"Keep your dream alive, dreaming is still how the strong survive." - the narrator in "Once Upon a Time in New York City" (also known as the saddest opening sequence in any Disney movie ever)
Initial thoughts before viewing: Oliver & Company was a part of my childhood VHS collection growing up, so I was pretty familiar with this one. I even had the soundtrack on audio cassette tape (hey, it was 1996!). As an 8 year-old with a hand-me down Walkman, I thought I was very cool. I had no idea who Billy Joel or Bette Midler were, but I sure liked the songs in this movie. It was also right around this time that I got my first cat, a calico kitten named Kitty Lena. I recall vividly having a very emotional reaction upon watching the opening sequence of Oliver & Company when baby Oliver is abandoned in the stormy streets of New York. I burst into tears and grabbed my own cat, Kitty Lena, promising to never let anything so tragic happen to her (we ended up having Kitty Lena for 14 wonderful years, so mission accomplished).
If you have never seen Oliver & Company or need a refresher, here is a link to the movie's Disney Wiki page where you can read the plot summary.
Highlights:
-Georgette is so extra, but I love it. Prize-winning pedigree poodle Georgette is by far the most interesting character in Oliver & Company, mostly because of her transition from antagonist to anti-heroine. It's appropriate that the progression of the movie literally stops in order for Georgette to be introduced: her song "Perfect Isn't Easy" is a fun, Broadway-style showstopper that sums up Georgette's selfish, spoiled, and sassy personality. She's voiced by Bette Midler, and it's obvious that she had fun with the role of the prima donna pooch. Upon this 2021 rewatch, I realized for the first time that Georgette is actually a really funny, underappreciated character. The fact that she ultimately transitions from a bad guy to finally accepting Oliver also doesn't hurt.
-"Why Should I Worry?" is an unsung hero in the Disney song catalogue. I dare you to listen to this song and not get taken in by its clever lyrics or "syncopated" beats. From Dodger's first "whoo hoo whoo hoo hoo," I'm hooked. I cannot listen to this song without singing along. CANNOT. When I first watched this as a kid, I didn't know what or where the Bowery or the Ritz was, but I knew these things were cool because Dodger sang about it.
-"You and Me" is a simple, sweet masterpiece. While "Why Should I Worry?" is certainly the main song in Oliver & Company's soundtrack, don't discount this beautiful, charming song sung by Jenny to her new cat, Oliver. It's one of my all-time favorites, and it especially lovely to listen to as a piano-only version.
Disliked:
-Dear God, why does there have to be abandoned kittens? I sobbed for about 5 minutes at the start of this movie because abandoned kittens are up there as one of the saddest things I can think of. Coupled with the tear-educing "Once Upon a Time in New York City" sung by Huey Lewis, this opening sequence is unbearable. I usually skip this part of the movie and move on directly to the intro of Dodger.
Random Thoughts I Had While Watching:
-I was today years old...when I found out that "street savoir-faire" means street smarts. 😮
-Dodger is the coolest dog. So cool that Captain America is even a fan. When talking about the origin of his dog's name, Chris Evans said the following: "There’s a movie called Oliver & Company, it’s a Disney movie, an animated movie. And I grew up watching it. I think Billy Joel is the voice of Dodger actually. And when I first saw him at the shelter I just said ‘Oh man, that looks like Dodger from Oliver & Company.’ And after I decided I was taking him home with me, I went through the process of picking other names. And I just couldn’t get off Dodger, and I thought I’m not going to overthink this one."
Closing Thoughts:
-Where Oliver & Company falls short. This movie screams I WAS MADE IN THE 1980S. It's a snapshot of popular talent from the era: Billy Joel, Huey Lewis, Bette Midler, Cheech Marin. This isn't bad necessarily, but I feel like it dates the movie and makes it seem out of touch. Even when I first watched this movie in 1996, I could tell it was dated. Story-wise, the villain Sykes is laughably forgettable (a suit/white/male/loan shark, yawn) and I always forget what happens in the last quarter of the movie. The story is uneven (all the best parts of the movie are in the first half), and man that animation looks rough.
-Oliver and Company hits hard. I sometimes forget how emotionally impactful this movie is. At the end of the day, this is a story about the power of the love between pets and their people. We have human characters at opposite ends of the economic spectrum: Jenny's family is extremely wealthy, while Fagin is literally penniless. Yet, both characters are motivated and united by their love for their pets. The message here is that no matter what your lot is in life, you can be emotionally rich and happy through the unwavering love of your pets.
I hadn't originally intended to give Oliver & Company this rating, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I do enjoy this movie a lot. It's entertaining as hell. Plus, as an animal lover, the message of this movie is especially meaningful and resonant for me. After all, we all know we don't deserve dogs. It's movies like this that remind us of that.
My Rating: 6/10
And that's it for the Bronze/Dark Age! We've gotten through 1970-1988.
Now entering the Renaissance Era. These are the movies from 1989 - 1999 that many consider to be the best Disney has ever made. They are also the movies that were released during my own childhood -- I know many have strong opinions/attachments around these Renaissance classics. Buckle up for some fun ahead!
My Rating Scale/System:
10 - Masterpiece / Award Worthy 🤩
9 - Almost perfect / Exceptional 🥰
8 - Great / Well-crafted 😁
7 - Good / Noteworthy 😊
6 - Above average / Memorable 🙂
5 - Solidly average 😐
4 - Mixed feelings / Mediocre 😕
3 - Uninteresting / Struggle bus 🥱
2 - Barely watchable 😡
1 - Failure / Why is this a thing? 💩
