HOUND DAWG

“HOUNDDOG” is the Dakota movie that I am most looking forward too. A great deal has already been written, speculated, postulated, sensationalized, and otherwise subjected to just plain rumormongering and conjecture, having to do with the rape scene. I prefer not to focus on that subject. The rape scene is probably no more than a minute out of what is presumably the greater whole of a 100 + minute film.

HD is a small independent film, Dakota and her agent signed on to do this film knowing that it was not a splashy Hollywood production. There is no huge publicity machine behind this movie, no dinosaur tracks painted in the driveway leading to the cinema, remember JURASSIC PARK? No toy or Burger King ® drink cups, no backpacks, lunch boxes, or whirlwind, Tokyo, London, New York premiers, HD represents an insignificant speck on the radar of Hollywood.

I suspect there wasn’t even that much money involved. It’s doubtful that Dakota received anywhere near her usual three million dollar salary for appearing in this movie. Often times actors agree to appear in independent films for scale . . . so why did Osbrink sign Dakota to this movie? I believe HD represents a great script, an opportunity for Dakota to work with an exciting young director (Deborah Kampmeier), to spread her wings, strut her stuff, and for the first time in her career to top line a movie. Come on, how cool is it going to be to sit in the darkened movie theatre and watch the credits roll, HOUNDDOG . . . Dakota Fanning.
A real sore spot for me is that Dakota was so good in I AM SAM, and TAKEN. Please don’t mistake me for a heretic, but the hard truth is she really hasn’t had a part since that equaled those two performances. Dakota often finds herself in the unenviable position of being better than the material she appears in.

I believe that HOUNDDOG represents Dakota’s first and best chance to re-establish her credentials as the best child actress working today. The best part of all, Dakota sings! The whole music angle of the movie is woefully neglected. My absolute favorite clip of Dakota is when she sings with the Muppets on the QUEEN MARY. What a delightful performance, while Charlotte Church is in no danger of being eclipsed anytime soon by Dakota’s singing talent, if you watch Dak’s Muppet performance, Dakota really can sing. More than that, she possesses this intangible charisma her stage presence is undeniable.

Am I excited about HOUNDDOG? Yes I am. Will Dakota win an award? No one can say for sure. If the movie is well received by the jury at SUNDANCE, the best possible scenario is that a major studio takes notice and picks-up the film for distribution. From there, HOUNDDOG will be in position to follow the success path of LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. HOUNDDOG could go from a mere blip on the Hollywood radar to the big dawg in the neighborhood overnight. Let’s hope so.