Runtime: 84 minutes
Directed by: Don Bluth
Starring: Various famous voices, including Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Vic Tayback and Charles Nelson Reilly
From: United Artists
A movie I only saw once, and theatrically… 35 years ago. As a child of the 80’s and 90’s it was natural that some (but not all) of Don Bluth’s films were viewed. Recently I realized that none of his movies had ever been experienced by me as an adult. Mainly due to it being on Prime-meaning free for me as a Prime member-and the bonus that there was the theatrical experience at the age of 8 made it an easy choice. Of course, the fact that it was never rented by me subsequently is a sign that I wasn’t a fan back then. The exact reasons why are lost to the sands of time; why I didn’t like it now, that can be articulated.
There was only a few faint memories of Dogs in the ensuing 35 years; the 1939 Louisiana setting was a surprise in of itself. Charlie B. Barkin and Itchy Itchiford-no, these are real names-break out of prison; unbeknownst to them, their business partner CARFACE (a reference I did not get when I was 8) who runs a gambling palace. Car arranges for Charlie’s death but in Heaven he steals his celestial pocket watch-a phrase you’ll never see me use again; at least it’s a logical metaphor-and returns to Earth for revenge. I recalled nothing of that plot point, nor the plot point that they meet Anne-Marie, an orphan girl who can talk to animals and the info she hears is used for betting on sporting events involving said animals.
It is weird/dark when the plot is explained to you; the dark aspect didn’t bother me now and likely didn’t back in 1989. What bothered me in 2024: both Charlie and Itchy treat adorable Anne-Marie quite poorly, and for far too long. I’ll be doggone if I can enjoy the two protagonists act like total A-holes. There are several songs, most of which had lyrics best described as “poor pastiches of Broadway tunes” & the plot at times left me befuddled. Once Charlie returns to Earth, he proclaims that he wants to lay low as no one knows he isn’t deceased and he can get sweet, sweet revenge. This is done by… being seen out in public while earning money from gambling then opening a competing club known as… Charlie’s Place?!
Then, there’s the Big Lipped Alligator Moment, a trope named after a particular scene from this movie—the people who coined the phrase I’m not a fan of AND it shouldn’t have been named after the bizarre musical number involving a random reptile as the alligator does appear later but it’s a character shoehorned in just for a convenient save and it’s a phenomenon that happens sometime in cinema.
There are compliments that can be granted, including the lovely animation throughout. It was a fine voice cast with various familiar names, led by Burt Reynolds & Dom DeLuise. I did laugh that the canine voiced by Charles Nelson Reilly wore a pair of Charles Nelson Reilly glasses. Judith Barsi voice Anne-Marie; it was a posthumous role and the reason why she passed away at the age of 10: too tragic for me to mention here. The score itself was at least fine.
Even if I don’t have the nostalgic love for the movie that many do, I’ll still give credit to Bluth for breaking away from Disney during its moribund days and finding success on his own. It has even been argued that this success in the 80’s led to Disney getting its act together and led to the Disney Renaissance. Perhaps, as he was the biggest competitor and for certain I know Miyazaki’s rise also was an influence. Heck, starting with The Little Mermaid there were several Broadway-like tunes included per film… in the future, I’ll review more Bluth movies & hopefully give them more flattering reviews.
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