Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey

Last updated
Homeward Bound:
The Incredible Journey
Homeward.bound dvd cover.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Duwayne Dunham
Screenplay by Caroline Thompson
Linda Woolverton
Jonathan Roberts (uncredited)
Based on The Incredible Journey
by Sheila Burnford
Produced by Jeffrey Chernov
Franklin R. Levy
Starring
Cinematography Reed Smoot
Edited byJonathan P. Shaw
Music by Bruce Broughton
Production
company
Distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Release date
  • February 3, 1993 (1993-02-03)
Running time
84 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$57 million [1]

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey is a 1993 American adventure comedy film and a remake of the 1963 film The Incredible Journey , which was based on the 1961 novel of the same name by Sheila Burnford. Directed by Duwayne Dunham in his feature film directorial debut [2] and featuring the voice talent of Michael J. Fox, Sally Field and Don Ameche, it was released on February 3, 1993. It grossed $57 million worldwide and was followed in 1996 by the sequel Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco . This film is dedicated to producer Franklin R. Levy, who died during production of the film, and Ben Ami Agmon, and it also marked the final film released during Don Ameche's lifetime.

Contents

Plot

Chance, an immature American Bulldog and the narrator of the film, explains that he is the pet of Jamie Burnford, but expresses no interest in his owner or being part of a family. He shares his home with Shadow, a wise old Golden Retriever owned by Jamie's brother Peter, and Sassy, a pampered Himalayan cat owned by Peter and Jamie's sister Hope. That morning, the children's mother, Laura Burnford, marries Bob Seaver, and Chance causes trouble by devouring the wedding cake in front of all the guests.

Shortly after the wedding, the family has to temporarily move to San Francisco because Bob must relocate there for his job. They leave the pets at a ranch belonging to Kate, Laura's college friend. Shadow and Sassy miss their owners immediately, but Chance sees it as an opportunity to relax and be free. Later in the week, Kate goes on a cattle drive, leaving the animals to be looked after by her neighbor Frank. However, half of her message to him is lost, leading him to believe that she has taken them along, leaving the animals alone. Unsure about the disappearance of their host, the animals fear they have been abandoned. Shadow, refusing to believe that his boy would leave him, decides to make his way home. Not wanting to be left alone on the ranch, Chance and Sassy decide to accompany Shadow on his journey.

They head into the rocky, mountainous wilderness of the Sierra Nevada with Shadow leading. After a night spent in fear of the woodland noises, the group stops to catch breakfast at a river. However, two black bear cubs interrupt Chance and a large brown bear causes the group to retreat. At another river, Sassy refuses to swim across to follow the dogs and instead tries to cross via a wooden path further downstream; halfway across, the wood breaks and she falls into the river. Shadow tries to save her, but she goes over a waterfall to her apparent death. Guilt-ridden, Shadow and Chance go on without her. Unknown to them, Sassy survives and is later found on the riverbank by an old man named Quentin, who nurses her back to health.

Over the next two days, Shadow and Chance try unsuccessfully to catch food and encounter a mountain lion, which chases them to the edge of a cliff. Shadow gets an idea to use rocks positioned like a seesaw as a way to outsmart the mountain lion. While Shadow acts as bait, Chance pounces onto the end of the rock and sends the mountain lion over the cliff and into a river. Sassy hears the dogs barking in celebration and follows the sound to rejoin them.

The animals continue on their way, but Chance begins pestering a porcupine, ending up with a load of quills in his muzzle. The animals then encounter a little girl named Molly, who is lost in the woods. Loyalty instinct takes over and they stand guard over her during the night. In the morning, Shadow finds a rescue party and leads them back to the girl. They recognize the animals from a missing pets flyer and take them to the local animal shelter, but Chance mistakes it for an animal pound and the trio panic. As the medical staff remove the quills from Chance's muzzle, Sassy sneaks in and frees Shadow. Together, they retrieve Chance and escape the shelter, unaware that their owners are on their way to get them.

Finally reaching their hometown, the animals cross through a train yard, where Shadow falls into a muddy pit and injures his leg. Despondent, he tells Chance and Sassy to go on without him, and when Chance argues passionately, tells the younger dog he's learned all he needs; "Now all you have to learn is how to say goodbye." Heartbroken, Chance insists he won't let him give up. Near dusk, Chance and Sassy finally make it home and are happily reunited with their owners. Shadow initially fails to appear, but eventually he limps into view and happily comes running home at the sight of Peter. Chance narrates how it was Shadow's belief that brought them home and how the years seemed to lift off of him, making him a puppy again as he reunited with his boy. The film ends with Chance musing about how he truly feels "home" with his family, before happily running into the house at the smell of food.

Cast

Production

Filming took place in Oregon in Spring 1991. [2] [3] Downtown Portland was used for urban shots in San Francisco and additional scenes were filmed in Joseph, Oregon. [2] The scenes set in the Sierra Nevada mountains were filmed at the Eagle Cap Wilderness area. [2]

The film makes extensive use of animal actors. American Humane certified the film as not harming animals. [4] Animals were largely filmed separately to prevent conflict, and scenes were then cut together to create the illusion of the animals interacting. [4] Stand-in animals were also used for the main characters, with 10 cats playing the role of Sassy. [3]

Reception

The film received positive reception. [5] The film holds an 87% aggregate critic approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes based on 30 reviews, with the consensus stating "Disney's remake of The Incredible Journey successfully replicates, and in some ways improves upon, the simple charms of the original, with its cross-country animal odyssey sure to delight kids." [6] According to movie critic Roger Ebert, the movie is "frankly designed for kids, and yet it has a certain craftsmanship and an undeniable charm, and if you find yourself watching it with a child you may end up liking it almost as much." [7] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a rare grade of "A+" on an A+ to F scale. [8]

The film grossed $41,833,324 in the United States and Canada and $15.5 million internationally for a worldwide total of $57.4 million. [9] [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Himalayan cat</span> Breed of cat

The Himalayan, is a breed or sub-breed of long-haired cat similar in type to the Persian, with the exception of its blue eyes and its point colouration, which were derived from crossing the Persian with the Siamese. Some registries may classify the Himalayan as a long-haired sub-breed of Siamese, or a colorpoint sub-breed of Persian. The World Cat Federation has merged them with the Colorpoint Shorthair and Javanese into a single breed, the Colorpoint.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Ameche</span> American actor (1908–1993)

Don Ameche was an American actor, comedian and vaudevillian. After playing in college shows, repertory theatre, and vaudeville, he became a major radio star in the early 1930s, which led to the offer of a movie contract from 20th Century Fox in 1935.

<i>Paulie</i> American comedy film

Paulie is a 1998 American adventure comedy-drama film directed by John Roberts and written by Laurie Craig. The film follows the adventurous story of the eponymous Paulie, a talking parrot who is capable of communicating with humans. It stars Jay Mohr as the voice of the title character, alongside Gena Rowlands, Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin, and Bruce Davison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Bulldog</span> Dog breed

The American bulldog is a large, muscular breed of mastiff-type dog. Their ancestors were brought to the British North American colonies where they worked on small farms and ranches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Hays</span> American actor (born 1947)

Robert Blakely Hays is an American actor, known for a variety of television and film roles since the 1970s. He came to prominence around 1980, co-starring in the two-season domestic sitcom Angie, and playing the central role of pilot Ted Striker in the hit spoof film Airplane! and its sequel. Other film roles include the lead role in the comedy Take This Job and Shove It (1981), and Bob Seaver, one of the main human characters in Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993). On television, he starred in the science fiction series Starman (1986–1987) and the short-lived workplace sitcom FM (1989–1990), played the voice of Tony Stark on Iron Man (1994), and had a guest role as Bud Hyde on That '70s Show (2000).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheila Burnford</span> Scottish writer (1916–1984)

Sheila Philip Cochrane Burnford née Every was a Scottish writer. She is best known for her novel The Incredible Journey about two dogs and a cat traveling through the Canadian wilderness.

<i>Grizzly Man</i> 2005 documentary film by Werner Herzog

Grizzly Man is a 2005 American documentary film by German director Werner Herzog. It chronicles the life and death of bear enthusiast and conservationist Timothy Treadwell and his girlfriend Amie Huguenard at Katmai National Park, Alaska. The film includes some of Treadwell's own footage of his interactions with brown bears before 2003, and of interviews with people who knew or were involved with Treadwell, in addition to professionals who deal with wild bears.

<i>Eight Below</i> 2006 American film

Eight Below, originally titled Antartica: The Journey Home, is a 2006 American survival drama film, a remake based on the 1983 Japanese film Antarctica by Toshirô Ishidô, Koreyoshi Kurahara, Tatsuo Nogami, and Susumu Saji. It was produced by Patrick Crowley and David Hoberman, directed by Frank Marshall, and written by David DiGilio, with music by Mark Isham. It stars Paul Walker in the leading role. It also stars Bruce Greenwood, Moon Bloodgood, and Jason Biggs. It was released theatrically on February 17, 2006, by Walt Disney Pictures in the United States. The film is set in Antarctica but was filmed in Svalbard, Norway; Greenland; and British Columbia, Canada. It tells the story of a guide at an Antarctic research base who risks his life and the lives of his colleagues to save his dogs. The film received positive reviews from critics and earned $120.4 million on a $40 million budget.

<i>The Incredible Journey</i> Childrens book by Sheila Burnford

The Incredible Journey (1961), by Scottish author Sheila Burnford, is a children's book first published by Hodder & Stoughton, which tells the story of three pets as they travel 300 miles (480 km) through the Canadian wilderness searching for their beloved masters. It depicts the suffering and stress of an arduous journey, together with the unwavering loyalty and courage of the three animals. The story is set in the northwestern part of Ontario, which has many lakes, rivers, and widely dispersed small farms and towns.

<i>Happily Ever After</i> (1989 film) 1989 animated film

Happily Ever After is a 1989 animated musical fantasy film directed by John Howley, and starring the voices of Dom DeLuise, Malcolm McDowell, Phyllis Diller, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Ed Asner, Sally Kellerman, Irene Cara, Carol Channing and Tracey Ullman. The film serves as a direct sequel to the Snow White fairy tale, wherein the titular heroine and the Prince are about to be married, but a new threat appears in the form of the late Evil Queen's vengeful brother, Lord Maliss. The plot replaces the Dwarfs with female cousins called the Dwarfelles, who aid Snow White against Maliss.

<i>Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco</i> 1996 film by David R. Ellis

Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco is a 1996 American adventure comedy film and the sequel to the 1993 film Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey directed by David R. Ellis. The film features the three pets from the first film, Shadow the Golden Retriever, Sassy the Himalayan cat, and Chance the American Bulldog. It also features the voice work of Sinbad, Carla Gugino, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Stephen Tobolowsky, Jon Polito, Adam Goldberg, Al Michaels, Tommy Lasorda and Bob Uecker. In addition, Robert Hays, Kim Greist, Veronica Lauren, Kevin Chevalia and Benj Thall reprised their roles for the sequel.

<i>White Fang 2: Myth of the White Wolf</i> 1994 American film

White Fang 2: Myth of the White Wolf is a 1994 American Northern adventure film directed by Ken Olin, and starring Scott Bairstow, Alfred Molina, and Geoffrey Lewis. Based on characters created by Jack London, it is a sequel to the 1991 White Fang. Filming entirely took place in Aspen, Colorado as well as British Columbia, Canada's Metro Vancouver region. Released in theaters by Walt Disney Pictures on April 14, 1994, it was later released on VHS on October 19, 1994, by Walt Disney Home Video.

<i>The Incredible Journey</i> (film) 1963 film by Fletcher Markle

The Incredible Journey is a 1963 adventure film directed by Fletcher Markle and produced by Walt Disney Productions. Based on the 1961 novel of the same name by Scottish writer Sheila Burnford, the film follows the adventure of Luath the Labrador Retriever, Bodger the Bull Terrier, and Tao the Siamese cat as they journey 300 miles (480 km) through the Canadian wilderness to return to their home. The film's human cast consists of Émile Genest, John Drainie, Tommy Tweed, and Sandra Scott, with Rex Allen providing narration.

<i>Zookeeper</i> (film) 2011 science fantasy romantic comedy film by Frank Coraci

Zookeeper is a 2011 American fantasy comedy film directed by Frank Coraci, with a screenplay by Nick Bakay, Rock Reuben, Kevin James, Jay Scherick, and David Ronn, from a story by Scherick and Ronn, and produced by Todd Garner, James, Adam Sandler, Jack Giarraputo, and Walt Becker. The film stars James, Rosario Dawson, and Leslie Bibb with the voice roles from Cher, Nick Nolte, Sandler, Sylvester Stallone, Judd Apatow, Jim Breuer, Jon Favreau, Faizon Love, Richie Minervini, Maya Rudolph, and Bas Rutten. It is about an unlucky zookeeper and the talking animals at his zoo who break their silence to help him find love.

Benjamin Thall is an American actor and is most well known for his role in the movie Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey as Peter Burnford.

Bonnie Bears: Homeward Journey is a 2013 Chinese animated adventure family drama TV film based on the animated television series Boonie Bears. The first film Boonie Bears: To the Rescue was released after the TV film in 2014.

Veronica Lauren is an American actress. She played Alice, the young girlfriend of Elijah Wood's character, in Forever Young (1992), and is best known for playing Hope Burnford in the 1993 film Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey and its 1996 sequel Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco. Her other film credits have included roles in The Grass Harp (1995), Charlie's Ghost Story (1995) and American Pie (1999). She also had roles on TV shows including Dark Shadows, Days of Our Lives, Home Improvement and Cold Case.

The Incredible Journey is a children's book by Scottish author Sheila Burnford.

<i>The Incredible Journey</i> (film series) Disney film franchise

The Incredible Journey film series, consists of American adventure family-comedy films, based on the 1961 novel of the same name by Sheila Burnford. The plot centers around unlikely trios of pets, who must work together as teams to find their way back through hundreds of miles to their respective homes. Each film uses a combination of voice acting with animal actors to portray for triple leads and emote their thoughts and spirit, alongside the actors for their family of owners.

References

  1. 1 2 Klady, Leonard (January 3, 1994). "Int'l top 100 earn $8 bil". Variety . p. 1.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey", catalog.afi.com, American Film Institute, retrieved 2024-01-23
  3. 1 2 "Did You Know? 8 Incredible Facts About Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey - D23", D23, Disney, 2018-02-13, archived from the original on 2022-09-28, retrieved 2024-01-23
  4. 1 2 "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey", Humane Hollywood, American Humane, 1992-11-11, archived from the original on 2023-11-11, retrieved 2024-01-23
  5. ↑ Thomas, Kevin (February 3, 1993). "Movie Review : Disney's 'Homeward Bound' Remake Better Than Original". The Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on 8 April 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
  6. ↑ "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  7. ↑ Ebert, Roger (12 February 1993). "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey Movie Review (1993)". RogerEbert.com . Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  8. ↑ McClintock, Pamela (August 19, 2011). "Why CinemaScore Matters for Box Office". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved February 14, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.