I will admit it, I am a puppy person. I just can’t resist their sweet disposition and cute little faces. So, when I heard 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment was releasing Marley & Me The Puppy Years, I knew it was a must see for the boys and I!
Here is the synopsis of Marley & Me The Puppy Years: Fall into puppy love with “the world’s worst dog,” who now has a frisky voice and an attitude to match. Join Marley for his mischievous puppy years, as he and his summer pal, Bodie Grogan, wreak havoc on a neighborhood dog contest. Marley outwits Dobermans, Shepherds and Collies, while stealing hearts in his own unique and lovable way. Get your paws on MARLEY & ME: THE PUPPY YEARS and fetch big laughs for the whole family!
I was lucky enough to be able to interview the Director/Writer of the film Michael Damien! Yes, he is the one who played Danny Romalotti on the Young and the Restless that I had a huge crush on!!
Here is what he had to say:
1) What do find harder, acting or directing? With directing I have a huge team and they all have questions and need to understand my vision. The actors each have different ways of working so it is my job to make sure they have the environment they need to give the best performance possible. It is very helpful to have been an actor myself. I try to anticipate their concerns.
2) Is it easier to direct the actors or the animals? Well, the animals are scene stealers. They step all over the actors lines and usually like to improv. But they sure are fun.
3) Did you bring any of those cute puppies home with you? We were tempted. But we have our rescue dog, Bella that travels with us to all our shoots and I’m not sure a Labrador would fit in the car with us all.
4) How hard is it to direct with your wife and not bring work frustrations home? My wife and I are writing partners, we produce together and I direct. We love our work and our writing process is very harmonious. We usually share the same vision so there isn’t a lot of frustration. If anything, it gives us the opportunity to be passionate about our work together.
5) Was it easier working with the puppies or the horse in Flicka 2? They each have their own challenges. Horses are very large and powerful animals and they take time to re-set and move around. We have a fabulous wrangler, Kirk Jarret that we have used on all our horse films and we have a great working relationship with him. But Flicka didn’t talk so working with puppies that will eventually be talking brought a whole new technical challenge to the table. The puppies have to be very solid on their mark and stay in position long enough to be able to focus the camera and for them to say the line. It was really fun to go through the entire process from conception of the story to the finished product.
It always amazes me how much work goes into making a film, especially when animals are involved! Wyatt and I had a great time watching Marley & Me The Puppy Years. I loved the voices of the Min Pins and thought they nailed their personalites perfectly. Marley is super cute and lovable and his determination to please his owner shows a dog’s true desire on life.
Marley & Me The Puppy Years is available for purchase now at Sam’s Clubs and Wal-Marts nation wide and is available in both a DVD and Blu-Ray format. This release includes the following special features: • Marley & Me: The Puppy Years Goes to Training Camp, • Part of the Family, and • My Favorite Moments. This movie is rated PG and has a running time of 107 minutes.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS REVIEW IS MY OPINION. THANK YOU TO 20th CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT FOR SUPPLYING THIS PRODUCT FOR REVIEW.
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