Cruella
Release Date: 27th May 2021 - Australia
Production Companies
Walt Disney Pictures
Gunn Films
Marc Platt Productions
Distribution
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Australia
Genre: Family/Comedy/
Crime
Rating: PG
Runtime: 134 minutes
Budget: $200,000,000
Box Office Gross: $233,503,234 (Worldwide)
Plot Summary
Before she became Cruella DeVil, Estella had dreamed of becoming a fashion designer and had the ambition, creativity and talent to do so. She befriends a pair of thieves who admire her appetite for mischief. Together, they make a life for themselves
Cast
Emma Stone - Estella/Cruella
Emma Thompson - The Baroness
Joel Fry - Jasper
John McCrea - Artie
Emily Beecham - Catherine/
Maid
Mark Strong - John the Valet
Kayvan Novak - Roger
Kirby Howell-Baptiste - Anita Darling
Jamie Demetriou - Gerald
Niamh Lynch - Liberty Shop Girl
Andrew Leung - Jeffrey
Ed Birch - Baroness Head of Security
Dylan Lowe - Mean Ginger
Abraham Popola - George
Ninette Finch - Lady
Sarah Crowden - Beehive Lady
Tom Turner - The Baron
Sid Sagar - Mark
Tim Steed - Frederick
Tipper Seifert-Cleveland - Estella (12 yrs)
Maeve & Nell Chadwick -
Estella (Toddler)
Billie Gadsdon - Estella (5 yrs)
Ziggy Gardner - Jasper (12 yrs)
Florisa Kamara - Anita (12 yrs)
Bobby - Bubby
Bluebell - Wink
Crew
Director - Craig Gillespie
Based Upon the Novel "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" - Dodie Smith
Story/Executive Producer - Aline Brosh McKenna
Story - Kelly Marcel and Steve Zissis
Screenplay - Dana Fox and Tony McNamara
Executive Producers - Glenn Close,
Jared LeBoff, Emma Stone and Michelle Wright
Producers - Kristin Burr, Andrew Gunn and
Marc Platt
Co-Producer/Unit Production Manager -
Mark Mostyn
Casting Directors - Lucy Bevan and Mary Vernieu
Production Designer - Fiona Crombie
Supervising Art Director - Martin Foley
Set Decorator - Alice Felton
Costume Designer - Jenny Beavan
Hair and Makeup Designer - Nadia Stacey
Director of Photography - Nicolas Karakatsanis
Supervising Location Manager - Ali James
Choreographer - Adam Murray
Stunt Coordinator - Jason Hunjan
Fight Coordinator - Vincent Wang
Special Effects Supervisor - Steven Warner
Special Effects Co-Supervisor - Stephen Hutchinson
Special Effects Coordinator/Buyer - Anna Krawczyk
Visual Effects Supervisor - Max Wood
Film Editor - Tatiana S. Riegel
Supervising Sound Editor - Mark P. Stoeckinger
Sound Designers - Alan Rankin
and Ann Scibelli
Sound Designer/Re-Recording Mixer -
Martyn Zub
Production Mixer - Paul Munro
Re-Recording Mixer - Ron Bartlett
Music - Nicholas Britell
Music Supervisor - Susan Jacobs
Score Recordist and Mixer - Geoff Foster
Review
Many people had seen 101 Dalmatians when they were young, depending on which interpretation, whether it'd be the Disney animated classic or the 1996 remake. However, the only thing in the movie that terrifies them the most is the villain, Cruella DeVil, a fur-obsessed villainess who will stop nothing to get what she wants, even when she tries to skin a few Dalmatian puppies to make fur coats. The animated incarnation is the one that they remember best. Not even Glenn Close's portrayal could come close to the character of her mannerisms. While I haven't compared the two versions of Cruella nor reviewed much of the 101 Dalmatians movies, CRUELLA will be the opportunity to look at the character we all fear and love to hate.
The film did not belong to the ongoing tradition of live-action remakes from Disney, which it might as well have been. It provides a unique spin on the titular character with the empathy of her backstory, whereas previous iterations are villainous and petty. It isn't the first time Disney has done this sort of thing, which has similarly occurred in Maleficent. I didn't realise after watching the movie that Glenn Close was one of the executive producers involved. CRUELLA is a family-friendly heist film mixed with pathos and dark comedy, which Disney would never do in a few of its live-action offerings. It has an involved storyline that explains everything, and I admire the production values of this movie.
Emma Stone was a perfect choice for Cruella, and her performance is hypnotic despite fans finding her version of the character to be soft and not as wicked as they'd hoped. Emma Thompson was dapper as she played the icy fashion designer Baroness, who was far more sinister than Cruella. Even Mark Strong was great as the valet. The costume design is superb, and the film has a great soundtrack with songs from Queen, ELO and The Clash.
Some people have favourably compared this movie to another tragic villain origin story, Joker, except it's less violent and cynical. However, CRUELLA is an entertaining film, not to mention an enjoyable one.
Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie
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