This film is perfect.The story is lovely, the music fits brilliantly, the animation, especially in the way. with a few lines and a little colour, it catches the "character" of the dogs is incredible in it's simple perfection.I came to England (from Scotland) and fell in love with the place thanks to H.E. Bates' books...this little film reminded me so much of them....it's very restrained in it's beauty, summed up by the first line: "In being quite unable to love each other, the Englishmen turn to their dogs"Why did this film not sweep the Oscars? No other animation comes close...apart from perhaps "Mary & Max".Everything about it is perfect.
... View MoreAs a lover of dogs and animation, I found this film appealing. It is a perfect example that combines the two alongside '101 Dalmatians,' 'Oliver and Company,' 'The Plague Dogs' and pretty much any incarnation of 'Scooby Doo,' although the animation style of this film differs from that of all four of the titles since it has a sketchy if wobbly look. Most of the animation was smooth but jerky on the chickens and the backgrounds were as sketchy as the characters and both had rather subtle colours if the fantasy sequences on paper were plain and simple.The narrative of this film was engaging and reminiscent of 'Marley and Me.' I liked how Joe's typing or handwriting fitted in with it as well as the fantasy sequences depicting Tulip and other dogs in anthropomorphic ways on lined or plain sketch paper while the music had an old-fashioned feel that suited the film's style very well. Although some parts of it were crude and disgusting (especially Joe cleaning up Tulip's runny mess in the middle of the night - it nearly made me vomit) and risqué (no wonder it's a UK 12 rating), I was touched by the unlikely relationship of Joe and Tulip. Although she was a live-wire and seemed to be more interested in his sister Nancy, he still loved her. Parts of the film reminded me of when my parents owned a dog themselves such as Tulip dragging her bottom on the floor with her hind legs in the air (probably what dogs do when they need to relieve themselves) and going on heat since I observed Jasmine (my parents' Cavalier King Charles spaniel that they acquired in 2008 but was sadly returned to her breeder in 2011) dragging her bottom on the floor and my dad suggesting she needed a wee as well as her moments of going on heat. While the pace of the film was pretty slow until Tulip had her puppies, it was at this point that it became rushed because it seemed like little or no time between the birth of Tulip's puppies and her death (mentioned but not seen: only depicted as her fading away and returning as an anthropomorphic spirit). I like the fact that this film was dedicated to Lynn Redgrave since it was her final film before her unfortunate passing.All in all this is an obscure yet distinctively-animated film that has its blend of crude, risqué and touching moments and is easier to follow than 'The Plague Dogs'. 8/10.
... View MoreThis story was enjoyable because I too took in two abandoned female dogs. I loved the art work, it reminds me of yellow Submarine. The problem for me was that the owner was a very irresponsible person. He seemed to think it is OK for your dog to make a mess on the sidewalk or anywhere else without cleaning it up. Also, he tried so hard to get Tulip pregnant without a plan for what to do with the puppies. His heart was in the right place, but the pups ended up like Tulip - pretty much throw-aways that he lost track of. Both my girls were spayed at twelve weeks, they led very happy lives without contributing to the excess dog problem. Again, the drawing was minimal but I loved it. Also the soundtrack. Moral of this story - dogs really are mans' best friend!
... View MoreI have been dying to see this film since I first heard about it over a year ago and finally saw it, and, not only did it live up to my very high expectations - it surpassed them! Based on the classic book, "My Dog Tulip" by J.R. Ackerley, this film is an absolute treat from start to finish. It's an animated film and every frame is a work of art. It was hand-drawn but not on paper - it's the first film to be drawn on a tablet and over 100,000 drawings were made. You can almost feel the love and devotion that went into this touching story.It's about a lonely man, who, quite by chance, acquires a German Shepherd dog, who turns out to be the love of his life! I'm sure anyone who has ever loved a dog will enjoy this story. However, just because it's animated doesn't mean it's aimed at children. Quite the contrary - it's definitely for adults as much of the movie involves Ackerley's frustrated attempts to find a mate for Tulip.If you're a dog-lover, an artist, or just someone who appreciates a good film, do yourself a favour and go see this wonderfully unique film! I can't wait to see it again!
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