Twenty-seven films down and we have finally reached the end of the Bronze Age of Disney Animation. It’s been a rocky road at times with the likes of The Black Cauldron really bogging the age down, but overall, it’s been very enjoyable and has some of the most underrated films that Disney has ever made. But I’ve really been looking forward to this one, and it’s probably because Oliver & Company is one of my all-time favourites.
Orphaned kitten Oliver (Joey Lawrence) roams the big bad streets of New York City where he finds a streetwise dog named Dodger (Billy Joel). When he follows Dodger back to his home, he finds that there’s a whole community of dogs just like him, that play by their own rules and live a life without worries, or so it seems. Their human friend Fagin (Dom DeLuise) is in deep with a loan shark called Sykes (Robert Loggia) and if the debt is not settled in three days then Fagin, Dodger, and the rest of the dogs likely won’t have long left to live.
When performing a simple shakedown Oliver is taken by a little girl, Jenny (Natalie Gregory), and introduced to a life of luxury. However, Jenny’s dog, Georgette (Bette Midler), is less than thrilled at the prospect of sharing her home with a cat. So as Oliver’s friends mount a daring rescue, and Georgette schemes to get rid of Oliver things spiral out of control putting both Fagin and Jenny’s lives on the line as Sykes moves in to collect his debts.
Orphaned kitten Oliver (Joey Lawrence) roams the big bad streets of New York City where he finds a streetwise dog named Dodger (Billy Joel). When he follows Dodger back to his home, he finds that there’s a whole community of dogs just like him, that play by their own rules and live a life without worries, or so it seems. Their human friend Fagin (Dom DeLuise) is in deep with a loan shark called Sykes (Robert Loggia) and if the debt is not settled in three days then Fagin, Dodger, and the rest of the dogs likely won’t have long left to live.
When performing a simple shakedown Oliver is taken by a little girl, Jenny (Natalie Gregory), and introduced to a life of luxury. However, Jenny’s dog, Georgette (Bette Midler), is less than thrilled at the prospect of sharing her home with a cat. So as Oliver’s friends mount a daring rescue, and Georgette schemes to get rid of Oliver things spiral out of control putting both Fagin and Jenny’s lives on the line as Sykes moves in to collect his debts.
It’s easy to write off Oliver & Company as a no frills retelling of the classic Charles Dickens novel, Oliver Twist. But most obviously rather than being set in Victorian England, Oliver & Company sets itself in 1980’s New York and switches most of the human characters for animals. What really makes Oliver & Company so special to me, and particularly in relation to how it adapts the source material, is what it does with the characters. Whilst for the most part they are the same across page and screen, what Oliver & Company does it give the characters so much life and depth with what they say, and how they say it. Everything is eccentric, over the top, and so much fun, that it’s impossible to not find yourself dancing along with the on-screen antics, regardless of how much you like the source material (and for reference, I’ve never really enjoyed Oliver Twist).
Whilst the Xerography animation is certainly extremely outdated at this point in Disney’s history, Oliver & Company sets its sights on injecting life into the environment rather than trying to do something new with the style. It’s also the final film that uses it, having been used in ten films at this point dating all the way back to One Hundred and One Dalmatians. New York is as much a character in Oliver & Company as our four-legged band of thieves. Everything is always moving, there’s rarely any static background. Cars are always driving by, cranes moving things around, and people rushing past. These objects are never unimportant either with Oliver and the gang frequently using them to their advantage to move around the city quickly and with ease. It conveys the feeling of what it’s like to live in New York far better than most live-action films do, with everything being so large and nothing ever stopping.
Whilst the Xerography animation is certainly extremely outdated at this point in Disney’s history, Oliver & Company sets its sights on injecting life into the environment rather than trying to do something new with the style. It’s also the final film that uses it, having been used in ten films at this point dating all the way back to One Hundred and One Dalmatians. New York is as much a character in Oliver & Company as our four-legged band of thieves. Everything is always moving, there’s rarely any static background. Cars are always driving by, cranes moving things around, and people rushing past. These objects are never unimportant either with Oliver and the gang frequently using them to their advantage to move around the city quickly and with ease. It conveys the feeling of what it’s like to live in New York far better than most live-action films do, with everything being so large and nothing ever stopping.
It’s also impossible to not talk about the incredible soundtrack. Oliver & Company set the trend going forward (partially set in motion by The Great Mouse Detective) of Disney films being musically driven with a pumping soundtrack, with grandiose ballads and toe tapping tunes. Featuring the likes of Billy Joel, Huey Lewis, and Bette Midler, and all original songs written for the film, Oliver & Company is perfect for any 80’s pop fan.
Joel & Midler even provide the voices for Dodger and Georgette respectively. Alongside the talents of comedian Cheech Martin, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and future star Joey Lawrence, Oliver & Company is one of the true pioneers of star driven animated films that was truly spearheaded a few years later with Aladdin.
Oliver & Company does have a tendency to play it a little safe at times by providing a relatively by the numbers adaptation of Dickens’ story; but I feel like if that’s your only reason to write the film off (as many critics did at the time of release) then you’re really just forcing yourself to not see everything great about the film. Oliver & Company is most likely in my top five favourite Disney Classics and I cannot recommend it enough, I always have a beaming smile on my face from start to finish, and the songs are simply incredible. If you’ve not seen it then I highly recommend you change that, and if you have seen it then why aren’t you watching it again right now?
Joel & Midler even provide the voices for Dodger and Georgette respectively. Alongside the talents of comedian Cheech Martin, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and future star Joey Lawrence, Oliver & Company is one of the true pioneers of star driven animated films that was truly spearheaded a few years later with Aladdin.
Oliver & Company does have a tendency to play it a little safe at times by providing a relatively by the numbers adaptation of Dickens’ story; but I feel like if that’s your only reason to write the film off (as many critics did at the time of release) then you’re really just forcing yourself to not see everything great about the film. Oliver & Company is most likely in my top five favourite Disney Classics and I cannot recommend it enough, I always have a beaming smile on my face from start to finish, and the songs are simply incredible. If you’ve not seen it then I highly recommend you change that, and if you have seen it then why aren’t you watching it again right now?