Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

Fatma Suarez The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Mathilde the Guild Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Scott LeBrun The title character is a stray mixed breed who makes his home in a run down old house outside a small Texas town. He regularly makes trips into town, and is proven to be pretty popular. Among his human friends are a cop (Terry Carter), a cafe owner (Edgar Buchanan), and the Chapman kids (Cynthia Smith, Allen Fiuzat). Their loving but strict father (Peter Breck) won't let them take the dog in, as he has something of a prejudice against stray dogs. But little Benji endears himself to everybody when he works overtime (and I do mean overtime) to thwart the criminal gang (Mark Slade, Christopher Connelly, Tom Lester, Deborah Walley) who end up kidnapping the kids.This now legendary film can take its place as one of the all time great family films, with not much in it that could be seen as objectionable or traumatizing for the younger ones. A gun is pulled out, indicating some high stakes, but nobody ever gets shot. And the kids aren't treated all THAT badly by their kidnappers.You don't necessarily have to be a dog lover to be charmed by Benji, who's one of the most impressive canine actors one is ever likely to see. On occasion, the film does get perhaps too precious and manipulative, especially during montage sequences. One centers around Benjis' courtship of his new girlfriend, another mix who gets named Tiffany by the Chapman family maid (Patsy Garrett). The human cast (also including Frances "Aunt Bea" Bavier, in her final film) is all quite good, but our title character truly is the heart and soul of the piece.Made on location in Texas, this benefits from good local flavor and atmosphere by writer / producer / director Joe Camp, who created for himself a beloved franchise that has stood the test of time, with a Netflix reboot planned for this year.Looking back on it now, it's hard to believe that Camp was obliged to create his own distribution company since apparently no studio in Hollywood wanted to touch the script! Shows you how much they know.Nine out of 10.

Python Hyena Benji (1974): Dir: Joe Camp / Cast: Patsy Garrett, Peter Breck, Deborah Walley, Frances Bavier, Tom Lester: Joe Camp's delightful family film explores the wonders of a scruffy dog who encounters a host of friendly people. Among them are an elderly diner owner who feeds him leftover scraps. He encounters a police officer who speaks of his upcoming wedding and even gives Benji advice. When he arrives at one particular back porch he is greeted by two children and their nanny who states that their father would disapprove of them owning a stray dog. Central plot regards the kidnapping of Benji's young friends and his frantic pursuit to find help. Structure is repetitious but the deserted mansion takes an ominous appeal. Skillfully directed by Joe Camp who demonstrates a point of view from the dog itself. Patsy Garrett holds her own as the nanny whose advice is genuine and will heed Benji in crucial time. Peter Breck as the father of the children does little more than go to work and disapprove of a dog. The criminals are also wooden and one wonders why they would risk kidnapping the children to begin with. They prove early that they're not too swift. Deborah Walley as the lone female of the group sympathizes with the children and will be the weak point for Benji. Perhaps too intense for young children the film showcases the intelligence of one little dog. Score: 6 ½ / 10

zuzu33 Okay, If you are an adult who wants to see a family movie that you will actually enjoy, or a dog movie that isn't boring, I would definitely recommend this. Oh, its also completely adorable. Don't be fooled by the other language beginning, this is a great movie for kids and most adults. I mean don't get me wrong it isn't a "The Godfather" or "House M.D." but it is highly enjoyable. Some other highly enjoyable family movies: Black Beauty, Meet the Robinsons, The Incredibles, Snow Dogs, The Princess Diaries 1 & 2, Free Willy, maybe even the Kim Possible movies. So I would not recommend this movie if you are watching it with grownups, but I would if it is with your child, family, etc.

catherine yronwode In looking over previously posted reviews, it is obvious to me that people either love this film or hate it. I happen to love it. I consider it to be not only the best dog movie ever made, but also among my 10 most favourite movies of all time (yes, including Casablanca, The Thin Man, Gun Crazy, Chinatown, etc.). What makes this movie so wonderful is Higgins, the dog (under the direction of his trainer, Frank Inn). Higgins was so far beyond other dog actors that it is impossible to explain to folks who don't own dogs or train dogs. Not only is he cute and photogenic, expressive and believable, he did all his own stunts -- and he was 14 years old when he made this film!!!Folks who review this movie tend to mention the kid actors, or the creaky kidnapping plot -- but, you know, that's not the point. If you wanted to look at it that way, you could also mention the wonderful interactions between Higgins and Edgar Buchanan, an actor he had worked with for many years on the TV series "Petticoat Junction." Those scenes have a delightful sense of improvisation and charm that easily offset the whiny kid scenes. But the movie is not really about those kidnapped kids at all. It is about a small dog, his daily routines, and how, when those routines are broken, he must rise above his simple life and accomplish a great deed. In a way, the film that "Benji" most closely resembles is Buster Keaton's magnificent silent classic, "The General." The slow, repetitious set-up of Keaton with his train and Higgins with his rounds about town, the focused realism, the slightly down-at-the-heels outsiderness of the hero, the hint of love about to blossom if only the hero can provide for his beloved, the insistently lengthy attention paid to the immediacy of ultra-mundane cause and effect -- these are the same in both films. The openings have a documentary quality to them -- until, without warning, all hell breaks loose and the plot comes crashing in. Keaton's train is stolen! Kidnappers come to Benji's home! Then, in both films, we see an under-dog, so to speak, rise to the challenge of events and, working with only the slenderest of means and very little advance planning, counter one villainous turn after another, all the while attempting to right the wrongs that have been committed. The manner in which the heroes devise solutions to the problems they face, both in "The General" and in "Benji," flow logically from the daily routines we saw them perform in the documentary-like first halves of the films, so they seem believable. We gain confidence alongside the heroes, see the sense in what they are doing, cheer for them to triumph, watch them rise to the verge of success -- and then a huge blow falls, a colossal set-back occurs, and we feel despair -- they'll never make it now, too much time and too much ground have been lost! But again, they apply themselves to the task, and now we hope against hope that they will be able to pull it off in time ... except that most people watching The General experience jaw-dropping amazement at the stunts and most people watching Benji really have no idea how great Higgins' stunt-work really is, and spend the last third of the movie in tears because Benji is such a small dog, and he's so dang CUTE, and ... awwww. I've watched "The General" at least 10 times and never cried once. I've watched "Benji" 10 times and cried every time. I cried just know, merely writing about it. But "Benji" is not just a cute dog movie, any more than "The General" is just a Buster Keaton comedy. Like the best of Keaton's work, it is a heroic movie, and a love story, and a story of physical action and bravery. I just love this movie, that's all.