The Animal (2001)

Director:

Luke Greenfield

Writers (WGA):

Tom Brady (story)
Tom Brady (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

1 June 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The producing team of 'Big Daddy' has delivered another winner!

Plot:

After receiving organ transplants from various animal donors, a man finds himself taking on the traits of those animals.

Plot Keywords:

X Rayed Skeleton | Female Nudity | Bulletproof Vest | Physical Comedy | Animal As Human

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Rob Schneider	...	Marvin
Colleen Haskell	...	Rianna
John C. McGinley	...	Sgt. Sisk
Edward Asner	...	Chief Wilson
Michael Caton	...	Dr. Wilder
Louis Lombardi	...	Fatty
Guy Torry	...	Miles
Bob Rubin	...	Bob Harris
Pilar Schneider	...	Mrs. De La Rosa
Scott Wilson	...	Mayor
Raymond Ma	...	Mr. Tam
Michael Papajohn	...	Patrolman Brady
Ron Roggé	...	Patrolman Jaworski (as Ron Rogge)
Holly Maples	...	Elkerton Police Officer
Henriette Mantel	...	Elkerton Police Officer

Also Known As:

Animal (USA) (working title)
Zoo Boy (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some crude and sexual humor.

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Malaysia:U | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Canada:14A (Manitoba) (uncut version) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (also uncut version) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:6 | Hong Kong:IIA | Hungary:14 | Iceland:L | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #38089) | USA:Unrated (uncut special edition)

Filming Locations:

Agoura Hills, California, USA

Company:

Revolution Studios

Trivia:

References to Rob Schneider's movie Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999). When Marvin and his partner show up in the "gang-related" neighborhood, the words "Hebitch Manwhore" appear in the graffiti on the wall. When Marvin pulls the balloon full of drugs out of the man's posterior in the airport, the line "That's a huge bitch" is heard in the background. This line was used to refer to Tina, the tall woman in Deuce Bigalow.

Goofs:

Continuity: The roof of Marvin's car was flattened by the boulder. After the surgery, the roof was only half flattened.

Quotes:

Sgt. Sisk: Ladies and gentlemen, our suspect is not human. He is at home in the bush. Shoot to kill. Any questions?
Mob Member: Oh, yeah, yeah, I got a question there. When do we get to light our torches?
Sgt. Sisk: When it gets dark.
Mob Member: Ah, I see. Oh, hey, I got another question there. Suppose, hypothetically, you know, a guy had already lit his torch. I mean, it'd be cool if he could just keep it lit, huh?
Sgt. Sisk: Yes.
Mob Member: Oh, excellent. Excellent.
Sgt. Sisk: Now, if there are no more questions...
Mob Member: Oh, hey, hey, hey, I got another question. Hey, uh, if one part of the mob gets separated from another part of the mob, shouldn't there be a place that we can get together? Maybe a secret place the two mobs could reunite, and we'd be a big mob again.
Sgt. Sisk: Stay with the mob.
Mob Member: Stay with the mob. All right.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "South Park: The Biggest Douche in the Universe (#6.15)" (2002)

Soundtrack:

Salt Bag Spill

Starvin' Marvin

Truly successful comedies are more difficult to make than other types of films. This comedy succeeds in many departments, and the talent involved makes it that much more successful.

Marvin Mange (SNL's alumnus, the very talented comedian/actor Rob Schneider) has an automobile accident which, under normal circumstances, would have surely killed him. A brilliant, yet delusional, scientist saves his life by subjecting Marvin to an experimental surgery that requires certain and various animal-organ donations.

Marvin is soon starving for the intimate attentions of Rianna, one of the most physically (and personally) appealing antivivisectionists he's ever run into.

"Animal" doesn't take itself too seriously to be a drama, and lets loose just enough for it to be taken--surprisingly enough--seriously. I didn't expect too much from the Rianna character (the fledgling actress coming straight out of the real-life television series "Survivor"), and I was nevertheless enchanted by her sincere/competent acting contributions.

There are the occasional (and repetitive) nods to the television series "The Six Million Dollar Man" and the horror film "An American Werewolf in London" (among other classics), and the script is never too broadly (or desperately) 'painted' to escape proper and hilarious audience identification.

Adam Sandler and Norman MacDonald play mob townies, the proper 'village idiot' cameos one expects to see in truly funny SNL comedy movies such as this. You have to see these talented supporting players for yourself to truly benefit from their comedic timing and genuine quality.

I recommend you see "The Animal" even if you might possibly be allergic to pet dander. You won't regret having spend this much time studying animal husbandry.