Oliver & Company [VHS]

Description

The film artfully blends lovable characters, cool songs, and action-packed adventure into a contemporary classic. Disney s hip, high-energy tale begins in the concrete canyons of New York City, where Oliver, an adorable orphaned kitten, is befriended by Dodger, a carefree mutt with a certain street savoir faire. The mischievous little cat is welcomed by Dodger s pack of pickpocket pooches, including dim-witted Einstein, ravishing Rita, and live-wire Tito. This ragtag family of misfits runs into trouble when the evil mastermind Sykes -- aided by his two daunting Dobermans -- schemes to kidnap the lonely little rich girl who just adopted Oliver! It s up to the brave kitten and his newfound friends to race to the rescue in an electrifying chase through the city s subway system. Boasting five outstanding original songs and the musical talents of Billy Joel, Bette Midler, and Huey Lewis -- and overflowing with brilliant animation, Oliver & Company is a modern masterpiece.Disney does Dickens in this animated version of Oliver Twist, in which a homeless New York City cat falls in with a bunch of mischievous dogs under the leadership of the appealing scoundrel Fagin. The roots of Disney s success with animation in the 90s begins with this clever, energetic, atmospheric movie, which succeeds in capturing the grim world Dickens conjured. Lyricist Howard Ashman (The Little Mermaid) worked on the songs, the best of which is sung by Billy Joel, who provides the voice of (the Artful) Dodger. --Tom Keogh