The Shaggy Dog (2006)
Picture:
C+ Sound: B- Extras: C Film: C
After two
successful theatrical film versions of the tale of a man who suddenly becomes a
Sheep Dog, Disney found that the third time was not the charm with the 2006 Tim
Allen version of The Shaggy Dog. Part of the problem is switching breeds to a
bearded collie, as if Sheep Dogs were disposable. If they did not tamper with Dalmatians, they
should not tamper with the dog breed here.
Also, the gross humor for a PG film is dumb and counterproductive.
Allen,
looking bored and out of his element, becomes the title character as he goes
form workaholic to potential family pet.
The plot involves a spiritual dog from a Buddhist temple and a secret
government plot to catch him. Though this
has some laughs, this also has some bad digital visual effects, padding in the
99 minutes that are a bit longer than they should be and actor-turned-director
Brian Robbins is more miss than hit.
Fortunately, supporting actors Danny Glover, Robert Downey, Jr., Philip
Baker Hall and Kristin Davis help fill in where the flaws occur, making this
worth a look. Ultimately though, it
cannot escape the superiority of the long shadow its theatrical predecessors
cast, since they (from 1959 and 1976) are two of the greatest live action
family films the studio ever produced.
The
anamorphically enhanced 2.35 X 1 image was shot in Super 35mm film, but looks
degraded here because Disney added an increasingly unnecessary pan & scan
version on the same disc. The result in
the better widescreen version is that it is lacking in detail, pasty and
flatter-looking than the print in theaters.
Too bad, but the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix fares better, with some good
surrounds, though DTS would have been preferred as well. Extras include bloopers, a section for dogs
to bark to, audio commentary by the director and deleted scenes. All in all, a disappointing release for a
film that probably should not have been remade.
Stick with the original.
- Nicholas Sheffo
