Benji the Hunted (1987)

Director:

Joe Camp

Writer:

Joe Camp (writer)

Release Date:

17 June 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family

Tagline:

Benji's Back! In the most exciting adventure of his life!

Plot:

Benji is left in the wilderness after an accident - can he survive ?

Plot Keywords:

Wilderness | Animal | Dog | Animal Actor | Mountain Lion

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Benji	...	Benji
Joe Camp	...	TV Director (voice)
Mike Francis	...	TV Cameraman
Nancy Francis	...	Mary Beth McLaulin
Frank Inn	...	Himself
Red Steagall	...	Hunter
Karen Thorndike	...	Countdown (voice)
Ben Vaughn	...	Engineer's hand
Steve Zanolini	...	Producer (voice)

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

West Germany:o.Al. | Australia:G | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:G | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Astoria, Oregon, USA

Company:

Embark Production

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Grizzly bears and wolves are not found in Oregon.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Critic: Siskel & Ebert & Jay & Alice (#2.2)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

Too Many Yesterdays

A heart-warming experience

Benji the Hunted is a movie that will surely bring a warm joy to animal lovers. The biggest strength of the movie is the detailed portrayal of emotions by the animal star-cast. It is nearly impossible to miss the perfection with which director Joe Camp captures even tiny details like the trembling legs of cougar kittens that followed Benji, the innocence of their faces, or even their spontaneous playful nature. The movie is not about Benji performing breath-taking complicated maneuvers to save the day, rather how Benji faces the day-to-day challenges of living in the wild with the added responsibility of four orphaned cougar kittens. The challenges of the wild are plentiful, enough to keep your eyes hooked to the screen. Yet it's not a fast-paced thriller which would have cost the movie its credibility as a realistic one. The human actors in the movie have very limited role, and the director wastes no time in bundling them out of limelight. Benji again emerges as a hero, showing a big "human" heart, and the message of peace and non-violence is very effectively communicated in the movie. The background score is average, yet does its job efficiently by not distracting the audience from the movie. It is a family movie suitable for all age groups, and a recommended watch for all animal lovers.