Air Bud (1997)

An unexpected player joins the school basketball team - a circus dog who escaped from a cruel master.

Director:

Charles Martin Smith

Writers:

Kevin DiCicco (character "Air Bud"), Paul Tamasy

Stars:

Michael Jeter, Kevin Zegers, Wendy Makkena

3 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Jeter	...	Norm Snively
Kevin Zegers	...	Josh Framm
Wendy Makkena	...	Jackie Framm
Bill Cobbs	...	Arthur Chaney
Eric Christmas	...	Judge Cranfield
Jay Brazeau	...	Referee 1
Nicola Cavendish	...	Principal Pepper
Brendan Fletcher	...	Larry Willingham
Norman Browning	...	Buck Willingham
Stephen E. Miller	...	Coach Barker
Shayn Solberg	...	Tom
Chris Turner	...	Greg
Christine Kennedy	...	Melissa
Frank C. Turner	...	Bailiff
Marion Dodd	...	Reporter (as Marian Dodd)

Storyline

A young boy and a talented stray dog with an amazing basketball playing ability become instant friends. Rebounding from his father's accidental death, 12-year-old Josh Framm moves with his family to the small town of Fernfield, Washington. The new kid in town, Josh has no friends and is too shy to try out for the school basketball team. Instead he prefers to practice alone on an abandoned court, he befriends a runaway golden retriever named Buddy. Josh is amazed when he realizes that Buddy loves basketball...that is playing basketball...and he is GOOD! Josh eventually makes the school team and Buddy is named the Team Mascot. Josh and Buddy become the stars of halftime. Buddy's half-time talent draws media attention. Unfortunately, when Buddy's mean former owner, Norm Snively, comes along with a scheme to cash in on the pup's celebrity, it looks like they are going to be separated.

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Plot Keywords:

basketball | golden retriever | dog movie | 1990s | stray dog | 

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Taglines:

The dog is in the house.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Family | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for brief mild language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 August 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Disney's Air Bud

Filming Locations:

Fort Langley Community Hall, Fort Langley, Langley Township, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,720,516, 3 August 1997, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$24,629,916, 12 December 1997

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Pictures, Keystone Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Out of the 5 Air Bud films, this is the only film in the series to be rated PG.

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Goofs

In the final basketball game, Josh's hair is down over his face at the start, then gelled back, and then back down again.

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Quotes

Bailiff: Next case: Snively vs. Framm.
Judge Cranfield: This one of your high-profile divorce cases?
Bailiff: No, sir. Custody.
Judge Cranfield: Oh, custody.
[Then sees Buddy, unchained, in his courtroom]
Judge Cranfield: Holy Toledo! What is that dog doing in the courtroom?
Bailiff: That's the uh, child, sir.
Judge Cranfield: That's a pretty ugly kid.
[Observers laughing. Courtroom attendants laughs at his remarks]
Bailiff: It's a dog.
[...]

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Connections

References The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992)

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Soundtracks

O Holy Night
Music by Adolphe Adam (uncredited)
Lyricist: English lyrics by John Sullivan Dwight (uncredited)
Performed by St. John's Episcopal Choir
Donald Pearson, Conductor
Courtesy of Delos International
By Arrangement with Source/Q

User Reviews

A simple, innocent, mildely intertaning after school special.

A young boy who's father has passed away moves to a new town with his baby sister and mother, with little hopes of making new friends or getting over his father's death: until he finds a dog who can play basketball! Turning suddenly from being an incompetent water boy, whom only dreams of joining the school basketball team, to an admirable young athlete with his great new dog, Buddy.

A mildly entertaining afternoon special for kids. With it's innocence and slitly comicle charm, this movie, like all other afterschool specials has it's moments. I wouldn't say it was funny, it dosn't have what most of the modern day kids or pre-teens are looking for in their entertainment: Bombs going off, blood, martial arts or showy costumes. It's the type of thing for a family with three or four children of mixed ages to watch with their mother before nap time. Isn't obscene like most movies even a nine year old might watch these days, yet isn't Barnie or Elmo either.