Disney’s newest live-action revision of an animated classic, Cruella, is taking the world by storm. It is unlike any live-action remake fans have seen before, in a good way.
Those who have been lucky enough to see the film more than once might notice some hidden details that they totally missed on the first go-around. Some of these are nods to the original 1961 animated classic, 101 Dalmatians, while others are just fun details fans will be interested in.
The Cruella Laugh
In one of the earlier scenes where young adults Estella, Horace, and Jasper are pretending to be employees at a hotel, fans should pay extra attention when Estella is watching television.
In the scene, Estella is dressed as a cleaner and sitting on a hotel bed watching TV. The woman on the screen is laughing maniacally. Some may notice this is the same audio used for Cruella’s laugh in the original animated classic. The sound clip only lasts for a couple of seconds, so be sure not to miss it! Once viewers know what to look for, it will be easy to find.
Suit Of Armor
At the end of the movie, Estella had already transferred her inheritance over to her “good friend” Cruella De Vil just before her “death.” So Cruella inherited Hellman Hall from the Baroness when she went to jail for killing Estella. Just before the credits roll Horace, Jasper, and Cruella are seen walking into their new home at Hellman Hall (now Hell Hall) for the first time.
The suit of armor seen in the background is in the exact same spot that it was in the original animated movie that Cruella is based on. Of course, there are many parallels between the Hell Hall of both movies, but this nod is a bit subtle and may not be caught on first watch.
Gerald's Jab
Right after Estella gets caught asleep in the window display after drunkenly making a few changes, the Baroness arrives at the store. The manager of the store, Gerald, starts apologizing for the display. He explains that he likes to try giving everyone a chance but, “breeding, need I say more?”
Little do any of the characters in the scene know, he is actually speaking to Estella’s birth mother. The audience likely wouldn’t notice this either, at least not until the second time watching it, because viewers do not yet know the Baroness is Estella's real mother until later in the film.
The Window Display
Despite how horrified Gerald feels about Estella's window display re-do, the Baroness is very impressed. In fact, she says it is the best window display she had seen in 10 years. This amount of time may or may not be significant. Estella's mother was killed 10 years prior. Is it possible there is a correlation between Catherine's untimely death and the window display?
It is known that Catherine was a maid for the Baroness, like Estella was a janitor at the department store. Could Catherine have also been a genius in the world of fashion and had a hand in the previous window displays that resulted in her also getting fired? It does seem like an odd coincidence.
Walt Disney Reference
When Estella walks into Artie's store, the two hit it off right away. They both share a love of fashion and creation. After looking around the store for a bit, admiring some of the gowns, Cruella is obviously impressed. Artie then says, "If you can dream it, I can dress it." This is actually a tribute to Walt Disney himself.
Many have credited Walt Disney with saying the phrase, "If you can dream it, you can do it." However, it has been confirmed by Disney historians that Walt never actually said this. Regardless, it is a nod to both the famous saying and the famous dreamer, nonetheless.
Dog Owner Cameo
At the beginning of the original animated film, 101 Dalmatians, Pongo is looking for a mate for his "pet," Roger. He observes dog owners walking their dogs outside for a while. Each dog and its owner look alike. The pug and her owner are both short and look the same. The poodle and her owner both look very fancy and beautiful.
In Cruella, there's a nod to this that fans may have missed. Jasper and Horace are waiting in the van for Estella when an artist woman with red hair and glasses walks by. She is wearing the same colors as her dog's fur. This exact dog and owner come straight from the animated film. They look so similar that Horace says to Jasper, "Have you ever noticed that dogs look exactly like their owners?"
The Real Villain
It is well known in the Disney community that Disney villains tend to call people "fools" and "imbeciles." And while this commonality may not have been intentional, at first, in Cruella, it may have been a hint to viewers, right from the beginning of the movie, as to who the real villain is.
The Baroness is frequently calling her employees and other people "fools" and "imbeciles." Could filmmakers have been warning the audience ahead of the big reveal ahead by making sure she uses these infamous terms to describe those around her?
Von Hellman
Since the Baron and Baroness share the last name of Von Hellman, their massive home is called "Hellman Hall." Estella was born Estella Von Hellman before her mother ordered her employee to kill her. Once Cruella De Vil inherits the estate when the Baroness goes to jail, she removes the "man" portion on the sign above the front gate so it just reads "Hell Hall."
Fans of the animated film might remember that this is the location where Jasper and Horace kept all 99 puppies. Cruella did not want to be associated with that last name anymore. Plus, she might as well steer into the skid.
Pongo And Perdita
In the mid-credit scene, it is revealed that Pongo and Perdita were actually the puppies of Genghis. Genghis was one of the dogs that belonged to the Baroness, which Cruella inherited when the Baroness was sent to jail. Cruella gifts Pongo to Roger and Perdita to Anita. This means that Pongo and Perdita, who later have puppies of their own together are actually siblings.
Since Pongo and Perdita are the reason Anita and Roger meet and fall in love, technically Cruella is the reason they got together in the first place.
Regent's Park
Throughout the movie, Cruella returns frequently to the fountain at Regent's Park. There, she speaks to her dead mother, Catherine, because she said they could go there, but she died before it could happen. Cruella goes there to honor her and feel close to her. It is also the place where Estella, Jasper, and Horace first meet.
Fans of the animated classic will remember that Regent's Park is the same location that Roger and Anita (and Pongo and Perdita) meet for the first time. There must be something special about that spot.