Dog Years (film)
Encyclopedia
Dog Years is a 1997 action
-comedy film
directed by Robert Loomis and distributed by Troma Entertainment
. It was filmed entirely in Arizona
and featured music by Arizona ska
band Dave's Big Deluxe. Dog Years was well-received by film critics. Variety
compared the film to the early works of Jim Jarmusch
and Hal Hartley
, and the film won two awards at the 1998 Arizona International Film Festival for 'Most Popular Indie Film' and 'Best of Arizona'. Additionally, Dog Years played at the 1998 South by Southwest
film festival.
In 2003, Robert Loomis directed Angry Young Man, the sequel to Dog Years, once again starring R. Michael Caincross.
whose only friend is his beloved Dalmatian
Neechee. One day while walking her, Wally accidentally becomes involved with a strange deal gone bad when he bumps into a fleeing stranger being chased by a group of mob thugs. When he gets tangled up in Neechee's leash and frantically kicks the dog, Wally proceeds to beat him up and gets arrested by passing police officers. The dealer gets away and Wally spends a night in jail.
Upon being released, he learns that his dog has been kidnapped by the mob thugs, who are convinced Wally's holding the drugs that have been taken from them. Although he quickly proves that he's innocent, the mob's still not letting him off that easily: either he'll have to do some work for them, or both he and the dog are dead. Reluctantly, Wally agrees to run some illegal errands. When the errands are a bust and he's almost arrested, Wally flees and the mob puts a hit on both him and Neechee (who has managed to escape from the criminals' hideout). Enlisting the help of a young veterinarian, Wally attains an arsenal of firearms and is ready to extract his revenge on the ruthless kingpins. All he wants is his dog back.
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
-comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Robert Loomis and distributed by Troma Entertainment
Troma Entertainment
Troma Entertainment is an American independent film production and distribution company founded by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz in 1974.The company produces low-budget independent movies that play on 1950s horror with elements of farce...
. It was filmed entirely in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and featured music by Arizona ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
band Dave's Big Deluxe. Dog Years was well-received by film critics. Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
compared the film to the early works of Jim Jarmusch
Jim Jarmusch
James R. "Jim" Jarmusch is an American independent film director, screenwriter, actor, producer, editor and composer. Jarmusch has been a major proponent of independent cinema, particularly during the 1980s and 1990s.-Early life:...
and Hal Hartley
Hal Hartley
Hal Hartley is an American film director, screenwriter, producer composer, who became a key figure in the American independent film movement of the 1980s and 1990s...
, and the film won two awards at the 1998 Arizona International Film Festival for 'Most Popular Indie Film' and 'Best of Arizona'. Additionally, Dog Years played at the 1998 South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
film festival.
In 2003, Robert Loomis directed Angry Young Man, the sequel to Dog Years, once again starring R. Michael Caincross.
Plot
The film revolves around the lonely Wally, a Trojan skinheadTrojan skinhead
Trojan skinheads are individuals who identify with the original British skinhead subculture of the late 1960s, when ska, rocksteady, reggae and soul music were popular, and there was a heavy emphasis on mod-influenced clothing styles...
whose only friend is his beloved Dalmatian
Dalmatian (dog)
The Dalmatian is a breed of dog whose roots are often said to trace back to Dalmatia, a region of Croatia where the first illustrations of the dog have been found. The Dalmatian is noted for its unique black- or brown-spotted coat and was mainly used as a carriage dog in its early days...
Neechee. One day while walking her, Wally accidentally becomes involved with a strange deal gone bad when he bumps into a fleeing stranger being chased by a group of mob thugs. When he gets tangled up in Neechee's leash and frantically kicks the dog, Wally proceeds to beat him up and gets arrested by passing police officers. The dealer gets away and Wally spends a night in jail.
Upon being released, he learns that his dog has been kidnapped by the mob thugs, who are convinced Wally's holding the drugs that have been taken from them. Although he quickly proves that he's innocent, the mob's still not letting him off that easily: either he'll have to do some work for them, or both he and the dog are dead. Reluctantly, Wally agrees to run some illegal errands. When the errands are a bust and he's almost arrested, Wally flees and the mob puts a hit on both him and Neechee (who has managed to escape from the criminals' hideout). Enlisting the help of a young veterinarian, Wally attains an arsenal of firearms and is ready to extract his revenge on the ruthless kingpins. All he wants is his dog back.