita had a rapport and chemistry that was more realistic and fun to watch, more rooted in ordinary human behavior than in "love at first sight." It must have been insult added to tremendous injury that Walt's magnum opus failed to register with audiences but a film he cared relatively little for - made with a Xerox technique he despised - arguably saved the company's animation department, doing for the studio arguably what Dumbo did during World War II.

It's quite an achievement that both villains done by Marc Davis have overshadowed the movies they were in and Disney markets Cruella and Maleficent rightfully so a lot.

I'd argue Ken Anderson's background art work is more post-impressionistic really, particularly when paired with the xerography technique, but that's just nitpicking.

Phenomenal video! Super exciting to see how the physical models were used as a sort of xerox rotoscope. I had no idea! That particular shot of Cruella's car plowing into snow was actually well burned into my memory from so, so long ago so it's nice to have perspective as to why the shot felt so unique. Cheers!

A lot of fond memories with this film...I first saw it during the Disney Dark Age as a reissue to the movie theater. I absolutely loved it. The one memory that sticks out is my saying that they needed two more puppies to make the 101. My mom whispered in my ear how the mommy and daddy made it 101. Also, you may notice cameos from supporting players like Scottie from Lady and the Tramp during the barking chain sequence.

That moment when you were just about to go to bed but you see Matt uploaded a new video and you realize sleep is for the weak!

Growing up with Renaissance and Post-Renaissance movies I tend to prefer more polished and soft animation, but sketchy xerography animation has its own charms too

Great video. 101 Dalmatians was an amazing next step for Disney even if it did move away from the grand standing animation Walt loved. Thankfully the Reniscance fixed that. But I absolutely loved that it was the first Disney Animated film to take place in the modern world.

I love xerography animation. I can't even explain how much I enjoy watching it. it's so raw and beautiful and I miss movies like that. Sleeping Beauty animation is also amazing, but almost too polished and soft. the raw and ragged looking xerography looks much cooler to me. I absolutely LOVE all the Disney movies from the xerography period. they are so specific! The Sword in the Stone is my favourite of all!

It’s crazy to see how that new tech. was used for animating rare puppers. Great work as always, Matt!

This was such a cool little documentary! I thought I knew all the details of the movie's production, but stuff like the cardboard cars I'd never heard about. I also appreciated the amount of video you had showing the xerox process I'd never seen.

I love it. I learned a lot of stuff that I didn't before :) Thank you for creating this.

This was an absolutely brilliant video! 101 Dalmatians happens to be my third favorite Disney movie of all time and to see you go fully in depth and really putting a lot of thought and effort into explaining the process and creativity of the movie was very heartwarming. Keep up the good work and you might just land a job at Disney! 😄☺

My all time favorite Disney movie (I’ve seen it a few dozen times) and you made me appreciate it even more!

Wow. Wonderful cut and researched essay!

Another fantastic video, well done Matty!!

I've been binge watching all your videos the last couple days, I can't get enough of your content, dude. Keep it up!

I think the film that fits xerox best is Winnie-The-Pooh because the sketchy style is reminiscent of E.H. Shepard's illustrations.

101 Dalmatians is such a unique looking film with a very different vibe. I can see how it inspired Sylvain Chomet.

Fantastic video

This film is one of my favourites and I still enjoy it to this day. I loved this two-part analysis into the changing animation style of Disney. Will you be doing more Disney videos in the future?

Can't wait to rewatch Sleeping Beauty and see if I can notice the xerography-ed enchanted forest!

This was the first Disney movie I saw as a kid

I’ve always loved this film. It’s just so unlike anything else disney has ever made

I grew up in the 60s and 70s so I grew up watching the Xeroxed animations more than I did the classical golden age style and I have to say I really do like the bolder lines even though they might appear more sketchy. To me they seem to bring more character to the drawings and they give the foreground characters more impact and "pop". I still really appreciate the classic style of animation just as I appreciate classic cinematography style in live action films such as epic productions of golden age movies. I suppose it's all just a matter of different taste and style.

This is a great account of the making of 101 Dalmatians. It's very enjoyable to have a video which focuses fundamentally on the artwork instead of the usual talking head+film clip combo.

this is the one and only film where I feel the xerox process works and adds to the film’s style and feel. it’s a mix of the UPA style prevalent in the 1950s (that ‘limited animation’ style that was economically efficient and groundbreaking), Quentin Blake’s artistry as found on covers for Roald Dahl books and classic Disney-isms

Ain't it odd how people back in the 1961 were glad about no more fairy tales in films & people in 1989 were the opposite?

It's kinda Sad Disney never truly found a love for Xerox animation. It did helped his company in the long run.

Have you considered doing a video on the jungle book? I feel like it’s an important step in the company history since it was the last film Walt Disney himself worked on before he died.

Definitely my favourite Disney movie. I don't count Pixar as Disney.

Bill peet and Walt Disney was both stubborn men and its why they did have a little rivarly but in the end of the day they did have a respect for eachother

Just remember that only 3 films out of the 20 that were made when Walt was alive were fairy tales. The company only really started to rely on them heavily during the Renaissance. Anyway, nice video! It was very informative and engaging.

this video is amazing why don't you have more subs?

“Another traditional Fairytale adaptation would not happen again until The Little Mermaid” The Soward in the Stone, and Robin Hood beg to differ

It always makes me sad when a labor of love like Sleeping Beauty (or Richard William's The Thief and the Cobbler) aren't well received just because they're not funny or whatever. Still, 101 Dalmations brought in a new era and I've always loved the liveliness of pencil tests over the perfect cleaned up artwork. I just wish that both Sleeping Beauty and 101 Dalmations could've lived in success so that there'd be more wildly artistic films like Sleeping Beauty while not killing off Robin Hood and other xeroxed movies... though... I guess that's why we've got Don Bluth today. He didn't' like where the company was heading so he got some animators and created movies with the quality the Disney company had forsaken

The Xerox Process saved the Walt Disney Company

I love this movie

3:30 ... Ok. That camera fascinates me. It looks like a sort of bi pack camera with its two film mags on top. But i doubt it was the lesser known 2 strip technicolor given the timeframe. It also looks like it isn't a 3D camera since one of the lenses seem to be there solely for the sake of a viewfinder. I do remember they used a Yellowscreen (as opposed to blue or green today) that used sodium vapor lights to separate live action from a yellow background (used in Mary Poppins) , but I'm pretty certain that the traveling matte of that process was derived from a single camera color negative... So no bipack would be necessary during shooting? Or do I remember wrongly?

Wow, thank you so much. I have a much better appreciation of this film now. I like the overall aesthetic of the film (very much in keeping with mid-century illustration and graphic design) and I'm certainly glad that Disney was able to continue animating. What still bothers me about the period from this point up to Little Mermaid, though, is the way they recycled stuff, and they did it a lot.

101 Dalmatians stands as a major example of why Walt Disney Animation Studios is still the king of all feature animation.

Just when I was about to go to bed. Hey I'm not complaining

101 Dalmatians, Sleeping Beauty and The Princess and the Frog, AKA the three under appreciated, disruptor gems of 2d animated Disney, are my favorite ones in the matter of visuals. Everyframe from those movies looks and feels like a painting, it's so unique and glaringly beautiful. They have the most stunning artistic style of all Disney's 2d animated movies, in my opinion. And this is a way too commonly overlooked aspect of such films, even from the fan base. Why aren't we invested more in the cinematography? The colors, the lines, the overall images? Cinema is moving images. People say they love a movie for their stories and their characters and it's ok, but when I say I love these three movies specially and specifically for their visuals, people look me down, like it's not enough of a reason. Why, when we go watch a movie, we are looking at pretty pictures. Just many of them telling us a story. The three of them have great stories and characters, but the impressive art style only improves their quality and makes the experience even better. That should not be under noticed. It should be celebrated.

I'm gonna get all my buddies to subscribe to your channel

my dads favorite Disney movie I don't get Walts beef with the art style

this video is well researched well edited that's it i'm subscribing PS: could we do a collaboration video sometime that would be awesome!

I'll take xerography and the art style of 101 Dalmatians over today's fully CGI features any time! Tangled and Frozen characters all look the same, and no matter how advanced, computer animation will never have the charm and personality of traditional, hand drawn animation.

I like your video but it feels like one big run on sentence. There isn't much time to breathe and accept each idea you represent.