Lassie (2005)

Director:

Charles Sturridge

Writers:

Eric Knight (novel)
Charles Sturridge

Release Date:

1 September 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Family

Tagline:

More Than A Hero. A Legend.

Plot:

A family in financial crisis is forced to sell Lassie, their beloved dog. Hundreds of miles away from her true family, Lassie escapes and sets out on a journey home.

Plot Keywords:

Lassie | Dog | Scottish Highlands | Dogcatcher | Christmas

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Peter O'Toole	...	The Duke
Samantha Morton	...	Sarah Carraclough
John Lynch	...	Sam Carraclough
Peter Dinklage	...	Rowlie
Gerry O'Brien	...	Watson
Steve Pemberton	...	Hynes
Eamonn Hunt	...	Alf Patterson
Edward Fox	...	Hulton
Jim Roche	...	Miner
John Standing	...	French
Gregor Fisher	...	Mapes
Jonathan Mason	...	Joe Carraclough
Brian Pettifer	...	O'Donnell
Paul Meade	...	Policeman
Jamie Lee	...	Tom
Robert Hardy	...	Judge Murray
Jemma Redgrave	...	Daisy
Nicholas Lyndhurst	...	Buckle
Terence Orr	...	Butler
Alec Heggie	...	Truck Driver
Hester Odgers	...	Cilla
Finlay Welsh	...	Scottish Policeman
Gabrielle Lloyd	...	Miss Branson
Susie Lambe	...	Martha (as Susie Lamb)
Ken Drury	...	Campbell
May Veale Smith	...	Mother
Samantha McShane	...	Nell
Robert Carr	...	McBane
Angela Thorne	...	Dr. Gull
Christine Ozanne	...	Matron
Kelly Macdonald	...	Jeanie
Dermot Ward	...	Court Usher
Alan Stanford	...	Defence Barrister
David Parnell	...	Sergeant of the Court
Celyn Jones	...	Snickers
Peter Halliday	...	Vicar
Peter Wight	...	Dr. Jarrett
Ian Mercer	...	Yorkshire Policeman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mason	...	Lassie (uncredited)

Directed by
Charles Sturridge

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Eric Knight		novel
Charles Sturridge

Produced by
Francesca Barra	....	producer
Noëlette Buckley	....	line producer
Steve Christian	....	executive producer
Eric Ellenbogen	....	executive producer
Louise Goodsill	....	executive producer
Ed Guiney	....	producer
Samuel Hadida	....	co-producer
Victor Hadida	....	co-producer
Ralph Kamp	....	executive producer
Andrew Lowe	....	executive producer
Doug Schwalbe	....	executive producer
Charles Sturridge	....	producer

Original Music by
Adrian Johnston

Cinematography by
Howard Atherton

Film Editing by
Peter Coulson
Adam Green

Casting by
Celestia Fox

Production Design by
John Paul Kelly

Art Direction by
Colman Corish
Irene O'Brien

Set Decoration by
Johnny Byrne

Costume Design by
Charlotte Walter

Makeup Department
Lucy Browne	....	daily makeup artist
Eileen Buggy	....	chief haidresser
Sonia Dolan	....	makeup artist
Deirdre Fitzgerald	....	makeup artist
Jennifer Hegarty	....	makeup designer
Dana Kalder	....	hair trainee
Roisin O'Reilly	....	additional makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jill Dempsey	....	second assistant director
Sean Griffin	....	third assistant director
Chris Ingram	....	trainee assistant director
Luke Johnston	....	first assistant director
Louise Murray	....	assistant director
Anne Warter	....	trainee assistant director

Art Department
Ignacio Barbe	....	set dresser
Adrian Byrne	....	dressing props
Kate Halsall	....	art department assistant
Darren Kearney	....	painter
Ronan Kennedy	....	props
Gerard Lanigan	....	chargehand stand-by props
Bernard Lyster	....	trainee props
Katie Miller	....	art department intern
Jenny Oman	....	production buyer
Marion Picard	....	trainee props buyer
Lucy van Lonkhuyzen	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Peter Blayney	....	sound re-recording mixer
Caoimhe Doyle	....	foley artist
Andrew Felton	....	boom operator
John Fitzgerald	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sarah Gaines	....	adr dialogue editor
Brendan Geaney	....	foley artist
Brendan Geaney	....	foley editor
Fiadhnait McCann	....	sound effects editor
Jean McGrath	....	adr recordist
Mervyn Moore	....	sound mixer
Jess Richards	....	trainee: Isle of Man
James Seddon	....	dolby consultant

Special Effects by
Kevin Byrne	....	special effects supervisor
Kevin Nolan	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Craig Bardsley	....	animator: Framestore CFC
Jason Burnett	....	scanning and recording: Framestore CFC
Andy Burrow	....	scanning and recording manager: Framestore CFC
Max Dennison	....	digital matte painter: Framestore CFC
Jerome Dewhurst	....	di engineer
Paul Doogan	....	scanning and recording: Framestore CFC
Kerry Downing	....	editorial assistant: Framestore CFC
Ben Gillingham-Sutton	....	digital cleanup artist: Framestore CFC
Joe Godfrey	....	scanning and recording: Framestore CFC
Dianne Gordon	....	data operator: Framestore CFC
Charlie Habanananda	....	data operator: Framestore CFC
Alistair Hamer	....	film mastering engineer: Framestore CFC
Adam Hawkes	....	digital cleanup artist: Framestore CFC
Frederic Heymans	....	camera technical director: Framestore CFC
Jan Hogevold	....	production executive: Framestore CFC
Matthew Jacques	....	data operations: Framestore CFC
Tim Keene	....	visual effects producer: Framestore CFC
Brian Krijgsman	....	assistant colourist: Framestore CFC
Patricia Llaguno	....	compositor: Framestore CFC
Kevin Lowery	....	film mastering assistant: Framestore CFC
Patrick Lowry	....	technical director: Framestore CFC
Claire McGrane	....	senior producer: Framestore CFC
Sarah Micallef	....	digital intermediate producer: Framestore CFC
Maria Michalopoulou	....	data operator: Framestore CFC
Bruce Nelson	....	compositor: Framestore CFC
Helen Nesbitt	....	compositor: Framestore CFC
Stuart Nippard	....	digital cleanup artist: Framestore CFC
John Peck	....	compositor: Framestore CFC
Dan Perry	....	scanning and recording: Framestore CFC
Richard Poet	....	visual effects Avid editor: Framestore CFC
Aled Prosser	....	digital paint artist: Framestore CFC
Howard Protheroe	....	digital paint artist: Framestore CFC
Sirio Quintavalle	....	compositor: Framestore CFC
Nicholas David Reed	....	camera technical director
David Shere	....	compositor: Framestore CFC
Asa Shoul	....	colourist: Framestore CFC
Anthony Smith	....	compositor: Framestore CFC
Michael Thompson	....	camera technical director: Framestore CFC
Michael Adam Thompson	....	motion tracking
Neil Weatherley	....	technical director: Framestore CFC
Timothy Webber	....	visual effects supervisor: Framestore CFC
Annabel Wright	....	digital cleanup supervisor
Tim Young	....	digital paint artist: Framestore CFC

Stunts
Dominick Hewitt	....	stunt driver
Donal O'Farrell	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Garret Baldwin	....	gaffer
Ciarán Barry	....	camera operator
Jeremy Braben	....	aerial director of photography
Alan Butler	....	assistant camera
Simon Magee	....	electrician
Aideen McCarthy	....	camera loader
Aideen McCarthy	....	camera trainee
Campbell McIntosh	....	rigging electrician
Phil Reader	....	rigging electrician
Anthony Swaby	....	camera trainee: Isle of Man
Oliver Ward	....	camera technician: Wescam camera

Casting Department
Vanessa Baker	....	voice casting
Brendan Donnison	....	voice casting
Alex Johnson	....	casting assistant: UK
Amy Rowan	....	casting director: Ireland

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Richard Cooke	....	assistant costume designer
Tricia Monk	....	wardrobe assistant
Linda O'Reilly	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Steve Farman	....	negative cutter
Tolly Swallow	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Terry Davies	....	conductor
Caitriona Walsh	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Monika Agorelius	....	electronic press kit
Monika Agorelius	....	making-of documentary production
Cait Collins	....	production coordinator
Peter Conway	....	location scout
Louise Cornally	....	business affairs executive
Matilda de Cagny	....	dog trainer: "Lassie"
Fionnuala Dorney	....	assistant accountant
Sile Dorney	....	production accountant
Jennifer Evans	....	animal administrator
Aaron Farrell	....	assistant to producer
Phil Gates	....	location manager: Isle of Man
Guillaume Grange	....	animal handler
Nicole Gregory	....	unit publicist
Gwen Griffiths	....	animal handler
William Shane Grisco	....	dog trainer: "Lassie"
Anna Harrison	....	locations daily
Matt Jones	....	location manager: Scotland
Simon MacDermott	....	horse master
Donna McCormick-Smith	....	animal trainer
Jeanette McGrath	....	script supervisor
Michelle Mullen	....	assistant production coordinator
Aislinn Ni Chuinneagain	....	production trainee
Conor O'Carroll	....	assistant location manager
Cian O'Muilleoir	....	assistant accountant
Carol Riggins	....	animal trainer
Jane Roche	....	production executive
Steve Solomon	....	animal handler
George Elias Stephanopoulos	....	business & legal affairs executive
Julie Tottman	....	dog trainer: "Lassie"
Joanna Vaughn	....	animal handler

Thanks
Eric J. Schwartz	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Odyssey Entertainment
• Classic Media Productions
• Davis-Films
• Element Films
• Elemental Films
• Firstsight Films
• Isle of Man Film

Distributors

• Anderson Digital (2012) (USA) (video) (Digital)
• Odyssey Entertainment (2005-) (worldwide) (all media) (sales)
• Entertainment Film Distributors (2005) (UK) (theatrical)
• Applause Entertainment (2006) (Taiwan) (theatrical)
• Bazuca Films (2008) (Chile) (theatrical)
• Central Partnership (2006) (Russia) (theatrical)
• FS Film Oy (2006) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Independent Films (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Roadside Attractions (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Samuel Goldwyn Company, The (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2006) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Village Road Show (2006) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Entertainment in Video (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Genius Products (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• SBP (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Splendid Film (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Weinstein Company, The (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Team FX

Other Companies

• Ardmore Sound  sound post-production
• Birds & Animals UK  animals trained by
• DDA Public Relations (DDA)  unit publicity
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Framestore CFC  digital intermediate
• Helicopter Film Services  aerial filming services provided by
• Kodak  motion picture film supplied by
• London Editing Machines Ltd.  editing equipment
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• The Irish Film Orchestra  orchestra
• Windmill Lane Pictures  post-production services

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for some mild violent content and language

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA | France | Ireland | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:PG | Ireland:PG | Australia:PG | Iceland:L | Finland:K-7 | Portugal:M/6 | Sweden:7 | Singapore:PG | USA:PG | Peru:PT | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Clancy Barracks, Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Company:

Odyssey Entertainment

Trivia:

One thread that connects all the Lassie projects is Lassie herself. Every one of the long string of Lassie productions has featured a collie directly descended from the original canine star, a dog named Pal. The new film was made with 8-year-old Lassie the ninth, and three other non-related collies, whose biggest challenge were in scenes swimming across Loch Ness on her way home. "They weren't bred to be water dogs, who have more webbing between their feet and more fat on their body to insulate them for the water," said trainer Carol Riggins, who has steered the Lassie stable through Lassies seven, eight and nine. "Collies don't have that. When you put them in the water, as soon as they get wet to the skin you have to take them out and you have to blow dry them before you can do the rest of the scene. When they get in the water they get cold and their muscles don't work as well."

Goofs:

Continuity: There are seven puppies in the litter (at around 1h 30 mins), but eight can be seen in the walk in the countryside (at around 1h 30 mins).

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Troldspejlet: Episode #35.13" (2006)

Truly Moving Picture

I saw this film on August 24th, 2006 in Indianapolis. I am one of the judges for the Heartland Film Festival's Truly Moving Picture Award. A Truly Moving Picture "…explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life." Heartland gave that award to this film.

Obviously this is an often-told tale about a boy and his beautiful and intelligent collie. But … this is an especially fine telling of that story and specifically of the loyalty and love that can happen between a boy and his dog.

The story is set in England prior to World War II. The boy, Joe, is from a working class family and the father loses his coal mining job when the coal peters out. Lassie catches the eye of a rich Duke played by Peter O'Toole and Joe's parents reluctantly sell Lassie to obtain much needed cash. This causes Joe to go into a deep sadness. But to make things worse for Joe and his parents, Lassie regularly escapes the Duke's dog handler and finds his way back to Joe. Over and over the dog is honorably returned to the Duke because a deal is a deal.

Finally the Duke goes off to his other home in Northern Scotland 500 miles away and takes Lassie with him. Lassie escapes again and the rest of the movie revolves around the impossible attempted journey back to Joe.

Lassie is obligated to steal the movie, but he doesn't quite do this. There are too many other interesting things going on. Peter O'Toole is a great curmudgeon with a slowly revealed heart of gold. The English countryside is gorgeous. And the rich class- poor class dichotomy is adroitly told.

Honor and integrity and human dignity are human traits that can be shown by anyone despite their age or sex or income or social status in life. That's a message worth communicating in a movie.

FYI – There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a listing of past Truly Moving Picture Award winners that are now either at the theater or available on video.