Wednesday, July 14, 2010

101 Dalmations


101 Dalmatians is easily the best film about dogs made in the 20th Century. I just rewatched it recently, and it was better than I remembered, which is kind of remarkable, because I remember it was fantastic.

For those unfortunate few of you who may have missed the movie, the film follows the exploits of the greatest villain in the history of cartoons, namely Cruella de Ville, a nasty woman with a long cigarette holder and a really off-putting black-and-white hairdo. She’s collecting Dalmatians in order to skin them for a fur coat, which would probably smell quite a bit like the dog scarf my mother made for me back in the 1980s. What she doesn’t count on is the resourcefulness of Pongo and his young Dalmation family, who rally the dog community and plan a daring escape from Cruella’s clutches.

The film is gorgeously animated, a product of the every-frame-by-hand artistry of a Disney team who labored in analog, long before computers could fit inside a single room. But the reason it succeeds is the story is always compelling – you always feel as if the dogs are in true peril, largely because Cruella is such a perfectly realized villainess. You care about the Dalmatians’ fate, and even though you know it’s a G-rated flick and nobody’s going to be skinned alive, you’re on the edge of your seats for much of the pic. It also doesn’t hurt that the theme song is infectious and will have you humming “Cruella de Ville, Cruella de Ville” for the next six weeks, give or take, whether you want to or not.

The movie has been remade as a live action film starring Glenn Close, who chews the scenery admirably but never quite captures the menace of her cartoon counterpart. The live action version is pleasant but forgettable, unlike its sequel, 102 Dalmatians, which is just a flimsy retread of the original. There have been cartoon sequels, too, all of which have gone straight to video, which is as it should be. You really can’t blame the Disney folks for wanting to recapture the magic of the original, and you also can’t be too surprised when they fail.

101 Dalmatians is a true classic that has stood the test of time. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Remembering Gretel

A friend of mine posted this picture on Facebook of her vacation in Wyoming:



This is Captain, a Bernese mountain dog, but he’s the spitting image of Gretel, our beloved companion from years ago. She arrived as a tiny puppy, too small to walk down the stairs by herself without being carried. It wasn’t long, however, before she grew to full size and took her rightful place as the kindest and sweetest dog we ever had.

We lived in a house up Emigration Canyon on the outskirts of Salt Lake City, Utah, which meant that we spent most of the winter buried in snow. That was just perfect for Gretel – she would run outside and flop down in the nearest snow bank, which must have provided suitable air conditioning for her luxurious coat. I’m not quite sure how she survived the hot summers, but she never seemed to mind.

The canyon back then was the perfect place to have a dog, because it was virtually uninhabited. We would take the dogs for a walk every morning and let them roam free. As real estate developers became more interested in the landscape, dogs had to be on leashes to avoid wandering into people’s yards. But my memories of Gretel were all from the pre-leash era, when she would go bounding out the door at the mention of the word “walk” and go wherever the wind took her.

Gretel was a purebred and a very expensive dog, but she was given to us in exchange for flute lessons from my mother. That always seemed appropriate - she taught us lessons of kindness and good humor all the days of her life.

We still miss you, Gretel.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

God and Dog

This has had over two million views on YouTube, and it never fails to bring a tear to my eye. It's the perfect message for an Ice Cream Sunday.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

William Shatner's Dog

We're putting together the details on our dog songwriting contest, so, to get you in the mood, I'm providing you with an example from an up-and-coming songwriter named Steven Fretwell who is passionate about two of my own obsessions: dogs and William Shatner. Except the song seems to reference neither. I don't think it would win our dog song contest, but today's Wild Card Wednesday, so anything goes. You can download the song here.

I give you - "William Shatner's Dog," by Steven Fretwell.

Verse 1
I walk by the water and
Head for your house
Though I know that you'll be out
In some dirty city bar

I stand on your street
And I stare at your room
And the shadows play and move
And your brother comes out with a bat

Chorus
Sayin that
You might be with your sister in Paris
On the Rue turnau
Wearing Marline Ditrik glasses
Where we made that bet
That bet I knew you'd win for sure
When you where sick on the floor

Verse 2
The denim is ripped
Beneath the patch
It's an itch I can never scratch
Now it's so far gone the past

The fines I
Having trouble to contest
With the library book you kept
The one that sent your head so far west

Chorus
Far far away
In those continental cities
Where they get in a race
To see who can build the tallest buildings

Where you went for some space
And wound up
With a slightly redder face
And a pain in your gut

Verse 3
I turn on the TV
And I see there your face
And in it is not one trace
Of that old brown bowl of lace

And that bowl of lace
Is sat beside the gas bar fire
Where you probably laid
Eating ice cream chocolate wallaims

That your mother brought home
From the freezer store
On the old kent road
She too had enough

And that look on your face
That you'd throw across the dinner table
In the middle of grace
With your fathers eye closed shut tight

And it happened like that
Every damn night
That I had to come
To your house

Well tell Charles Okief
That I don't want to go to Paris
It's sunnier hear
And I'm happier in this loveless marriage

With the girl from the pru
And your father and your sister
And your mother too
And not forgetting you

Monday, July 5, 2010

Mellow

“They call him Mellow Yellow…”

That’s the old Donavan song, but it didn’t work out that way for Mellow, who had the full “Mellow Yellow” name that never got used. He was just Mellow, a beautiful golden Labrador, and he was one of the sweetest dogs ever to walk the face of the earth.

My in-laws gave Mellow to their youngest son Mike as a birthday present, and the two were inseparable for years. He even took his senior school portrait alongside Mellow, which made for a unique photo session, to say the least.

But then Mellow got sick.

Mellow developed cancer in his lower body, which required that one of his legs be amputated. We all felt terrible for him, but Mellow took the whole thing in stride. He became Mellow the three-legged dog, and he was as active, cheerful, and friendly as he’d always been. The problem was that the cancer hadn’t gone away, and it claimed his life about a year after the amputation.

Animals have no pretense and make no attempt to hide their emotions. Dogs who suffer the way Mellow did usually become surly and angry as they struggle to survive. But not Mellow. He remained cheerful to the end – always happy to see you, always eager to play, never consumed by the difficulty of the challenges he faced.

Would that more human beings were able to follow his example.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Cluny

I am quite sure he thinks that I am God–
Since he is God on whom each one depends
For life, and all things that his bounty sends–
My dear old dog, most constant of all friends;

Not quick to mind, but quicker far than I
To him whom God I know and own; his eye,
Deep brown and liquid, watches for my nod;
He is more patient underneath the rod

Than I, when God his wise corrections sends.
He looks love at me deep as words e’er spake,
And from me never crumb or sup will take
But he wags thanks with his most vocal tail.

And when some crashing noise wakes all his fear
He is content and quiet if I’m near,
Secure that my protection will prevail!

So, faithful, mindful, thankful, trustful, he
Tells me what I unto my God should be.

- Wlliam Croswell Doane

Friday, July 2, 2010

More Triumph - The Insult Comic Dog

Word is that Jay Leno's ratings are the worst they've been in almost twenty years. NBC went through all kinds of gyrations, negotiations, and public humiliations to get rid of Conan O'Brien and give Jay his old show back, only to discover that they should have left things alone.

Why, many ask, is Jay having such a hard time? I've heard all the show biz theories, but none of them tell the true story - The Tonight Show is nothing without Conan's trusty correspondent: Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog.

I've already shown you his Star Wars masterpiece. Below is his review of the Tony Awards.

Enjoy!

Your Dog PFD

PFD, of course, stands for "Personal Flotation Device," and during the hot summer months, if you intend to take you dog along while yachting, it's essential that you take along a life jacket just for him.

This little model is reasonably priced, has a lovely color scheme, and will make all the other yacht dogs envious.



From the Google Products site:

"Whether your dog jumps or falls in the water, the NRS C.F.D. keeps them on the surface. With a tough 1000-denier Cordura shell and heavy-duty straps, the C.F.D. can take the worst your dog can dish out. With the flotation on the back, your dog stays cooler. Wide, soft under-straps for comfort; durable grab loop and leash ring for security. A zippered pocket for a leash, snacks, etc. Red model has reflective safety tape for visibility."


Looks god to me. Now I just need a yacht...