It began last fall with
Beverly Hills Chihuahua, followed by the animated
Bolt, which led to the Christmas release of
Marley & Me and now the current
Hotel For Dogs. Meanwhile, the DVD market is also in on the trend, with December’s release of the umpteenth
Beethoven installment,
Beethoven’s Big Break, and the February DVD release of another Air Bud movie,
Space Buddies.
“In this economy, with the lack of job security, the housing market being in trouble and it feeling like a harsh, cold world out there, people turn back to what is essential,” says Hotel For Dogs director Thor Freudenthal. “And that’s having those around you that you love, and having a family that looks out for each other. Dogs are part of so many families – they just belong to that picture. That’s why these films are very appealing.”
Going back in time, such classics as Rin Tin Tin, Benji and Lassie have always appealed to kids and adults alike. Even if they didn’t always feature the typical feel-good endings, like Old Yeller from oh-so long ago, or the current Marley, “these films all reinforce life and love,” says Todd Lieberman, who produced Chihuahua.
The spotlight on dog movies and their values is only further highlighted by our pop culture, thanks to such figures as dog trainer Caesar Millan, a.k.a. The Dog Whisperer, and the influx of luxury pet stores selling high-end dog clothes and accessories. Add to that the attention dogs receive from animal rights organizations (celebs like Charlize Theron, Minnie Driver, Shannon Elizabeth and tons more get involved in pet charity events), stars-and-dogs magazine Animal Fair, TV shows on Animal Planet, and even fitness boot camps involving dogs and their owners such as L.A.’s Thank Dog Bootcamp. Two years ago, the country was collectively outraged at the discovery of football star Michael Vick’s dog fighting business, and today is closely following what kind of dog Sasha and Malia Obama will be bringing into the White House.
“Dogs are really in our consciousness right now,” says Hotel producer Ewan Leslie. “Our country is a little bit depressed and dogs represent hope and devotion. They wear their hearts on their sleeves; they really want a person to love and to have someone love them. It really is a symbiotic relationship.”
So symbiotic that unlike other pets, you can easily take a dog to the park, go on walks together or take cross-country car-rides – the kinds of activities families often do together. And since families are looking for some relief in these tough economic times, dog movies seem to have become the go-to pictures.
“A dog movie is just a terrific vessel for the kind of fun, comedy, heart values people want to see,” says Mike Elliott, who directed and produced Beethoven’s Big Break.
In fact, Elliott will be shooting two other straight-to-DVD dog movies this spring, Slobberdog and Bones, specifically because of the recent success of these other dog pictures. And expect another Beethoven installment as well.
But it’s not just the activities one can do with Fido that make him a part of a family. “People personify dogs,” according to Lieberman. “They put personalities on them.”
Infusing them with personalities makes them even more human-like. “We project so much on to them because there is something about their faces, even if it’s just the simplest expression,” says Leslie. “A lot of times they’re just cocking their ears, but because of their ears and their noses and their eyes, we think, ‘Oh he’s curious; he’s frightened.’”
Which makes them great on-screen thespians.
“During filming, I found that dogs were incredibly great cinematic actors,” says Freudenthal. “Personally, I’m more of a cat person, but I found out if you point a camera at a cat it looks pretty bored and uninvolved. Dogs look like they’re involved in scenes emotionally. You get a wide range of very expressive faces and reactions out of them. And they’re very good at doing what they’re told.”
So basically, their ability to please their filmmaker and to please their owner becomes a win-win for both Hollywood and families.
“The real truth is that humans and dogs have had a long, supportive and happy relationship that has lasted thousands of years,” says Elliott. “We’ve finally reached a point in the evolution of modern society where people accept dogs as life partners so it’s natural that we would make movies about that.”
Zorianna Kit was formerly on staff at the Hollywood Reporter and People Magazine before becoming entertainment anchor at KTLA in Los Angeles and the resident film analyst at the TV Guide Network. She is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and was a movie reviewer on AMC's "The Movie Club with John Ridley." She has filled in for Roger Ebert on "Ebert & Roeper" and appeared as herself in such films as "Iron Man," "The Longshots" and "Lakeview Terrace." For more on Zorianna, please visit www.zoriannakit.tv.
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