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Dog Gifts
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Benji Videos
Classic collection of Benji videos.
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Benji-25th Anniversary |
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No Hollywood studio was willing to buy or distribute this 1974 family film made in Texas, but it managed to find a considerable audience anyway in the U.S. and become a minor classic under its own steam. While Benji's production values aren't everything they could be, and the acting is at best uneven, the movie is really held together by the immense charm of the unassuming mutt who plays the title character. He may not look as impressive as Lassie or Rin Tin Tin, but poor stray Benji (played by a pooch named Higgins) is as brave and resourceful as they come, especially when a couple of neighborhood children are kidnapped and in need of rescuing. And what about that romantic subplot: Benji falling for a pampered pup from the good side of the tracks. Director Joe Camp earned himself a profitable franchise with Benji and its several sequels, but it was this first film and the debut of a new canine icon that stirs pleasant memories. --Tom Keogh
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For the Love of Benji |
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What begins as a pleasure trip for Benji and his adopted human family soon turns into a tale of mystery, suspense, and international intrigue in this 1977 sequel to Joe Camp's hit movie, Benji. Without subtitles to decipher the mostly Greek dialogue, kids and grown-ups alike view the action from the limited perspective of this sweet and talented mutt. Here's what Benji knows: 1) Ever since a stranger pressed a tiny metal plate against his paw, a handful of seedy-looking characters (and the occasional Doberman) keep trying to capture him; 2) He's hungry; 3) He misses Mary (the chatty housekeeper played by Patsy Garrett), the kids (whom he rescued from kidnappers in the original), and his lady love, Tiffany (noticeably droopy from an unmentionable "condition"). Not a great situation when stranded a few thousand miles from home. The action chugs along thanks to numerous chase scenes, a smattering of gunplay, and a heroic ending; but the overall effect falls short of the original. (Ages 4 to 9) --Liane Thomas
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Benji - Off the Leash |
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Benji: Off the Leash features dozens of close-ups of adorable mutts, guaranteed to make any dog-lover's heart melt. Colby (Nick Whitaker), a clever young boy, rescues a scrappy pup from his cruel father (Chris Kendrick), who breeds purebreds with an eye towards profit but not the animals' well-being. The puppy grows into a scruffy but smart dog who, with the aid of another plucky stray, helps Colby and his mother improve their lives, and the life of a lonely elderly neighbor as well. Along for the ride are two bumbling, slapstick dogcatchers and a wisecracking parrot. Benji: Off the Leash bubbles over with sentimentality that some viewers will find heartening and others will find unbearable. But though the story meanders, the movie is never cynical--writer/director Joe Camp sincerely believes that if people were more like dogs, the world would be a better place. --Bret Fetzer
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Benji |
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No Hollywood studio was willing to buy or distribute this 1974 family film made in Texas, but it managed to find a considerable audience anyway in the U.S. and become a minor classic under its own steam. While Benji's production values aren't everything they could be, and the acting is at best uneven, the movie is really held together by the immense charm of the unassuming mutt who plays the title character. He may not look as impressive as Lassie or Rin Tin Tin, but poor stray Benji (played by a pooch named Higgins) is as brave and resourceful as they come, especially when a couple of neighborhood children are kidnapped and in need of rescuing. And what about that romantic subplot: Benji falling for a pampered pup from the good side of the tracks. Director Joe Camp earned himself a profitable franchise with Benji and its several sequels, but it was this first film and the debut of a new canine icon that stirs pleasant memories. --Tom Keogh
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Dog Breed Web Elements
Includes:
Dog Logos, Dog Web Templates, and
Dog Stock Photos for webmasters. The Dog Breeds CD is only
$ 59.95! More information on the Dog
Breed Web Elements CD ROM
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