Red Dog (film)
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film industry |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Founder | Daniel Taplitz (writer), Kriv Stenders (director), Nelson Woss and Julie Ryan (producers) |
| Products | Film |
Red Dog is a 2011 Australian comedy-drama family film crafted by writer Daniel Taplitz, with direction by Kriv Stenders and production led by Nelson Woss alongside Julie Ryan. The film features Koko portraying the titular character, supported by performances from Josh Lucas, Rachael Taylor, and John Batchelor. Its narrative draws from the real-life tale of Red Dog and the 2002 novel Red Dog authored by Louis de Bernières.
At the 2011 Inside Film Awards, Red Dog earned nine nominations, securing seven wins including Best Feature Film. Additionally, it received seven nominations at the inaugural AACTA Awards, where it won Best Film. The movie was released in cinemas on 4 August 2011 through Roadshow Film Distributors.
The film’s popularity inspired a prequel titled Red Dog: True Blue in 2016, followed by a 2019 documentary spin-off, Koko: A Red Dog Story.
Plot
In 1979, Thomas arrives late at night in Dampier, Western Australia, delivering a statue of explorer William Dampier. At the local pub, he witnesses a group of men unsuccessfully attempting to euthanize ailing dog. Unable to carry out the task, they retreat inside.
Jack Collins, the pub’s owner, identifies the dog as Red Dog and recounts his history. Red Dog appeared in Dampier in 1971, quickly forming bonds with workers at Hamersley Iron, a prominent iron ore mining company. While cherished by many miners, Red Dog had no official owner.
The men share the story of John Grant, an American bus driver for Hamersley Iron who became Red’s closest companion. John was in a relationship with Nancy, a secretary at Hamersley Iron, and proposed marriage after two years together. Tragically, John died in a motorcycle crash soon after their engagement.
Following John’s passing, Nancy and the miners initially neglect Red Dog. Three days after the funeral, he is discovered waiting faithfully where John had told him to stay. Over several weeks, Red Dog embarks on a search for John throughout Dampier and across the Pilbara region—from Perth to Darwin. Some even speculate he traveled overseas seeking his master. Grieving deeply, Red Dog eventually returns to Dampier and reunites with Nancy at her caravan park.
However, dogs are prohibited there, and caretakers threaten to shoot him. Nancy and John’s mining friends intervene to prevent this fate. A fierce rivalry develops between Red Dog and the caravan’s cat but ultimately transforms into companionship.
In the present day, miner Jocko questions why the town honors William Dampier—who merely recorded an abundance of flies—and suggests erecting a statue for Red Dog instead. During festivities, the ill dog quietly leaves the bar and is later found deceased beside John’s grave.
One year later, Thomas returns bearing a puppy for Nancy—a new "Red Dog"—and the community unveils a statue commemorating Red Dog that stands to this day.
Cast
- Koko as Red Dog
- Josh Lucas as John Grant
- Rachael Taylor as Nancy Grey
- John Batchelor as Peeto
- Noah Taylor as Jack Collins
- Keisha Castle-Hughes as Rosa
- Loene Carmen as Maureen Collins
- Luke Ford as Thomas
- Neil Pigot as Rick
- Rohan Nichol as Jocko
- Tiffany Lyndall-Knight as Patsy
- Costa Ronin as Dzambaski
- Eamon Farren as Dave
- Arthur Angel as Vanno
Cameos
- Bill Hunter portrays Jumbo Smelt
- The Snowdroppers appear as a musical group
- Louis de Bernières, the original novella's author, features as a petrol station attendant
Story basis
Red Dog (circa 1971 – 21 November 1979) was a renowned Kelpie and cattle dog mix famous for roaming the Pilbara region of Western Australia. A statue commemorating him stands in Dampier, one of the towns he frequently visited. Born around 1971 in Paraburdoo, he was also known by nicknames such as Bluey and Tally Ho. Following his passing, Australian writers including Nancy Gillespie and Beverly Duckett captured his tale through collections of stories and poetry. British novelist Louis de Bernières drew inspiration from Red Dog’s legend to create the novel Red Dog. The dog’s memory also led to the naming of a local four-wheel-drive club in that area.
Home media
On 1 December 2011, Red Dog became available in Australia on DVD, Blu-ray, and digital download. The Red Dog DVD holds the record as the top-selling Australian DVD and ranks third overall in Australia behind Avatar and Finding Nemo.
Release
Arc Entertainment released the film on Blu-ray and DVD in the United States on November 6, 2012.
International performance
Outside Australia, the film experienced modest success. It debuted at number 25 in the United Kingdom, earning £24,727 across 56 screens between February 24–26, 2012, and reached number five at the New Zealand box office with NZ$124,447 from 72 screens. In countries like Germany and Argentina, it was distributed solely via DVD. Arc Entertainment secured North American rights for all formats but did not announce plans for a theatrical release.
Box office
By November 17, 2011, Red Dog had accumulated over A$21 million in Australian box office revenue. It ranks eighth among Australia's highest-grossing films and became the top-grossing Australian film of 2011 within just eleven days of its release.
Critical response
According to review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 82% of critics gave positive reviews, with an average rating of 6.6/10 based on 33 critiques. Philip French from The Guardian described it as "certain to evoke both tears and laughter." Garry Couzens of The Digital Fix observed that Red Dog accomplished much of what War Horse sought to achieve but with less sentimentality and a shorter duration. Mark Adams of the Sunday Mirror awarded three stars, calling it an engaging and heartwarming Australian family drama featuring a strong cast, though somewhat predictable. Craig Mathieson from SBS also gave three stars, emphasizing its broad appeal as "the most widely accessible Australian film since Bran Nue Dae."
Accolades
The film was unsuccessful in securing awards for Best Editing and Best Production Design at the Inside Film Awards.
was performed during the ceremony as the dog could not attend.
Film festivals
Red Dog was showcased at a variety of international film festivals, such as the 2011 Berlin International Film Festival, Heartland Film Festival 2011, Melbourne International Film Festival 2011, Busan Film Festival 2011, as well as the Santa Barbara Film Festival 2012, Beijing International Film Festival 2012, and Cannes Cinephiles 2012.
Musical
In March 2012, plans were revealed to transform the Red Dog movie into a stage musical. This theatrical project is being developed by Australian theatre producer John Frost in collaboration with Red Dog producer Nelson Woss.
Prequel and Spin-off
The prequel titled Red Dog: True Blue, which was filmed over a six-week period in early 2015 and released on 26 December 2016, delves into Red Dog's origins and the history of the Pilbara region. After the passing of Koko, the original dog who played Red Dog, the role was recast and the film was dedicated in his honor.
A related documentary spin-off, Koko: A Red Dog Story (2019), tells the story of Koko, the canine actor featured in the original Red Dog film.