Top Dog (1995)

With his cop companion shot and killed by terrorists, Reno The Dog pairs up with tough cop Jake in thwarting the criminal organization.

Director:

Aaron Norris

Writers:

Aaron Norris (story), Tim Grayem (story)

Stars:

Chuck Norris, Michele Lamar Richards, Erik von Detten

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Chuck Norris	...	Jake Wilder
Michele Lamar Richards	...	Savannah Boyette
Erik von Detten	...	Matthew Swanson
Carmine Caridi	...	Lou Swanson
Clyde Kusatsu	...	Ken Callahan
Kai Wulff	...	Otto Dietrich
Peter Savard Moore	...	Karl Koller
Timothy Bottoms	...	Nelson Houseman
Francesco Quinn	...	Mark Curtains
Herta Ware	...	Wilder's Mother
John Kerry	...	Commander West
Hank Baumert	...	Masked Firefighter / Border Patrol Officer
Linda Castro	...	Paramedic
John Sistrunk	...	Driver at Border
Bob Bastanchury	...	Passenger

Storyline

With his cop companion shot and killed by terrorists, Reno The Dog pairs up with tough cop Jake in thwarting the criminal organization.

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Plot Keywords:

tough cop | terrorist | dog | dog movie | racism | 

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Taglines:

They're Licensed For Action!

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for shootings and martial arts violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

For the first time in 53 years, San Diego officials opened the famed Balboa Park Bell Tower to shoot several scenes. The tower hasn't been used since it appeared in Orson Welles's "Citizen Kane" in 1941.

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Goofs

At the check point chase when the car blows up, you can see the cable that is pulling the burning car.

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Quotes

Jake Wilder: Got the warrant?
Policeman: It didn't come through.
Jake Wilder: What do you mean it didn't come through?
Policeman: I don't know, Jake, they said something about probable cause.
Jake Wilder: Well, I'm going in anyway.

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Alternate Versions

Parts of the soundtrack have been altered on the 2000 Artisan DVD.

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Connections

References Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

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Soundtracks

Bad Boys
Written by Ian Lewis (as I. Lewis)
Performed by Inner Circle
Courtesy of Big Beat/Atlantic Recording Corp/Warner Music Sweden/Rock Pop Music
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products
Played when the dog is watching "Cops" on TV

User Reviews

"You don't even look like a police dog."

Chuck Norris partnered up with a dog… a shaggy dog… a decorated police dog. Comedy gold! Coming late to party, as this novelty was popular in the late eighties with films like "Turner and Hooch" and "K-9". Aaron Norris would direct his brother in this asininely light-hearted (well not all the time) vehicle that would see him going after some very incompetent militant white-supremacists looking to make an explosion. And didn't Aaron Norris like his explosions with cars flying off the ground! One thing though these bad guys were hopeless. I use to think the white-supremacists in Eastwood's "Pink Cadillac" were the most inept I've watched, but there's another contender with "Top Dog". Norris' combination with the dog Reno makes for many amusingly charming situations. "You ate my chicken you mangy mutt!" But really it Norris tackling Neo Nazi white power is where the fun is at. Watch as he simply pummels these bad guys (which takes almost an hour), in something that turns out like a live action loony toons outing. However before the pummelling begins these sour face bad guys simply like to rant about white power and stand around looking mean while constantly nodding at each other. Norris is one busy copper. An arrogant, sloppy and gung-ho one too. Let's not forget a mummy's boy. His lead-up work in trying to figure out what's going on is rather hilarious, because everything feels like its made up on the spot hoping the clues would pop up than researching it. Then again if that happened we wouldn't get the heart-stopping climax of tension, laughs and someone riding a bike as fast as they can. The cast are all game with Michele Lamar Richards, Clyde Kusatsu, Timothy Bottoms, Francesco Quinn and John Kerry. Norris phones it in, while it's Reno who steals the show. There's even time mid-way through for Reno to take a break from the investigation to go to a dog show and mess about?! Aaron's direction is sturdy, but plain despite the acrobats where there's a cheap TV feel about it.

"Sit your rights down".

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 April 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Najbolji pas

Filming Locations:

San Diego, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,164,381, 30 April 1995

Gross USA:

$5,093,707

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,093,707

Company Credits

Production Co:

Live Entertainment, Tanglewood Entertainment Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min 93 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Dolby SR Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1