Jim On Film
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Best of all, the characters are not only strong, but the rich humor grows from their development. Some of the biggest laughs come from Georgette, who, in one scene, is defending herself from Dodger . . . until he says he’s not there for her. The tables are instantly turned when her gargantuan ego is affected. "Well, why not?" she proclaims. "What’s the problem, Spot? Not good enough for you? I mean, do you even know who I am?" Even a simple line, such as her constantly calling Tito "Alonzo" becomes hilarious because it is derived from her upper-class sensibilities. Oliver & Company is one of Disney’s funniest films because all the humor--whether it be Einstein breathing Tito’s hair in and out or Jenny’s pile of dilapidated birthday gifts--grows from the rich characterizations.
Musically, Oliver & Company boasts a superior musical score, despite being written and composed by a handful of writers. Once Upon a Time in New York City was the first Disney song for now-legendary lyricist Howard Ashman, and his work shines as brilliantly as it does for his other Disney work. The song has a contemporary beat and pop themes; however, it also sets the stage for the film. It has a plot function--the set up of Oliver’s life and a promise of a happier future--rather than being just a song selected to set the mood as similar music is used by most live-action film directors.
Why Should I Worry? has a toe-tapping, rocking beat, and it perfectly establishes Dodger’s personality as a footloose, street smart dog. But it goes one step further by developing Oliver’s personality as a strong-willed and brave little kitty. Similarly, Streets of Gold is another great song. Performed by Rita as the gang teaches Oliver about life on the streets, it advances the plot. But more than anything else, it’s a great show-stopping number, full of zip and zest.
Barry Manilow, Jack Feldman, and Bruce Sussman, who would collaborate for several Don Bluth projects, wrote Georgette’s musical masterpiece Perfect Isn’t Easy. Sung as she awakens, it establishes Georgette’s larger-than-life personality with peppy music and clever lyrics. As she prepares for the day before her mirror, she claims in a witty rhyme, "Not for my vanity/But for humanity." In fact, she’s so perfect, she sings, "Sometimes it’s too much for even me."
The most quiet of the songs in the film is "Good Company," co-written by Rob Minkoff, but it holds its own against its rockin’ counterparts. It’s a gentle song performed by Jenny, beginning when she is practicing her piano. Lyrically, it is fairly simple, but it is fitting for Jenny’s character, and with the corresponding visuals, it becomes a heartfelt love song of a girl for her kitty.
Amazingly, the music of the film (as well as the look of the film) was very much contemporary at the time of its 1988 release, but even after all these years, the rock ‘n roll beats still sounds contemporary, and the film escapes dating itself.
The visual style for the film is a rougher Xerox style (in comparison to other films from the same decade), creating a street look for the characters and backgrounds, with the exception of the more refined appearance of Jenny’s Fifth Avenue home. What works best for the film are its dark blue overtones used in the darker scenes. During its long absence from the public eye, the lasting images from the film--with the exceptions of the characters and songs--became the dark blues, both beautifully rich and dangerously dark.
These dark blues perhaps hint at another strength of the film, its dark side. Like so many Disney films before it, Oliver & Company has a villain who is evil incarnate. From the first sight of Sykes’ car, it is clear that this is no light-hearted villain. His first impatient and calculating exchange with Fagin is both funny (in Fagin’s response) and terrifying (in Sykes’ demeanor). This does not change as the film progresses. Nobody sees Sykes when he kidnaps Jenny but just the sight of his car invokes fear, for the audience knows that no good can come of his presence. The mad chase through the subway, climaxing on the Brooklyn Bridge, is a masterful piece of direction as Sykes’ greed pushes him to the brink in pursuit of Jenny, the minimal lighting of the scene drawing the audience into the terror. And never has a Disney villain gone out in such a nightmarish and appropriate manner, and never has the audience been able to see the terror in the villain’s eyes as he met that end.
Oliver & Company has so much to offer an open-minded audience. While it may not have been nominated for any Academy Awards or have the whole-hearted backing of the studio, it is a thoroughly enjoyable film that needs no comparisons to validate its excellent presentation of characters, music, and suspense. There are 101 reasons (or thereabouts) to love it, and those who do will find that it is, indeed, filled with streets of gold.
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-- Jim Miles
Jim On Film is published every other Thursday.
The opinions expressed by our guest columnists, and all of our columnists, do not necessarily represent the feelings of LaughingPlace.com or any of its employees or advertisers. All speculation and rumors about the future of Disneyland and the Walt Disney Company are just that - speculation and rumors - and should be treated as such.
-- Posted October 3, 2002
Copyright Jim Miles. Licensed to LaughingPlace.com.