In a very special episode of Disniversity, film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers are joined by Mike Rianda, writer-director of The Mitchells Vs The Machines (aka the best animated film of 2021, streaming now on Netflix) for a deep dive into Walt Disney Animation Studios’ beloved 1961 favourite, One Hundred And One Dalmatians. Together, they tackle the film’s distinctive aesthetic, the dawn of the Xerox animation process, and turning imperfection into emotion. Plus, ‘Future Sam and Future Ben’ discuss the most successful Lasting Legacy yet, and we howl at the moon over the truly insane plot of sequel novel The Starlight Barking. ‘Barking’ doesn’t even cover it.

Next up: The Sword In The Stone

Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney.

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Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Raya And The Last Dragon. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.