Silent Screen Sunday - The Silent Call (1921)

Strongheart, first German Shepherd movie star

The Silent Call, based on the novel The Cross Pull by Hal George Evarts, helped to launch the career of Hollywood's original German Shepherd Dog movie star: Etzel von Oeringen, better known as Strongheart.

The Silent Call is believed to be lost, though the novel is now in public domain and easy to find. Only one Strongheart film is commercially available; The Return of Boston Blackie (1927)—his last movie before his premature death.

Both of these movies are profiled in detail in Wonder Dogs: 101 German Shepherd Dog Films (see top right sidebar).

Produced by H.O. Davis

Daily Reel - The Adventures of the Wilderness Family (1975)

The dog features prominently in this tale of a city family leaving it all behind to settle in the wilderness and get back to their roots. He’s an athletic yellow field Labrador Retriever and he’s there to protect his people from marauding wildlife and cheerfully soak up new adventures like any good Lab.

Filmed in the Gunnison National Forest in Colorado, The Adventures of the Wilderness Family was followed by two sequels: Wilderness Family, Part 2 (or The Further Adventures of the Wilderness Family, 1978) and Mountain Family Robinson (1979).

Produced by Pacific International Pictures, Wilderness Family Inc.

 

Foreign Film Friday - The Adventures of Milo and Otis (1989)

Also known as Koneko monogatari (“A Kitten’s Story” released in 1986) and The Adventures of Chatran.

 

This Japanese film became a classic for American and Canadian children (among others) of the 1990s after being re-edited and released by Columbia. With the superb narration of Dudley Moore, ambiguous outdoor settings, and complete lack of any human cast, many North American kids never suspected The Adventures of Milo and Otis wasn’t filmed in their own backyards.

It was, in fact, filmed over four years, using 400,000 feet of film, in Japan with a vast animal cast, including the stars: a “curious cat and a pug-nosed pup.” The original Japanese release was an art film about a cat named Chatran—and not intended for children. But Otis the Pug gets plenty of screen-time in the reworked and shortened English language release.

A flurry of concern arose over the treatment of the animals in Milo and Otis (both in Japan and the U.S.) when it hit theaters. The debate continues today with reliable sources difficult to come by. At worst, the crew was accused of killing many animals involved in the filming, including ten different cats playing Milo. At best, the animals were carefully trained and cared for, but suffered stress at the very least. One can see just by watching the extremely edited U.S. version some traumatic moments, particularly for the cat. That cat was not carefully and lovingly trained to leap off a cliff into the ocean. He was thrown.

A stunning, beautiful, unique film, cherished by a generation, which, sadly, for the sake of its stars, should never have been made.

Produced by Fuji Television Network

Happy Valentine's Day!

For your Reel Dogs Valentine's Day treat check out Gabe the Cupid Dog, just released last October.

You have to overlook the absurd plot to enjoy this one. Not the the part about the talking, matchmaking dog. The part about him needing to go into six-month quarantine if he moves from L.A. to London with his human. (I've taken dogs roundtrip from the the U.S. to UK twice. They don't go into quarantine on either side.) But get past the story itself and you've got one adorable mutt.

"Gabe" is played by the endearing Zoe, an eight and a half pound, ten-inch tall mix from Paws for Effect.

Congratulations Westminster Winners of 2013!

The German Wirehaired Pointer, American Foxhound, Old English Sheepdog, Portuguese Water Dog, Bichon Frise, Smooth Fox Terrier, and Affenpinscher took first in their groups over the past two nights in Madison Square Garden. Congratulations to Banana Joe and Swagger for top honors.

Want to catch one of these stars through your rental list? You won’t find too many Affenpinschers, GWPs, or Porties appearing in your favorite films, but American Foxhounds, Bichons, and Smooths have graced a few big screens, while Old English Sheepdogs have made a sizable mark on Hollywood history from The Shaggy Dog (1959) to a small part in 101 Dalmatians (1996).

Here are some films to check out in honor of your favorite champions:

A German Wirehaired Pointer gets a moment in Dragonheart (1996), but don’t blink! You’ll miss him.

The Bichon Frise can be seen now and then in a film, but due to the wildly varied haircuts and brief scenes, it can be hard to tell if what you’re seeing is really a Bichon, or a Poodle, or … maybe just a plush toy?

Try catching a glimpse in Mad Dog and Glory (1993), Live Nude Girls (1995), and The Age of Innocence (1993).

The Smooth Fox Terrier has no hair to hide him, though a scene on the couch in A Single Man (2009) does make the two black-headed Smooths appear headless. At least they know that angle isn’t making them look fat.

Besides A Single Man, you can see a Smooth in the amazing It’s a Dogs Life (1955) (he’s in the dog show), in one scene toward the end of Grassroots (2012) (adorable!), and in a co-starring role in Charlie the Lonesome Cougar (1967).

 

Look for American Foxhounds in The Education of Little Tree (1997), Marnie (1964), Murder She Purred: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery (1998) (the lead dog is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, also a couple of German Shepherd Dogs), and The Voice of Bugle Ann (1936).

But the big winner in tonight’s lineup is the Old English Sheepdog. You can snag glimpses of him in such films as Cats and Dogs (2001) and Garfield (2004), but there’s no need to strain your eyes for this breed. He has many larger than life roles (literally in Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World (1973)) with no squinting necessary.

 

Check out The Shaggy Dog (1959), The Shaggy D.A. (1976), Please Don’t Eat the Daisies (1960), Mr. Superinvisible (1970), The Grass Is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank (1978), and Undercover Angel (1999).

In 1987 Walt Disney added a TV special from the Wonderful World of Disney show to the Shaggy Dog series with The Return of the Shaggy Dog. Also—and well-worth the effort of finding them—two of the most memorable Old English film roles are immortalized in other Wonderful World of Disney TV movies: The 101 Problems of Hercules (1966), in which “Boomer” is a sheep herding hero along with his pals “Lady” and “Hercules” (a Border Collie and Kuvasz), and Three on the Run (1978) where an Old English fills a role you won’t see him take in any other film; wheel dog in a sled team.

 

If you know more films with these breeds, please leave a comment!

Daily Reel - Where the Red Fern Grows (1974)

Like so many classic and best-selling books, Where the Red Fern Grows almost never saw the light of day. Wilson Rawls’s wife encouraged him to let her help with his woeful spelling and grammar, finally getting the book published—first serialized, then as a children’s novel in 1961.

The story follows the adventures of Billy Coleman (Stewart Petersen) as he works hard for a pair of Redbone Coonhound puppies he can raise and train himself into great coon dogs. His perseverance is at last rewarded with two adorable red pups he calls Old Dan and Little Ann.

One of the very few movies with hounds in major starring roles, Where the Red Fern Grows beautifully captures the spirit and character of these dogs. The adult Dan and Ann were played by Redbone Coonhounds named Rowdy and, ironically, Blue. Trained by Harold Packer, George Kerr, and Gerry Warshauer, who apprenticed with Frank Inn (of Benji fame), the two hounds did promotional touring at schools and theaters when the film was released in 1974. They were such huge hits with the crowds, Kerr later said they “almost had all the hair petted off them.”1

Produced by Doty-Dayton Production

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Daily Reel - Animal Farm (1999)

Based on George Orwell’s classic 1945 novella, Animal Farm boasts a nearly all animal cast with voices provided by human performers. Like 101 Dalmatians, Animal Farm was adapted with an animated feature (1954) and the live action version posed a mammoth challenge for the team of animal trainers involved. (Not to mention the animatronics department.)

The film’s top dog is a tri-colored Border Collie named Jessie, played by Spice and voiced by Julia Ormond. Spice, who appeared in several films, TV productions, and commercials throughout her career, was trained by Mary Owens, of Fircroft Dog Training in County Kildare, Ireland. Owens and her team provided eight other dogs for the production, including a Lurcher, Jack Russell Terrier, Rottweiler, and mixes.

Produced by Hallmark Entertainment, TNT, Animal Farm Productions Ltd.

     

Silent Screen Sunday - Rescued By Rover (1905)

This British short film was the first ever motion picture to star a dog.

Rover is played by director Cecil Hepworth’s pet in real life, Blair. Blair, a Rough Collie or English Shepherd, must rush to his humans for help when he becomes the only member of the family to know where their kidnapped baby is being kept hidden. The bulk of the film comprises scenes of the dog racing down roads and under, over, or through any number of natural and manmade obstacles to find the baby, report back to his people, then bring the anxious father (also Hepworth) for assistance.

The short was such a massive hit in the UK in 1905, and film was so delicate, it had to be remade multiple times to meet demand. After going largely unseen for nearly 100 years, Rescued By Rover was released in a fantastic DVD boxed set in 2002 by Kino Video: The Movies Begin: A Treasury of Early Cinema, 1894-1913. Watch closely and you’ll catch more dogs beyond Rover in these early flickers.

Produced by Hepworth

Daily Reel - Bad Moon (1996)

Based on the horror novel Thor by Wayne Smith, Bad Moon follows the secret battle of Thor, a suburban family pet, and his fight against a deadly werewolf. The novel is written from Thor’s point of view and most of the film keeps closely in touch with their star, played by Primo.

Primo, a handsome and athletic German Shepherd Dog, appeared in many films (including Dogboys) and TV shows (including The Call of the Wild) throughout his successful career, but nowhere do his talents shine brighter than in Bad Moon. His powerful performance and superb portrayal of Thor makes this otherwise lackluster horror film without many redeeming points worth watching.

This movie is profiled in detail in Wonder Dogs: 101 German Shepherd Dog Films (see top right sidebar).

Produced by Morgan Creek Productions