J.R. Ackerly's popular 1956 novel has finally made it to the silver screen in the feature-length animated film My Dog Tulip, the first animated film to be entirely painted and drawn by hand with paperless computer technology. In My Dog Tulip, Ackerly (voiced by Christopher Plummer) wryly reminisces about his beloved "Alsatian bitch" Tulip and how sharing his home with her for 14 years unexpectedly and profoundly changed his life. A staunch bachelor, Ackerly is not used to sharing his home or having to rearrange his schedule for anyone, least of all an irrepressible, barking, slobbering, unpredictable pet.
Don't be lulled by the veddy proper British gentleman narrator, the distinguished voice casting, the fluid and whimsical animation, or the "man's best friend" story angle. This is no Marley and Me, and it's not really suitable for children. Most of Ackerly's stories are about the down-and-dirty duties of dog ownership such as finding a suitable mate for breeding and dealing with every bodily excretion possible. Although the gross-out subject matter becomes a tad repetitive towards the end, My Dog Tulip -- unusual in both its look and tone -- is a bittersweet and funny film that deserves attention.
Film Fan Finding: B+
(screened at the Ybor Festival of the Moving Image)
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