Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale

This movie was a great adaptation from the comic, expressing New Zealand culture with excellence that it's beautiful as well as its funny. So original, yet so entertaining, this movie really hits the emotions, with an eerie soundtrack throughout all the terrifying scenes that was just too hard to miss, probably the best part about the movie for me. The characters are so unique and some are so enjoyable, and Dave Dobbyn's 'Slice of Heaven' at the end was so neat, just wish it wasn't forced into the END.

Unfortunately, the movie had a lot of problems. I feel like there's no plot, majority of the characters and scenes are quite forgettable and some of the scenes are too unnecessary or just too long or too short. And while it is actually funny, it's for all the wrong reasons. Many parents would complain that it's not for kids and you can see why straight away from all the inappropriate mayhem, half of which is just unnecessary. It's a bit of a shame really, this could have been a great movie but it feels like a missed opportunity. And yes, it tries to cram way too much stuff in, like minor characters from the comic, leaving almost no more time for the climax of the movie, which definitely could have been better. The animation is also pretty janky, even for hand-drawn animation.

So in conclusion, it's a great movie for anyone who has enjoyed the comics, with plenty of laughs and kiwi spirit, but it does not fail to disappoint, as there is a weak plot, forgettable and unnecessary scenes and characters and too much gore and inappropriate mayhem at the wrong times.

One of the few non-disney animation films that are truly great. This story of rural New Zealand follows the adventures of a farmer, the local kids and a dog- Dog. The only animated feature new zealand has ever produced is a classic. Exciting, hilarious, scary it has everything. The unique style of the comics works well on film and the atmosphere created by the dingy colours at some times is truly immersing. See this movie now!

This film was indeed a big hit when it came out in the mid-80s. I watched it again recently for the first time since seeing it on the big screen, and was suprised at how different my perception was of it as an adult rather than a kid. As a kid I don't remember the awful synth music being quite so awful, yet of course this can be put down to the decade which spawned it. The voice of the dog was also far too weak and naieve, and was the script, I didn't feel that it captured the dog's character as I imagined it having grown up reading the Footrot Flats cartoons. Aside from the script and soundtrack though, I thoroughly enjoyed watching this movie again. The backgrounds are great and really capture the dark gritty feel of rural New Zealand. The animation is good and the rugby scenes are funny and really capture the end of an era - farmers dreaming of being All Blacks, not for money but for glory. The days before the All Blacks donned Adidas shirts. I think that if the soundtrack was re-recorded and some of the script changed this A Dog's Tail could be re-released and make a comeback in the theatres. However as a slice of 80s it is a pristine example as it is.

A great piece of work by New Zealand cartoonist Murray Ball. This shows New Zealand culture at its best. Most people will think of xena when they think of New Zealand entertainment but this is really a piece of art.

An important New Zealand/Australian animation film (officially New Zealand, but the animation was done in Australia with a local crew) that was an enormous success in both countries in the 80s thanks to the popularity there of the comic strip that it adapts. The animation is very good and the film has some freshness to it, but the episodic narration and the songs make the experience kind of a struggle.