It seems that almost every movie I go to over the past few years involves some type of animals. It got me to thinking about what are some of my favorite animal movies. So here is a list that I put together:
- Jaws – I always liked Roy Scheider and of course that big Great White Shark
- Turner and Hooch – I love Tom Hanks and even though the dog drooled all over the place I thought he was cute!
- Andre – Come on every animal list needs a seal! And it doesn’t hurt that it was filmed in the northeast!
- 101 Dalmatians – Come on 101 cute dogs that all look the same with Glenn Close
- Beethoven – Big clumsy St Bernard who shares the spotlight with Charles Grodin
- Dr. Doolittle – Eddie Murphy with tons of cute, fluffy talking animals!
- Harry and The Henderson’s – A comedy with Bigfoot and John Lithgow. I still laugh when bigfoot rips a big hole in the roof as he gets into the car
And I think my favorite of all time animal movie is
K-9 – with Jerry Lee (German shepherd) and Jim Belushi. I thought this movie was very funny, It had a pretty good story line and kept my interest.
Ok your turn:
- Do you like animal movies?
- What do you think of my list?
- What movies make your all time list?
I look forward to reading your comments.
Scott Waller says:
Good question…..close call between “My Dog Skip” and “Marley and Me”
Any dog tale works for me.
Lynda Manning says:
Beverly Hills Chihuahua
Ed Sugar says:
As I recall didn’t Lil’ Lion rate it best chihuahua film ever?
Fee Sepahi says:
Hi Merrill,
I have to agree with Scott about Marley and Me and will add National Velvet and Benji.
Fee
Amy Shields says:
All-time best…..Toto from the Wizard of Oz. Also, Homeward Bound and Free Willy!!!
Melanie Courtright says:
Loved Marley and Me, Benji, and Homeward Bound. But we can’t forget about Old Yeller! If we can go with animated animals, it would be Lady and the Tramp for me.
Amber Leila Esco says:
Until Matisse makes his movie, Benji – hands down!
Terry Salat says:
My Dog Skip is the best animal movie I have seen.
Kenyon woods says:
A Fish Called Wanda, Jaws, Madagascar, and if you want to stretch your definition further, E.T.
peggy O'Connor says:
Marley and Me. The book made me belly laugh and the movie did an excellent job and in addition to making me laugh made me cry, but then I am an animal nut.
Peggy O’Connor
Steve Runfeldt says:
Winged Migration – Wonderful film. Incredible.
March of the Penguins
Best in Show – Buck Laughlin: “And to think that in some countries these dogs are eaten.”
Tarzan – The 1930′s versions with Johnny Weissmuller and Cheeta
Greystoke – 1984 Tarzan, except the chimps were kind of phony looking
National Velvet
Old Yeller
Lassie Come Home
King Kong – both versions
Project X
So many to choose from.
Ginger Blazier says:
My all time favorite was Born Free and it makes me cry every time.
Others worth mentioned as my favorites:
Babe
Flipper
Air Bud
The Horse Whisperer
Bambi – favorite animated
Bob Graham says:
For me, “Marley and Me” stands head and shoulders above all other animal movies, because it shows what it is really like to own a dog and how a dog becomes a member of a family. Marley sin’t super-intelligent or incredibly heroic (he doesn’t save anybody from a well or outsmart criminals) he’s just a dog. And he becomes a cherished member of the family by doing the things that dogs do. And every member of the family relates to him differently (as is demonstrated in the final, poignant scene where everyone is reacting to his death).
Other favorites:
Disney’s “The Shaggy Dog” when I was a boy, I so wanted to be Willoughby Daniels! I wanted to morph into an Old English Sheep Dog and zip around town in a convertible hot rod!
“Andre” has always been a special favorite of my daughter Caitie and me.
“Lady and the Tram” has always been my favorite Disney animated film. On a totally different level, I really like the animated rabbits of “Watership Down”.
You can’t mention animal films without mentioning bears and I can’t think of any movies that I particularly like where a bear is front and center, so I’ll say “The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean” where a black bear almost manages to steal the movie from Paul Newman.