BENJI

US, 1974, 86 ,minutes, Colour.
Patsy Garrett, Alan Fiuzat, Cynthia Smith, Peter Breck, Edgar Buchanan, Deborah Walley, Christopher Connelly.
Directed by Joe Camp.

Benji has to be one of the most popular dogs ever seen on screen, rivalling Lassie. Not only did he star in this film, he starred in a sequel, For the Love of Benji and Joe Camp continued to make other films including Benji the Hunted in 1987 as well as Benji: Off the Leash as late as 2004.

Benji is a stray dog who becomes the pet of two children. Their parents disapprove. However, when the children are kidnapped it is Benji who finds them again.

Benji appeals to all dog lovers – and this initial film has been a family favourite for decades.

Director and writer Joe Camp must be proud of his dog because he has been writing films for Benji for over thirty years.

1. How enjoyable a film was this? For what age group was it made? Was it a family film as stated? What made it a family film? How successfully?

2. How attractive a dog was Benji? Why? Why do family audiences like dogs? How did the film capitalise on this?

3. Did the film seem to humanise Benji? Too much or just right? The technique of identifying with Benji? Close-ups of his face, his looking, his memory, his ingenuity? His relationships with humans? His heroism? How attractive did this make Benji?

4. How effective was the showing of Benji’s daily journey? Its repetition and audience expectation of what would happen? The change when he found Tiffany? The change when people were not there to help him in crisis? how successful was the screenplay in generating interest and providing for suspense?

5. How successful was the plot in portraying characters? Benji’s relationship with them, the danger of the kidnap plot, and the binding in of the suspense and the finale? Did the film retain interest well, generate suspense and interest? The effect on children? The details of their identification e.g. the kicking of Tiffany, the closing of doors, the girl putting the note in her handbag etc.?

6. How attractive and interesting were the humans in the film? Especially in the initial sequences, her kindness to Benji, her talk with the children at the end? The contrast with the doctor and his unwillingness to want the dog , his saying it had diseases etc.? The children and their love for the dog, feeding and combing it, and their sorrow at not being able to have it?

7. What did the p policeman add to the film with his conversations, and his talk about Tiffany? The humour with the lady with the cats? His getting old and talking over his problems with Benji, giving him the chops?

8. How did Tiffany add to the interest of the film? The attraction between the two dogs, the way it was portrayed, their runs in the park, the flowers etc.? (Too romanticised or just right?) going into the house? Tiffany's being kicked, the memory for Benji? The ending with Tiffany?

9. How interesting was the kidnapping? The people involved, their attitudes? Riley's fear of the house? Their attitude towards the children? Their kicking the dog?

10. How well portrayed was Benji’s trying to help the children? His seeking out the humans, frustration, the running etc,? right for this film?

11. How humorous was the chase at the end? the children's response to the humans chasing Benji? Benji’s heroism? The value of the happy ending and its satisfying aspects?

12. What family values, human values, love of animals, did the film stand for ? How were they reinforced?