PIC of the Week – Isle of Dogs
Article series by Ray Schillaci
Even at his quirkiest, I have appreciated writer/director Wes Anderson, but I could not muster up the love for Fantastic Mr. Fox. Perhaps I had a hard time relating or even warming up to a fox with George Clooney’s voice and all the other non-cuddly characters. It was clever and from the wonderful mind of Roald Dahl, who also gave us James and the Giant Peach, but I was not much of a fan. Now, Anderson and his team of writers come up with the most off-the-wall idea involving dogs with similar stop-motion animation. For me, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment’s Blu of Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs is such a winner it is a merchandising dream with people buying figurines of these bizarre little dogs.
It’s not so much the oddball story, but it’s the design of these dogs that captures our eyes and hearts. This could be the best story about a boy and his dog since…well, since the 1975 cult classic A Boy and His Dog, starring a very young Don Johnson (and, for those who do not know him, he’s Dakota Johnson’s dad). Both films are science fiction and have a unique cult quality that is going to appeal to a certain audience – dog lovers!
Now, when I say science fiction, I’m not talking Star Wars or Guardians of the Galaxy. This is more sci-fi fantasy. The story is set in a near-future dystopian Japan where a evil feudal leader has banished all dogs to a place called Trash Island because of a canine flu. The name of the island fits, filled with trash and radioactive waste. One of the first dogs banned belonged to the orphaned nephew of the mayor, Atari. His dog, Spot. We follow Atari on a plane to the island and set off on the adventure to find his beloved Spot. In doing so, the young boy meets up with former house pets while a race against time ensues over finding a vaccine to save the dogs.
As clever and as cute as Anderson’s dogs are the tale turns out to be not as smart or as quirky as his past films. Going a step further, Anderson could have delivered something as biting as Animal Farm or Watership Down. But, apparently that was never the writer/director’s intention. What he has given us is a wondrous stop-motion animated treat with man’s best friend.
Another major plus is the voice talent. The dogs alone are an all star cast with Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bob Balaban, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson, Harvey Keitel and F.Murray Abraham. The humans fare just as well with Greta Gerwig, Francis McDormand, and the one and only…Yoko Ono.
Visually, the 1080p transfer is damn near spectacular. The attention to detail is what makes this film stand-out. The one drawback…no 4K UHD version. What the heck, FOX! No confidence in this wondrous film?
The DTS Master Audio 5.1 delivers a rich crisp sound that captures the incredible environment surrounding our dogs. Rear channel sound is also used quite nicely. All around, this Blu is a great way to flex your sound system to your canine loving friends.
Aside from FOX not giving us the opportunity to see this fabulous piece of stop-motion animation in 4K, they also skimp on the extras. Only explanation…all the bells and whistles are probably being saved for a Criterion Collection edition as with most Anderson films. What we get for now is less than a half hour of supplements. A still gallery, a theatrical trailer, and promotional featurette including:
¥ Animators
¥ Isle of Dogs cast
¥ Puppets
¥ An Ode to Dogs
¥ Megasaki City and Trash Island
¥ Weather and Elements
Even though FOX is stingy with the extras and keeps a 4K UHD from getting into our hands, this is still the PIC of the week until the Criterion edition comes around. prepare to double dip if you cannot wait.
Best Price – Amazon – $19.96
