I mentioned above that I feel that Oliver and Company lacks the magic of the films that followed it. However, it really worked in the favor of the film to cast it this way. Yes, tweaks were made to each character once casting was complete. The casting for this film was done after having the script and the characters developed, which meant that the casting director and producers had to find actors who already fit the roles, as opposed to getting big names and shaping a character around them. However, it is really Cheech Marin and Bette Midler who steal the show, Marin playing the chihuahua Tito, and Midler playing the show dog Georgette. Yes, Billy Joel plays Dodger and he does a fine job. One of the strongest parts of this film is the casting of each character.
The songs in the film are more contemporary 80s songs, with Billy Joel and Huey Lewis singing, which, in a way, can date the film. There are several songs sung by characters in the film, the best one being “Why Should I Worry” sung by Billy Joel who also plays the character of Dodger. Oliver and Company isn’t quite the Broadway style film that Disney found so much success with just a year later, but it’s a good in between point.
It’s clear in Oliver and Company that they were trying to figure out what to do, as this film is a mishmash of the animation from the 70s, with the sketch style backgrounds, and a precursor to what was to come. They were just saved by the Bass brothers from the brink of bankruptcy, and the company was trying to figure out how to carry on, film wise. This film was made at a time where the Walt Disney Company was trying to figure everything out. I can see why, now, as Oliver and Company, in my opinion, lacks the magic of the films that came after it. Although we owned the film on VHS, I think I have only ever seen it a handful of times. Now, this was never a film that I loved as a child. However, even though Oliver and Company was successful in theaters, it received mixed reviews from critics and, upon rewatching it as an adult, I can see why. It’s important to mention that Oliver and Company came out the same year as Roger Rabbit, as it absolutely would not have been successful in theaters without the latter. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you can read about it here.
Oliver and Company was released the same year as Who Framed Roger Rabbit? If you’ve been with me for a while, you know that I’ve discussed the importance of that film in regard to animation.
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