Snow Dogs

This topic contains:

• details about Snow Dogs’ classification and consumer advice lines
• extract from the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) decision about classification
• a review of Snow Dogs completed by Young Media Australia (YMA) on 18 July 2002.

About the movie

This section contains details about the movie, including its classification by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC) and the associated consumer advice lines.

Extract from the OFLC decision about classification

Synopsis

Comedy in which Miami, dentist Ted Brooks inherits an Alaskan property and its team of mischievous snow dogs., Discovering that he was adopted at birth., Ted meets his natural father whose main interest is to obtain and race the dogs.

Reasons for the decision

In the Board’s opinion this film warrants a ‘G’ classification in accordance with Part 7 of the Films Table of the National Classification Code, as it is considered suitable for all viewers

Parents should feel confident that children can watch material in this classification without supervision. The treatment of themes and other classifiable elements is careful and discreet.

The Board notes that the film deals with issues of the hero’s adoption as a baby and the discovery of actual parentage. In the view of the Board the treatment of these themes is sufficiently careful and discreet not to be harmful or disturbing to children. In the Board’s opinion the very discreetly implied depictions of violence at 33 and 37 mins have a light tone, and are not gratuitous. The impact of other incidents including the hero’s falling through ice into a river (56 mins) and his pursuit by a large bear (55 mins) are mitigated by the film’s comedic context and treatment.

YMA review

This review of the movie Snow Dogs contains the following information:

• a synopsis of the story
• material that may scare children
• nudity and sexual references
• use of alcohol and other drugs
• the movie’s message
• overall comments.

Synopsis of the story

Ted Brooks is a successful, entrepreneurial African American dentist. One day his life gets turned around when he receives a notice advising him that his natural mother has died leaving him in her will. Up to this point Ted had no idea he was adopted. He takes off to Tolketna, a small town in Alaska to attend the reading of the will and to discover his natural heritage. He is alarmed to find out that his main inheritance is a team of Husky sled dogs, one of whom named Demon, takes an instant dislike to him. He discovers that his natural mother, Lucy. was a well liked person in the town and had won a trophy in the Arctic Challenge, an annual event that puts man and dogs through their paces.

Ted takes up the challenge and is determined to master the art of ‘mushing’, that is, riding the sled that the dogs pull. This results in some funny and somewhat dangerous situations. Meanwhile Ted becomes involved with Barb, the local barmaid and with trying to discover who is natural father is. Much to Ted’s dismay, his father turns out to be a grizzled, white mountain man called Thunder Jack. Thunder Jack is not interested in gaining a father - son relationship with Ted, he is only interested in Ted’s dogs, particularly Demon.

The story goes on to show that through Ted’s determination he does manage to mush the sled team and more importantly wins the friendship of his natural father.

Material that may scare children

There is a bit of slapstick violence in this film mainly ‘accidental damage’ type scenes. These scenes are all handled in a very light and non-threatening manner:

• Ted yells at the neighbour’s poodle to shut it up , when that doesn’t work he tips a bucket of water over it (to show that Ted doesn’t like dogs at the start)
• Barb throws a knife at a dartboard narrowly missing a man
• When Ted goes into Lucy’s house the Husky dogs start appearing from inside the house and they all set upon him biting his clothes
• Once outside of the house, Ted peers through the window in which Demon’s snarling face appears
• Ted is challenged to a fight with Thunder Jack with a knife or a rope
• Thunder Jack punches Ted in the face when he calls him ‘Daddyo’
• Ted is attacked by Demon when he goes back into Lucy’s house and Demon chases him outside and up a tree
• The limb Ted’s hiding on collapses and he falls out of the tree
• On Ted’s first attempt at mushing he is thrown out of the sled
• While Ted is chasing after the dogs he encounters a grizzly bear which stands on its two legs and growls at Ted. The bear then chases Ted who then slides over the mountain edge but luckily lands on a platform. However the platform collapses under his weight and he lands on a frozen lake. The lake starts to break up and Ted goes under, seemingly drowning. He manages to escape however.
• At the end of the film, during the Arctic Challenge, Ted rescues Thunder Jack and is taking him back on the sled because he has broken his leg, and the sled goes over the edge of the mountain. Ted and the sled with Jack in it are hanging in mid air for some very tense moments, but the dogs, in particular Demon, pull the sled back up on to the path.

Although Ted is in danger at times as mentioned above, the film is a comedy and the dangerous situations are made light of. Children under five may need some parental guidance, but children over five would probably not be too worried by the dangers presented.

Nudity and sexual references

There are a few sexual references in this film such as:

• At the start of the film when Ted announces he is going to Alaska, his colleague advises that the only way to keep warm is by “getting nooky”.
• Ted’s search for his natural father
• Thunder Jack admitting that Ted was born due to a one off event with Lucy, when they were both sheltering from a storm in a cave

There is no nudity but at the start of the film girls are shown in brief bikinis walking along Miami Beach. Also when Ted nearly drowns and is probably unconscious, he dreams of being on the beach and Barb appears to wait on him in a very skimpy bikini.

Use of alcohol and other drugs

When Ted arrives at the pub in Tolketna, everyone is drinking beer. When the will is read out a free round of ‘wild turkey’ is given.

The movie’s message

The take home message from this film is that there can be positive outcomes to adoptive family situations. Ted’s mother who brought him up still loves and cares deeply for him and he gains the friendship of his natural father.

Values parents may wish to encourage include are loyalty, friendship, determination, and courage.

Overall comments

This film is a funny film, one that adults could enjoy, while touching on some deeper issues such as responsibility in relationships and the consequences of casual sex. It is very entertaining and the scenes where Ted is in danger are well done. The humour is mostly at Ted’s expense and children will enjoy watching Ted make a fool of himself. There is also some beautiful scenery in this film.

This film is suitable for all ages with a recommendation that children under five might need some parental guidance.