Oliver & Company was, as its tagline made clear, "the first Disney movie with attitude!" Inspired by Charles Dickens's novel, Oliver Twist, the feature marked a new direction and a new resurgence for Walt Disney Studios. It was arguably the most successful Disney film of the 1980's and would pave the way for the Disney Renaissance of the 1990's, begun by The Little Mermaid. It was so successful that then-Vice President of Animation, Peter Schneier announced the company would release an animated feature annually.
Although the novel brings to light a selection of ghastly social ills and evils, the animated film was conceived as a light-hearted, animal romp, with the plot of the film following the titular Oliver, imagined as a cat, voiced by Joey Lawrence. Oliver is essentially pressed to join a gang of thieving dogs led by the irascible Dodger, voiced by Billy Joel.
The gang does the bidding of Fagin, voiced by Dom DeLuise. While the Fagin of the novel was a twisted caricature, the film portrays him as a reluctant ne'er-do-well with a heart of gold. When the gang botches an attempt to steal a car stereo from an uptown limousine, Oliver ends up in the care of Jenny, voiced by Natalie Gregory. Torn between his newfound owner and his gang of friends, matters come to a head when Sykes, menacingly voiced by Robert Loggia, begins to pressure Fagin to pay his debts.
It is interesting to note that Oliver is never bothered by the petty larceny committed by Dodger and the gang, as doing so would essentially condone the illegal behavior and paint the dogs as criminals. Instead, the film stresses Oliver's desire to join a family and focuses on how the gang fulfills this desire. Oliver & Company was imagined of as a kind of guinea pig in terms of its use of music. Its success would set the template for future Disney movies to incorporate musical numbers. Essentially, all Disney movies since have been musicals. Furthermore, Oliver & Company was the first animated Disney feature to include product placement, including signs spotlighting Coca-Cola, Sony, Ryder Trucks, and USA Today. Disney claims this was done to make the film more realistic, as it is set in New York City, and refutes the claims that it was a deliberate ploy to place products.
Released in 1988, Oliver & Company became the 27th animated feature released by Walt Disney Pictures. It also was one of only five Disney animated films to be set in contemporary times. Originally titled Oliver and the Dodger, the film was the first Disney film to incorporate the use of computer animation. It was successfully re-released in theaters and to VHS home video in 1996 and made its way to DVD in 2002.
About the Author:
Steve Collins is an Author and Journalist based in Encino. A huge Disney Fan, he uses the Disney Movie Club to complete his collection. Read his reviews of the movies he buys at Disney Movie Club
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