this past weekend. It was full of cuteness. I loved the beginning when they used Shibas to depict the puppy stage. Yun wonders why they didn't use Akita puppies. If you've ever seen Akita puppies, then you know that they are super cute and adorable too!There's not much of a plot to the movie. The story, which pretty much follows the original story, can be summed up in a few sentences. I wouldn't recommend this movie for the sake of watching a really good movie. But it's a good dog movie. There are so many cute moments that make your heart melt. And the movie will definitely make you cry.
I have some other random reactions to the movie, but they may reveal too much for those who haven't seen the movie yet. So you'll have to click to read more.
- I particularly enjoyed the fetch (or rather non-fetch) scene. I instantly related to it as a Shiba behavior (and well, I suppose an Akita behavior too). My two Shibas actually do sort of fetch when they are in the mood to play. If they aren't in the mood, then they just aren't in the mood. We taught Loki to fetch when he was a little puppy using treats. There has to be something in it for them!
- An off-leash dog in the 1930s in Japan probably wasn't unusual, but an off-leash dog in the 1990s in New England definitely is. Why didn't anyone ever care about Hachi being off-leash? Of course he had to be for the story, but it doesn't quite fit in with a modernized version of the story.
- And why did Hachi live in the shed? Poor dog. Why couldn't he live in the big house with the humans?
- Lastly, the scenes right before the professor's death was a little bit too melodramatic for my tastes. Right before he dies, everything in his life is perfect. There is the romantic scene with his wife; they are miraculously, not bickering. And Hachi just knows that this is the time to show the professor that he can fetch.
6 comments:
No leash always bothers me to some degree, but there are still tons of people who have unleashed dogs today, and in a small town it might not be as unusual as you think. The part that concerned me, though, is that he had no COLLAR. The only time he ever wore that collar was when his daughter came to pick him up at the station, but that was it.
I agree with your points below :)
Have you seen the trailer for the original Japanese 1920s version?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L5QQUsm7l8
Looks like a tear jerker.
Although I think it's funny to see the owner taking a bath with Hachiko in the big wooden tub.
We watched the movie this weekend and we both ( me and my husband) cried! Dog movies just always make me cry so much! I agree... no real plot but we loved seeing the dogs. And him not being on a leash really bothered me too!
I couldn't help but notice how the dog not being on a leash bothered some of you. I live in a quiet place in a South-East Asian country and I'm used to seeing dogs not being on a leash. In the village area, some of our dogs don't even wear a collar although the owners have to have a license for the dog and the dog is expected to wear the license on its collar. But usually the dog gets away without having to wear a collar.
I have a Shiba and an Akita. I usually walk my Akita off leash on trails because he likes to go explore on his own and I never worry about him running away or going towards other dogs. He comes right back when he's called. But I never walk my Shiba off leash, his prey drive is too strong. I guess that's one of the main difference of an Akita vs a Shiba.
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