Here’s an Oz flick that literally champions the underdog! Red Dog is the monicker given to the red kelpie that mysteriously appears and adopts the good burghers of Dampier, a mining port in WA’s hot Pilbara region. It is based on a true story of the 70s, and the era is faithfully depicted. A commemorative statue stands alongside the road into Dampier today. The narrative is told towards the end of the era by the town characters, alternating between that present and a series of flashbacks without losing continuity. It is the celebration of a canine odyssey and the loose knit multi-cultural community that found common cause in him.
The film has enjoyed an unexpectedly high box office return in the two weeks since its release. It will be interesting to see how its laconic quirkiness is received overseas.
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Wondering Pilgrim 