When I first seen that Lady And The Tramp (Luske etc, 1955) was showing in cinemas it made me quake in fright that Disney were demolishing the reputation of another popular film in their back catalogue. It turns out they already did this 6 years ago but it flopped enough that it was released straight to video. There was no need for such worry as this was the 70th anniversary rerelease of the original, and for me it was the first time of watching the film.
To get the right elements to enjoy a film like this and make it be a memorable film to watch, it has to be all about the experience of it. If this is achieved, it can create the same memories of childhood animation as you would get as a child. You live through experiences, and these are what makes past ones so memorable. Therefore, to get to go to the cinema in a near empty room of the biggest screen in the cinema seemed to be the perfect start to the whole trip. It made me feel like a child experiencing something new, in my own exclusive screening.
In terms of the film, I was quickly lost in the story and the ambiance that it brought with it. The way in which it positioned the audience from the dogs perspective was really cleverly done. You hardly even see the faces of any humans, creating a distance between audience and anything other than the dogs world which was more effective than any film about pets has been since. It also meant that when you did see a human face with the aunty, you could tell that she would be key to the story.
The ending itself seemed a bit contrived, apologies for any spoilers but think I have the freedom to do this on a 70 year old film. Lady and the tramp are taken away to the compound at the end of the film but their dog pals stop the wagon before it gets the there. The family hardly cared about Lady after the baby being born and I’m sure didn’t hear the last of it from the Auntie about the nuisance she’s caused along with her new love. But then somehow after all this she’s back in the house in the next scene along with Tramp who I’m not sure how he would’ve justified his actions to the adults but it is a miracle he managed to win over their affection. I am maybe being a bit harsh here to slander the ending of a nearly 100 year old film, especially after it was a very enjoyable experience to go see this movie.