Oliver & Company (1988)

About Oliver & Company

"Oliver & Company" is a Disney animated film released in 1988. It's an adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic novel, "Oliver Twist," with a twist of setting the characters as animals in modern New York City. The tale follows Oliver, a homeless kitten, who meets a dog named Dodger and is welcomed into a gang of pickpocket dogs. Life takes a turn for him when a rich little girl, Jenny Foxworth, adopts him and he gets a taste of the good life. However, kidnappings, rescues, and adventures ensue when the vile loan shark, Sykes, enters the picture.

Making/Production

The movie was directed by George Scribner, with screenplay by Jim Cox, Tim Disney, and James Mangold. Noteworthy is the use of computer animation, which was a considerable technical achievement at the time. It was a unique blend of traditional and computer animation techniques.

Actors

• Joey Lawrence voiced Oliver, bringing a perfect blend of innocence and bravery to the character.
• Billy Joel provided the voice of Artful Dodger-like character, Dodger, and added a street-smart, cool charm.
• Natalie Gregory gave her voice to little Jenny Foxworth, embodying the character’s kind-hearted nature.
• Robert Loggia portrayed the menacing Sykes, adding a serious, scary edge to the story.

Trivia/Interesting Facts

• The movie's premiere marked the start of the Disney Renaissance period.
• Billy Joel, who voiced Dodger, is also the singer of the film's song "Why Should I Worry?"
• The screenplay ultimately took two and a half years to write and animate, which was an unusually long production period for a Disney movie at the time.

Awards

"Oliver & Company" did not win any major awards but it was commercially successful and received positive reviews for its music and voice performances.

Quotes

• "Why should I worry? Why should I care? I may not have a dime, but I got street savoire faire." - Dodger
• "We may have been born on the streets, but we're not going back there." - Tito

Music, Soundtrack

• "Once Upon a Time in New York City" - Song by Huey Lewis sets the tone for the New York setting of the film.
• "Why Should I Worry" - Sung by Billy Joel, this signature song encapsulates Dodger's carefree attitude.
• "Streets of Gold" - Ruth Pointer's song that motivates Oliver to take his life head-on.
• "Perfect Isn't Easy" - Bette Midler adds drama and pizzazz in her song, portraying the character Georgette.