Cool off with some cinematic dogs
Published 11:46 am Tuesday, August 1, 2023
This week at Tryon Theatre we have another installation of the Tryon Film Society movies! For those not familiar with this practice at our theatre, we take the very first week of monthly to reveal 2 repertory movies, joined by a style, for 3 showtimes a piece. This August, we are commemorating the “Dog Days of Summer” with 2 dog-centric movies, “Lassie Come Home” (Wilcox 1943) and “Best in Show” (Guest 2000).
These 2 movies offer a comical juxtaposition of styles, with one portraying perhaps the perfect bond of owner and family pet, and the latter portraying perhaps the worst of dog ownership. Any criticism therein is just imposed versus the people, obviously. The dogs are spared such review, portrayed just with love and understanding.
“Lassie Come Home” is an adjustment of the well-known and identically entitled 1940 unique by Eric Knight. When the character of Lassie was presented in literature she was received with open arms and loudly admired. Audiences were gratified with the pureness and universal relatability of this bond in between kid and dog, a relationship established just on love and trust, unmuddied by life’s truths and issues. In adjusting Lassie’s story to movie, the movie script diverged bit from the book. To have actually altered much at all would have been to modify a psychological work of art. Lassie is maybe THE primary animal of movie, her name an inseparable part of the western cultural awareness. If you have actually seen it already, you understand its effective emotive result. And if you haven’t yet, you will quickly comprehend the love individuals have for Lassie.
“Best in Show” is a dazzling and cutting satire, skewering the perceptiveness and insular world of competitive dog programs, primarily the dog owners completing in said programs. The movie is shot in what is called “mockumentary” design, where the shot structure and narrative conceit is that of a documentary, portraying reality. However, every member of the dog reveal world portrayed remains in truth a star, enjoying skillfully populated absurdity. “Best in Show” is a spiritual follow up to the well-known “This is Spinal Tap” (1984), coming from the very same innovative minds, and supplying a likewise fantastic takedown of a hilariously self-glorified culture. “Best in Show” will keep you chuckling from start to complete, with each rival upping the ante on the last in intensifying insanity and unhinged enthusiasm.
“Lassie Come Home” will reveal Thursday and Friday nights, with a Sunday matinee, and you can capture “Best in Show” on Wednesday and Saturday nights, with a Thursday matinee.
Hopefully, you will beat the disastrous heat of these dog days by coming inside the cool boundaries of Tryon Theatre and enjoying some animal conveniences (pun planned)!
