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Dogs and films go back a long way. Many dog movies have been
made since the birth of film making. Dogs in movies are a
favorite subject with many film makers and Hollywood has made
many such Dog movies, some of which have gone on to be blockbusters.
During the era of silent movies, dogs played small parts.
However in 1925, a German Shepherd named “Rintintin”
became a huge star with the release of the movie ‘Where
the North begins’. With the success of Rintintin, many
other dog movies were made but they did not make a mark at
the box office and dog movies began to decline.
In the 1970s the Walt Disney studios decided to once again
recreate the doggy magic and make Dog movies aimed primarily
for kids. Into the spotlight came Benji,
and five Disney movies were made about Benji and his wild
adventures. In the 1990s, a big Saint Bernard called Beethoven
became the new dog hero for kids.
Since then many such dog movies have been made. Given below,
is a list of some classic dog movies in alphabetical order
with a synopsis on each.
101 Dalmatians: This animated classic revolves
around the pet Dalmatians Pongo and Perdita, and their 15
pups that are stolen by the devious Cruella De Vil. Pongo
with the help of his canine connections manages to rescue
his pups and 86 others that were stolen by Cruella. The 101
Dalmatians then make their way home. The hit tune “Dalmatian
Plantation” was composed for this movie. The animated
movie 102 Dalmatians was released by Disney as a sequel to
101 Dalmatians.
Air Bud: This is the story of Buddy, who
befriends a small boy. With his incredible talent for basketball,
Buddy soon becomes a star. With the success of Air Bud, many
movies were made on Buddy like Air Bud Golden Receiver, Air
Bud Seventh Inning Fetch, Air Bud Spikes Back, Air Bud World
Pup etc.
Babe: This movie made in 1995 is a story
about a piglet called Babe who is separated from his family.
Adopted by a friendly dog, Babe grows up thinking it is a
dog and defies tradition to become a sheep dog er....pig.
Babe's stirring story was loved by both, audiences and critics,
and the movie won an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.
Beethoven: This is the story of a runaway
Saint Bernard pup who is adopted by a suburban family and
how he disrupts their life with his actions. However he does
manage to save the family business and ends up as the hero
of the house. Beethoven became the next dog hero for kids
and a sequel Beethoven’s 2nd was also released.
Benji: This family classic is the story
of Benji a spunky little Pyrenean Shepherd mix. Benji is an
intelligent little dog who is adopted by a loving family.
When the kids in the family are kidnapped, it is Benji who
comes to their rescue. The role of Benji was played by a dog
named Higgins who with his charismatic performance soon became
the favorite of every kid. Benji: Off the Leash, a sequel
to Benji did not fare as well.
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey:
This is the touching story of three pets who plan to return
to their family and set out on their own on an incredible
journey. The sequel, Homeward Bound II, Lost in San Francisco,
had several breeds of dogs like a Golden Retriever, an American
Bulldog, a Bullmastiff, a Boxer etc acting in it.
Lassie Come Home: An old classic, this movie
made in 1943, is set during the time of the 1st World War.
The extremely poor McDowall family is forced to sell their
pet Lassie. However Lassie, repeatedly escapes from the home
of her new owners and keeps heading back to the McDowall home,
depending upon the kindness of strangers on the way. Lassie
is a legend. The latest Lassie movie was made in 2005. Since
female dogs shed while in heat, all the collies who played
the doggy heroine Lassie were actually males in disguise.
Pal, a splendid collie was the screen's first Lassie.
Old Yeller: This Walt Disney live-action
movie is again the story of an incredible dog that wanders
into a farm and is adopted by a little boy and finds a loving
family. With the runaway success of Old Yeller, Walt Disney
began to make live-action films rather than animated ones.
In 1963, Disney released a sequel to Old Yeller titled Savage
Sam.
Zeus and Roxanne: This is the story about
a dog and a dolphin who become very good friends. The dog,
Zeus belongs to a rare breed known as Portuguese Podengo.
Turner and Hooch: This movie stars Tom Hanks
and a French Mastiff named Hootch. Hanks plays Turner, a detective
who is investigating the murder of John McIntyre. The only
witness to the murder is McIntyre’s pet Hootch. Turner
hates dogs in general but he now has to teem up with Hootch
to find the bad guys. This movie won two Oscars.
Lady and the Tramp: This classic is the
story of Lady a pampered female dog who begins to feel neglected
when a baby arrives in the family. Add to that an insufferable
Aunt and two nasty Siamese cats, and Lady’s life becomes
a torment. She runs away from home and meets Tramp, a dashing
male dog and they spend an idyllic romantic evening. However
disillusion and despair await Lady as the story moves forward
but culminates with a happy ending. This movie was Disney
studio's first Cinemascope animated feature, and it was also
their first complete cartoon based on an original story.
Snow Dogs: This is the story of Ted Brooks
a Miami dentist played by Cuba Gooding Jr. who finds out that
he has been named in a will. However he needs to travel to
Alaska to claim his mystery inheritance: helped by a mischievous
team of sled dogs led by an alpha dog named Demon!
Having dogs in movies is not very easy and requires a lot
of patience and perseverance from the dog trainers and the
ones shooting the film. A dog may not always understand what
is required and may not be consistent in doing what it is
supposed to do. Today there are various professional training
schools that train dog actors in everything from basic obedience
to acting for the camera. Here thousands of hours are spent
on training them in every aspect of acting as well as in their
grooming. Having dogs in movies has become easier with these
special training schools.
However all movies featuring animals are monitored by animal
protection organizations to ensure the welfare and safety
of the animal actors and all movie houses need to abide by
the laws set down by these organizations. Although many dog
movies may not win Oscars, most movies are well-liked by audiences
all over the world because of the tone set by dogs in movies
that touch the heart and make us love dogs even more.
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