The latest addition to the talking pooch genre, "Napoleon" is no bone apart.
A "Babe" wannabe, this live action Aussie import offers colorful nature footage, but the clumsy storytelling, ill-fitting dialogue and shrill voice characterizations leave it in the doghouse.
While clearly aimed at the kiddies, the story is fraught with peril and references to death and killing, while much of the humor is surprisingly mean-spirited.
A cuddly golden retriever puppy, Napoleon (called Muffin by his mom) yearns to leave the domestic life behind and heed the call of his wild brethren.
He gets his wish when a makeshift hot-air balloon carries him from his suburban backyard home out to the Australian bush, where he befriends a talkative Galah (a native Australian migratory bird) called Birdo Lucci.
Napoleon picks up a few quick pointers in survival skills during bouts with a feral cat, not to mention stampeding horses, a sugar cane blaze and flash flooding. Ultimately the frisky pup learns, like many screen creatures before him, that there's no place like home.
Writer-director Mario Andreacchio and director of photography Roger Dowling offer up an exotic menagerie of co-stars, including wallabies, wombats, lorikeets, and dingos in addition to the obligatory kangaroo.
But the accompanying story and dialogue have a slapped-together, after-the-fact feel and the inclusion of a handful of banal songs, credited to score composer Bill Conti and lyricist Mark Saltzman, do nothing to infuse the film with some much-needed charm.
NAPOLEON
MGM Distribution
Australian Film Finance Corp.,
Herald Ace Inc., Goldwyn Entertainment Co. present in association with Nippon Herald Films,
Fuji Television & Pony Canyon
a Film Australia, Herald Ace
and Furry Feature Films production
Director Mario Andreacchio
Screenwriters Michael Bourchier,
Mario Andreacchio, Mark Saltzman
Producers Michael Bourchier,
Mario Andreacchio
Executive producers Masato Hara,
Ron Saunders
Director of photography Roger Dowling
Production designer Vicki Niehus
Editor Edward McQueen-Mason
Music Bill Conti
Lyrics Mark Saltzman
Color/stereo
Voices:
Napoleon Jamie Croft
Birdo Philip Quast
Conan Casey Siemaszko
Mother Penguin Joan Rivers
Parenti Lizard/Father Penguin Stuart Pankin
Kangaroo Dame Edna Everage
Running time - 81 minutes
MPAA rating: G...
A "Babe" wannabe, this live action Aussie import offers colorful nature footage, but the clumsy storytelling, ill-fitting dialogue and shrill voice characterizations leave it in the doghouse.
While clearly aimed at the kiddies, the story is fraught with peril and references to death and killing, while much of the humor is surprisingly mean-spirited.
A cuddly golden retriever puppy, Napoleon (called Muffin by his mom) yearns to leave the domestic life behind and heed the call of his wild brethren.
He gets his wish when a makeshift hot-air balloon carries him from his suburban backyard home out to the Australian bush, where he befriends a talkative Galah (a native Australian migratory bird) called Birdo Lucci.
Napoleon picks up a few quick pointers in survival skills during bouts with a feral cat, not to mention stampeding horses, a sugar cane blaze and flash flooding. Ultimately the frisky pup learns, like many screen creatures before him, that there's no place like home.
Writer-director Mario Andreacchio and director of photography Roger Dowling offer up an exotic menagerie of co-stars, including wallabies, wombats, lorikeets, and dingos in addition to the obligatory kangaroo.
But the accompanying story and dialogue have a slapped-together, after-the-fact feel and the inclusion of a handful of banal songs, credited to score composer Bill Conti and lyricist Mark Saltzman, do nothing to infuse the film with some much-needed charm.
NAPOLEON
MGM Distribution
Australian Film Finance Corp.,
Herald Ace Inc., Goldwyn Entertainment Co. present in association with Nippon Herald Films,
Fuji Television & Pony Canyon
a Film Australia, Herald Ace
and Furry Feature Films production
Director Mario Andreacchio
Screenwriters Michael Bourchier,
Mario Andreacchio, Mark Saltzman
Producers Michael Bourchier,
Mario Andreacchio
Executive producers Masato Hara,
Ron Saunders
Director of photography Roger Dowling
Production designer Vicki Niehus
Editor Edward McQueen-Mason
Music Bill Conti
Lyrics Mark Saltzman
Color/stereo
Voices:
Napoleon Jamie Croft
Birdo Philip Quast
Conan Casey Siemaszko
Mother Penguin Joan Rivers
Parenti Lizard/Father Penguin Stuart Pankin
Kangaroo Dame Edna Everage
Running time - 81 minutes
MPAA rating: G...
- 10/13/1997
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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