Oliver & Company
| Oliver & Company | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | George Scribner |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Story by |
|
| Based on | Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens |
| Starring |
|
| Edited by |
|
| Music by | J. A. C. Redford |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Pictures Distribution[a] |
Release date |
|
Running time | 74 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $31 million[2] |
| Box office | $121 million |
Oliver & Company is a 1988 American animated musical adventure film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, inspired by the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist. It was directed by George Scribner and written by Jim Cox, Tim Disney and James Mangold. In the film, Oliver is a homeless kitten who joins a gang of dogs to survive in the streets. Among other changes, the setting of the film was relocated from 19th century London to 1980s New York City, Fagin's gang is made up of dogs (one of which is Dodger), and Sykes is a loan shark.
In late 1984 or 1985, Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg held a pitch meeting with the animation staff, in which story artist Pete Young pitched the idea to adapt Oliver Twist with dogs. The pitch was quickly approved, and the film quickly went into production under the working title Oliver and the Dodger.
Oliver & Company was released theatrically in the United States on November 18, 1988, the same date as The Land Before Time. Oliver & Company received mixed reviews from critics. Its pop soundtrack, contemporary New York City setting, and use of celebrity voices were praised, but the film was criticized for its thin story, shallow character development, and inconsistent animation quality. Despite this, it performed well at the box office, grossing around $121 million worldwide on a $31 million budget. Along with the success of Who Framed Roger Rabbit which was released earlier that year, it played a role on the resurgence of Disney animation, marking the beginning of the Disney Renaissance with the release of The Little Mermaid the following year.
The film was re-released in theaters in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom on March 29, 1996. It was released on home video in North America on September 24, 1996, on VHS and LaserDisc. A DVD edition followed on May 14, 2002, as part of the Walt Disney Gold Classic Collection. Oliver & Company was later released on Blu-ray Disc on August 6, 2013, to mark its 25th anniversary. Over time, Oliver & Company has developed a cult following and is regarded by some Disney fans as a nostalgic favorite.[3][4][5]
- ^ Gritten, David, ed. (2007). "Oliver and Company (*)". Halliwell's Film Guide 2008. Hammersmith, London: HarperCollins. p. 871. ISBN 978-0-00-726080-5.
- ^ "Oliver & Company (1988)". The Wrap. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 14, 2016.
- ^ Donohoo, Timothy Blake (November 25, 2023). "How Disney's Forgotten Classic Modernized Animation Standards 35 Years Ago". CBR. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
- ^ "Oliver & Company (1989) – Throwback 30". Set The Tape. December 31, 2019. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
- ^ Phillips, Nina (January 11, 2023). "Animated Cult Classics Worth Checking Out". MovieWeb. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).