"Cruella" is the story of how the puppy-kidnapping fashionista first introduced in "101 Dalmatians"
fell into a life of villainy. The film captures a bygone era in a chaotic but appealing way,
which will suit viewers who understand how different things used to be. These are the
things only adults will notice in
"Cruella."
It's far from the first Disney movie to do this, but adults in the audience will notice
that "Cruella" slips in a few grown-up vices for its characters.
It's not the first time Disney has done this."101 Dalmatians," "Beauty and the Beast," "Sleeping
Beauty," and "The Great Mouse Detective" -- all classic Disney films -- each have scenes depicting
the consumption of alcohol. Also, who could forget the infamously trippy pink elephant
montage from "Dumbo," after the pint-sized pachyderm accidentally ingests some hooch?
Throughout "Cruella," we see several characters enjoying fancy cocktails at parties and liquid
lunches.
Alcohol is the only vice the film sees fit to include; gone is the sinister cigarette
holder Cruella De Vil's animated version carried. It would have made sense to show smoking both
for character consistency and for the setting; smoking was far more common in the 1970s,
and is still associated with the fashion industry to this day. Walt Disney himself was a fan
of tobacco — a truth the company has tried to wipe from history by editing cigarettes
out of his hands in old photos.
Kids probably won't notice either the presence of alcohol or the absence of smoking, but
both of these things will be more conspicuous to adults.
"Do you have…"
"Do you have a light?"
It's a cliche that if there is a parent in a Disney film, they are most likely not going
to see their kid's graduation. From Simba's father to Lilo's parents and Bambi's mom,
if you produce life within the Disney universe, your odds of meeting an untimely demise are
much higher than normal. It's become such a trope that in many parodies of the Disney
formula, the fate of the main character's parents is now a standard running joke.
Disney, despite its squeaky clean reputation, often also has the villains in their stories
meet their end in rather sickening fashion.
From Bill Sykes being hit by a train in "Oliver & Company" to Count M falling into molten
lead in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," Disney has racked up quite the body count.
True to form, "Cruella" utilizes its PG-13 rating and opts to lean into this cliche of
parental death with gusto. A young Cruella, known then as Estella, sees her mother meet
her end during the first act of the film. We see Estella chased from a fancy party by
angry Dalmatians, who end up knocking her poor mother off a cliff.
This definitely ranks as one of the grislier ways a Disney character has been shuffled
off the mortal coil, especially in recent memory.
Any kids who see "Cruella" will be in for an education on a genre of music that adults
are already familiar with — punk rock.
Punk started breaking into the mainstream in the mid-to-late '70s, giving voice to a
burgeoning revolution against the more excessive style of mainstream music at the time. The
punk bands prevalent during this era operated under a DIY mentality, often self-producing
and distributing their music independently. The movement gained traction in the United
States — with the likes of the Ramones — and the United Kingdom, with groups like the Sex
Pistols. It was counter-culture, politically charged, and in your face.
It's also a key factor in the plot and style of the film, especially Cruella fighting back
against the upper class through aggressively charged art. The UK's punk rock revolution
serves as the backdrop for Cruella's rise to prominence, and the film takes full advantage
of it visually. Cruella, shown in a quickly paced montage, stages several raucous public
reveals of her twisted new fashion line. She not only utilizes motorcycles and a garbage
truck, but goes as far as to stage a punk rock fashion show right outside her arch-rival's
event.
The choice to set the film in such an important era for fashion and music is a clever one.
The chaotic nature of the music and the visuals suits Cruella and her ever-escalating mix
of insanity and theatricality. Adults are far more likely to appreciate the time capsule
aspect of "Cruella" and its use of one of art's most tumultuous eras.
Disney is no stranger to cartoonish madness. From Maleficent in "Sleeping Beauty" to Ursula
in "The Little Mermaid," Disney has crafted some of pop culture's most memorable and watchable
villains.
Although these characters have fans of all ages, truly committed supporters tend to be
adults, who often have a deeper understanding of onscreen evildoers' complex motivations
and psychologies. Case in point: Cruella has two completely distinct selves. Adults will
understand how this fractured psyche — symbolized by the half-black, half-white color of her
hair — impacts Cruella's behavior.
"Meet the villain,"
"That's ugly."
"Not at all! Your name's Estella, not Cruella."
First, there's Estella, a mildly sassy but hopelessly klutzy hot mess who's happy to
stay in her lane. Then there's her less relatable side, Cruella — a flamboyant, chaotically
self-obsessed schemer with grand plans for mayhem. When presented with the central conflict,
Estella is forced behind the curtain while Cruella takes center stage.
Adults will also pick up on cultural context. The divide in Cruella's personality is in
the tradition of scores of classic stories, such as "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." Fans might
also see echoes of DC villain Two-Face, who, like Cruella, has an outward appearance that
reflects an inner duality.
The movie's story draws on the fickle nature of the fashion industry, but "Cruella" doesn't
stop at just the internal workings of the business. The film also has a bit to say about
how brands use the media to alter public perception.
Introduced early in the film is Cruella's childhood friend Anita Darling, who in adulthood
has become a journalist. Immediately recognizing Anita as her former classmate, Cruella is
eager to enter into a unique business arrangement with her. Taking advantage of their connection,
Cruella coaxes Anita into giving her forthcoming public takedown of the Baroness' fashion line
a boost in terms of coverage.
The media has often been used to shape people's perspectives and perceptions for the benefit
of those looking to sell a product. This is obviously far from exclusive to the fashion
industry — examples exist in almost every industry. That said, it's a particularly important
aspect of fashion, and "Cruella" does a wickedly good job of showcasing its utility. Adults
will pick up on the concepts of brand awareness, demographics, and the manner in which the
media talks to consumers. Meanwhile, younger kids will more than likely watch the movie
in blissful ignorance with regards to these themes.
Kids don't perceive fashion the same way that adults do, as it's an industry built on what's
hot versus what's not. Words like "reinventing" and "trends" pop up quite frequently in the
discussion around fashion, and for good reason. They are the backbone of an industry in which
designers depend on their ability to churn out exciting new looks on a regular basis.
In "Cruella," we see Estella constantly innovating with bizarre designs which end up catching
the eye of the Baroness. This of course results in Estella learning just how cutthroat the
Baroness — and by extension, the entire fashion industry — truly is.
"I'll just have to destroy her like we have so many before."
The film has a lot in common with "The Devil Wears Prada," another movie that uses the
toxic side of fashion in its story. Both films follow an unpolished rookie working in the
footsteps of a heinously conceited fashion mentor.
In "The Devil Wears Prada," the rookie is Anne Hathaway and the mentor is Meryl Streep
— and their dynamic isn't all that dissimilar to the one between Cruella and the Baroness
in "Cruella." The major differences between the two films lie in their tones and styles
of execution.
"The Devil Wears Prada" is a more down to earth, modern narrative about what happens
when you lose sight of who you really are. Meanwhile, "Cruella" is more stylized and
has a lot to say about identity as well as embracing your inner dark side.
The toxic and cutthroat underbelly of the fashion industry plays a big part in "Cruella,"
but it's aimed squarely at the adults in the audience. It'll fly over the heads of kids
who are only concerned with whether or not their shoes have velcro laces.
Ever since it was announced Cruella De Vil would be getting her own movie, the internet
has been saturated with comments labeling the film as a "Girlboss Joker."
Since the release of "Joker" in 2019, any film or show that portrays a person's steady
unraveling into villainy and violence has been compared to it. It's a story that started
being told far earlier than "Joker" — a couple of earlier examples, both involving
"Joker" co-star Robert De Niro, are "Taxi Driver" and "King of Comedy." Still, Joaquin
Phoenix's performance earned him an Oscar, so it stands to reason that people would see
echoes of "Joker" in movies that followed in its wake.
Cruella and "Joker" protagonist Arthur Fleck definitely share some similarities in the
way they are presented in their respective films. Both had unpleasant childhoods which
resulted in grim adulthoods that found them grappling with instability as well as unpleasant
lines of work. Additionally, they both have a moment within their films that can be seen
as a sort of "coming out" — Arthur debuting his Joker persona on Murray Franklin's show,
and Estella debuting her Cruella persona at the Baroness' party.
One visual similarity the films share is how as the main character's mental state begins
to degrade and their world becomes more chaotic, the world around them becomes more vibrant.
It's a smart way of displaying change, and one that shows just how happy both characters
are when they're indulging in their chaotic sides.
Check out one of our newest videos right here! Plus, even more Looper videos about your favorite
stuff are coming soon. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss
a single one.