The Amazing Adventures of Archibald Esq.
Canines in Cinema: New Awards for Film Hounds
It’s a bit of an unspoken and secret truth that dogs in movies are always a hit. And it doesn’t have to be twee, like the syrupy stuff of Lassie, Benji and the like…
Think, for example, of Asta, the dignified wire-haired fox terrier who accompanied Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant in ‘Bringing up Baby’ - what a classic! Or the wonderful pooch that has accompanied one of my favourite actresses, Reese Wetherspoon, in Legally Blonde. Not to mention the massive and sombre presence of Bombon in Bombon El Perro - a particular favourite of big feet and little feet.
Yes, from Toto in the Wizard of Oz, to Gromit in Wallace and Gromit, dogs are just the thing to jazz up any bit of two-legged cinema you might care to think of. Of course then there’s the Disney Classics Lady and the Tramp, the 101 Dalmatians, and popular romances such as The Truth about Cats and Dogs, Must Love Dogs, and so on and on and on… Awoof!
So in my humble opinion, it’s long overdue that us hounds be given awards for our bit in world cinema.
I’ve done a little web-digging, and haven’t scratched-up much, but in the Guardian of last week (16 June 06) there was a little piece by Simon Fanshawe about the new ‘Bark Awards’. As Fanshawe rightly notes, “It has taken a long time for these doggy divas to be honoured. But finally, on Monday, the red newspapaer will be rolled out and dogs in cinema will be nominated and rewarded for their performances at the inaugural Barkers.”
Apparently there are four categories:
1. Historical Hound,
2. Blockbuster Bowser,
3. Comedy Canine and
4. the lifetime achievement award, Best in World.
This is not the first cinematic canine awards, and for several years hounds have been honoured in Cannes at the ‘Palme Dog.’ (Was that influenced in part by the Southern France Barking Belle - none other than Brigitte Bardot, I wonder?)
In any case, this year in London the jury includes Lulu Guinness, former Guardian film critic Derek Malcolm and Antoine de Caunes. And the nominations included Gromit, the mutt in Fun With Dick and Jane, Judi Dench’s dachshund in Mrs Henderson Presents, and Harrison Ford’s GPS-enabled dog in Firewall.
I wonder who won….? If you know, please do bark in with comments and share your views and bones to chew with me…
Superwoof to Cinematic Hounds! Archie
Posted 22 Jun 06
2 Responses to “Canines in Cinema: New Awards for Film Hounds”
Leave a Reply
©2008 Roleta Archibald, Awoof!™
[…] The Wallace and Gromit film ‘The Curse of the Were-Rabbit’ won an Oscar this year for Best Animated Feature Film at this year’s Academy Awards. And Gromit was also in the running for a ‘Bark’ award recognising the role of dogs in the cinema. Just goes to show what having a good dog can do…. […]
Archie - Dog tales @ 8:57 am, 22 June 2006
[…] Now that there’s awards for dogs in the movies, perhaps it’s time to give some thought to the winner of the category - Best Dachshund in Movies, Ever. (In the spirit of the fat guy on the Simpsons - Comic Book Guy (real name Jeff Albertson) - who’s a movie nerd and runs the Springfield shop selling fan paraphenalia…) […]
Archie - Dog tales @ 5:12 pm, 02 July 2006