Wordiezett So much average

Listonixio Fresh and Exciting

Gary The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

jay-dobrow There were many memorable short films during the run of ABC's "Weekend Special", which started in the 1970's, but this particular offering from Ruby Spears Enterprises in 1980 was(and still is) probably one of the most remembered, primarily for its tragic content that wasn't usually found in many children's cartoons back then, except of course in feature films like "Bambi" or "The Fox and the Hound". "Scruffy" was in fact a more depressing children's story in literary form than the finished product that came onto TV screens and home video. The plot surrounds a stray puppy searching for a home. It's a pretty simple premise granted. The problem in this case, for television anyway, seemed to be about dealing with the horrible situations given in the book and yet make it marketable for a child. Many scenes, joyfully reminiscent of classic Saturday Morning TV material, obviously were put in for a lighter viewing. Even with this, the cartoon is still a dark and actually even upsetting account of the lives of unwanted animals. In truth, you would have to be made of stone not to be touched by this, which some people consider a "guilt trip" of sorts. The actors were mostly TV celebs you have seen or heard of at least one time or another. Hans Conried, remembered mostly for his wonderful roles as "Captain Hook" from Peter Pan and "Snidely Whiplash" from the Bullwinkle show brings in a nice performance as street performer Joseph Tibbles. Nancy McKeon of "The Division" really keeps the drama in motion as orphaned Scruffy. "Rugrats" and "Transformers" favorite Michael Bell was a good choice for the tough but kind hearted Butch. June Foray, of course is wonderful(and if you don't know who she is you have not been watching enough cartoons) as well as cartoon vets Janet Waldo and Frank Welker. Should you watch this? If you are too soft hearted, I would keep my distance. For those who are interested, keep the tissues handy. It is practically the "Beaches" or "Terms of Endearment" of Saturday morning kid specials.

bigwig_thalyi This is the most poignant,heart wrenching cartoon that I have ever seen.My wife has been telling me for years how moving this cartoon is but it was only when I saw it that I realised what she meant. From the moment Scruffy's mother was abandoned by her owners ,at the start of the film,you realise that you are about to see a very special movie but you are unprepared for how special this cartoon really is. Throughout the first quarter of an hour of "Scruffy" you should be trying to hold back the tears but when Scruffy loses her mother ,if you have any heart,then the floodgates should open.From this point in the movie i was moved to tears and don't think i have ever been so moved by a cartoon. Scruffy finds many friends along the way, including an old hobo,and from adventure to adventure she certainly finds a friend in the viewer. You know this cartoon probably has a happy ending but until the poignant finally you are not quite sure. In conclusion;The animation may be simple,the story may be easy to follow but this little nugget of rare gold teaches about empathy towards others,friendship and how to treat our fellow travellers on the journey of life. A classic cartoon with the perfect score 10/10

savantelle I saw this movie about fifteen years ago, and I was shocked at how horrible it was then. Looking back, I wonder why such a frightening movie was released to kids. A summary is as follows: [WARNING, total spoilers] Scruffy is a single birth to a mother dog. Their owners have to move from their house because it's condemned and they can't take the dogs, so they leave them in the yard for a neighbor to pick up. The mother dog is confused and hides in the house, which the demolition team soon sets ablaze.She climbs the chimney to safety, pup in tow. They are adopted by a firefighter, but soon Scruffy's mom gets wanderlust and the two set off again. In a scene reminiscent of Bambi, Scruffy's mother gets gunned down. Now the poor lost dog is orphaned, lost, and did I mention that it's winter?While hiding in a park, she meets a hobo who takes her in, and the two live blissfully under a bridge. He teaches Scruffy how to perform tricks, and they manage to make a living off the change people throw at the dog walking on her hind legs. (But how much money does a homeless guy need?) One night, the hobo gets mugged, and is so distraught by the attack that he spills the tonic that he needs to calm himself down. He collapses, an ambulance comes and he dies. Meanwhile, Scruffy manages to fall into the river, and is rescued by a junkyard dog right before she drowns. She lives with them then, one is a drunken Great Dane and one is a Collie who thinks an old boot is her dead puppy. They get into tangles and fights with other junkyard dogs and then eventually wind up in the pound. Just before Scruffy and this other dog are about to be euthanized they are adopted by this family, and I think Scruffy wins a beauty pageant and she also has a big pile of puppies. While it does end OK (I guess, even though it's sort of doggie incest), I personally was disgusted by the unhappy nature of this movie. I will never share it with my children.

cairn6 This movie was originally shown as a three part mini-series as an "ABC Weekend Special" in 1980 and was replayed several times following. If you love dog stories or films about canine situations, you will no doubt enjoy this animated feature. While "Scruffy" was created for Saturday morning TV, it plays very well as a feature length film. The story is centered around a Springer Spaniel puppy, who after being orphaned struggles to survive as a stray in a large city. Along the way she encounters various humans both good and bad, challenging situations, and befriends a tough but lovable male Pit Bull Terrier who serves as a friend and protector. The film sends a strong message concerning the hardships endured by stray dogs, and while "Scruffy" is kid friendly, the producers did not sugar-coat the fact that unwanted or discarded canines are destroyed if they do not find a home. In the end the viewer is left feeling happy about the story's outcome, but at the same time reminded that the unwanted pet population is a problem that will not go away anytime soon and that it is up to the human population of the world to be responsible for a solution. All in all a nice story that will please any fan of dog related movies or admirers of classic Saturday Morning animation.