Dogs in movies & television

[Dagger Dias]

There have been a lot of dogs cast in roles onscreen over the years, but Shadow and Chance from Homeward Bound will always be my favorites when it comes to dogs in movies or television. After I saw this movie as a little kid, I started to pretend that animals had voice-overs, much like the ones in this movie. I remember as a child pretending that my dogs had voice-overs just like the ones in this movie. Both were very loveable characters who grew a lot on their journey with Sassy the cat as the three tried to get home, and had several laughs along the way. I watched these movies to the point where I had both of them nearly memorized, and they remain films I look back on very fondly.


So.... Here is what I want to discuss:

1. What are some dogs you liked/disliked in movies or television and why?


2. How do you feel about dog shows/movies in particular? Do you like them? Should there be more, why or why not?


As a dog person.... I always enjoy dogs in onscreen roles. I wouldn't mind seeing more films or shows with dogs cast in them whether it be as an important role or a regular dog, but I can see why there might not be so many as animal shows/movies can get cheesy sometimes. I think there should be more shows and movies with dogs in them because it gives people who like dogs more options for things to watch. What do you guys think?

 

[Attitude]

I Love Dog movies. The reason being is I'm a dog person. I think our/my families first dog was when I was three years old and since then there hasn't been a period when we or I personally haven't a dog. I always enjoys dog movies and haven't really found one that I didn't like. However I was a fan of the Air Bundy movies but thought it was lame that they kept making them after a while. The first couple Air Bundy movies were great and original but after they kept making them it seemed like all they were doing was just trying to capitalize off of there popularity and put no effort it to coming up with a story for them. That's just my opinion.

With that being said my favorite Dog Movie right now is Marley and Me. Obviously with this being based on a true story of the Author of Marley and Me it was really relatable. I was connected to the story throughout the whole movie. I was saddenned by the end of the movie though so this is more of a once in a blue moon type of movie. I think since I bought it I watched it once and that's it. I just can't bring myself to watch it again because it's sad.

Another dog movie I was connected to was My Dog Skip. Another emotional story that I was connected to.

With My Dog Skip and Marley And Me I was able to relate to the stories easily. Anybody that grew up with dogs should be able to connect to these movies. I personally think they should keep doing movies about dogs. I tend to enjoy them and as I mentioned I haven't really found one that I didn't like.

Note: Thanks for reminding me about Homeward Bound. It was also one of my favorites. It's been a while since I watched it. I'll have to rent it now.

 

[Dowdsy McDowds]

Haha the timing of this thread is awesome! More of a cat person generally but not averse to dogs, only the wee bastard one that tore my Jimmy Eat World t-shirt one day in the park when I was younger.

But yeh, I just finished watching Game of Thrones the other week and the wolves in that were just brilliant. There's one back and forth between a girl and her wolf where she's asking him to pick up an item of clothing and he just turns his head in a "...what?" kind of way that got me laughing. The trainers of the wolves should get some kind of award because they honestly did a fantastic job making them seem more like characters rather than props.

I don't think I'd see a film exclusively about a real dog (animation doesn't really count) or with real dogs in it, but if the story is good and happens to have a dog then I'll see it.

 

[Serious Mozzarella]

I like dogs and all, but let's just be serious for a second here. All goddamn dogs have the same personality in movies. These movies run on human characters doing the character development for the dog, unless the dog is personified, with a human voice/personality or whatever.

I just don't see the difference between any dogs in any movie. Marley & Me, Shiloh, Lassie, that dog who plays baseball... it's all the same to me. You can stick dogs in a number of different roles/jobs, but I still see it as the same exact movie.

 

[INDYjon22]

My favorite dog to ever be in a movie is easily Scooby Doo. I know he wasn't real but I absolutely love that movie and that dog. I guess Air Bud would be a close second but he couldn't talk so he looses by virtue of not having talking abilities.

As for dogs in cinema, I don't mind animal movies but they almost always end up with me crying. Animals evoke such personal emotions from viewers, maybe it's just me, and films about them almost always end on a sad note it feels like. Even in a movie like Cujo, you don't cheer for the dog but I certainly didn't want to see it die either. Or like in Marley and Me. I had a lab and that movie really hit home because my lab died around the same time I watched that damn film. A lot of us love dogs and filmmakers exploit those personal emotions when they use them. So, while I don't mind dog movies, I also don't go looking for them because I know they will likely make me sad.

 

[funsukh]

Last month I watched a movie named Hachiko. It is movie on a dog named Hatchi amazing movie. In this movie Hatchi can't live without his master. Master found Hatchi on a lonely station while returning from a journey.