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In which I rant angrily about Oliver and Company, and ask why everyone I know think's the Artful Dodger is pure evil
Trying to inspire myself for "Oliver Twist with a Twist Version Two" comic I'm writing, I decided to watch Oliver!--except Netflix didn't have it. I ended up watching Oliver and Company, because we owned it, instead.
Oliver and Company, for all of you that don't know, is the Disney-ified version of Oliver, where Oliver is a kitten, Dodger is a dog, Sikes is a super rich evil guy, and Fagin is a guy with a lot of dogs who's kind of desperate.
Problems with the movie (may contain spoilers).
--No Nancy. You could've pretty eaisly named either of the two girl dogs Nancy. I think Georgeta, or whatever her name was, should've been Nancy. Sure, she's nothing like Nancy. So what?!
--Dodger. He was a dog who was all like "Street smarts!" He was too old. He was too jazzy. The whole movie was too jazzy for me.
--Jazzyness. Okay, I get it, it's suppose to be Oliver Twist in New York, maybe ten, twenty years ago, if not present day, with a bunch of jazz. Is it wrong for me to not like that? I like jazz, don't get me wrong, it's just--!
--The songs. Okay, I didn't like any of the songs. They were okay, but I didn't think "I'm going to learn all the lyrics to this so I can sing it in my sleep!" That's what I wanted. Don't judge.
--Why? Why does Fagin ow Sikes money? Fagin and Sikes don't seem like characters that would run into each other randomly and ow each other money! I pondered over it the whole movie.
--The ending. It reminded me too much of Annie. No, not the birthday party. I mean, when they were in the subway station, and they ended up riding a motor bike up a pole so Sikes got run over by a train. Is this for children?! It reminded me of the roller coaster scene in Annie. That's practically the only scene I can remember from Annie.
--"The gang." Oh, come on. Instead of making up original names, give them names from Oliver. Honestly! They don't need their own names! Dodger makes you want Charley, who, by the way, doesn't exist in Oliver and Company! I wanted Nancy. I've already said that. Though Francis and Einstein were great names.
Good things in Oliver and Co, Jenny. That's it. Jenny.
Okay, enough with that. More important--The Artful Dodger.
My neighbors are sure as soon as he (SPOILR ALERT!) strikes up a deal with Fagin at the end of the movie, he's going to turn out like Sikes. Nu-uh! My mom does too, so there you go. He can't! Sure, he's a pickpocket, that's not really a good thing, I understand that, but he's amazing! Just because you're a pickpocket doesn't mean you'll grow up to be Bill Sikes! (Oh, forget "Pick a Pocket or Two.") Fagin's turning over a new leaf. Sure, he's still going to steal, but not make mini-Bill-Sikes! The Artful Dodger is NOT going to be Bill Sikes! How many times do I have to say that?
Okay, I'm done.
Comments? Questions? Thoughts?
submitted by Theo W., age 12, Dark, distant places
(June 27, 2013 - 4:41 pm)
(June 27, 2013 - 4:41 pm)
I haven't seen this movie in a while. I don't remember liking it all that much.
(June 28, 2013 - 6:56 pm)
I liked it when I was Steve's age, but I didn't know what a terrible twist it was. (Steve, who was six at the time, was actually quite frightened of the movie, although it was his, he had received it because it had a cat on it. He's a cat person.)
(June 29, 2013 - 1:27 pm)
It's been a while since I've watched this one so I'm going to look up "Once Upon A Time In New York City" and grab some Parmesan Goldfish (my favorite food besides chocolate) and get back to you in a second.
*comes back*
Must. Stop. Eating. OK, so that was interesting. The end was kind of sad. That was some good old-fashioned 90s animations, although not very Disney-like. Maybe I'm just too used to Mary Blair animation... The song had good lyrics but I wasn't a big fan of the singer. If they used a female singer I might have liked it a little better.
About the storyline... I love Disney, but if you watch a Disney movie based on a book, you have to detach yourself from the book.
I'm not a big fan of Dickens, so I haven't read *gives in to Parmesan Goldfish and stuffs her face with 20 more* Sorry... they're just so good. Anyway, I haven't read Oliver Twist since I read an abridged version a long time ago, but I do remember liking the Artful Dodger. He seemed more like an antihero than a bad guy.
(June 29, 2013 - 2:19 pm)
I mean, it was a good movie, if I could let go of OLIVER TWIST. Unfortunately, that's WHY I picked up Oliver is because I wanted to see a Disney twist.
On the Artuful Dodger, yes! Yes, he's an anti hero, if anything! He's the best!
I haven't actually read any of Dicken's acutal text... just an abridged version, a graphic novel, and the movie. And I know all the songs. So, to be fair, a lot.
(June 29, 2013 - 5:35 pm)
I haven't seen this one yet, but I'd have to agree with "If you watch a Disney movie based on a book, you have to detach yourself from the book." The exception, of course, is if you didn't like the book. Then if the movie is any good, you're impressed they managed to do so well.
(June 29, 2013 - 8:57 pm)
I felt like it was the Aristocats. I like the Arostocats, I just don't want to see something very similar with dogs and Oliver Twist names. If they hadn't called the Dodger Dodger, I might be fine.
(June 30, 2013 - 9:22 am)