Dog Park (1998)

Director:

Bruce McCulloch

Writer:

Bruce McCulloch (writer)

Release Date:

24 September 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

down boy

Plot:

Sex comedy takes a look at contemporary dating mores and hypothesizes that the new dating location may be the dog walk in the park...

Plot Keywords:

Dog | Dinner Scene | Rejection | Jealousy | Loud Sex

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Natasha Henstridge	...	Lorna
Luke Wilson	...	Andy
Kathleen Robertson	...	Cheryl
Janeane Garofalo	...	Jeri
Bruce McCulloch	...	Jeff
Kristin Lehman	...	Keiran
Amie Carey	...	Rachel
Gordon Currie	...	Trevor
Harland Williams	...	Callum
Mark McKinney	...	Dr. Cavan, Dog Psychologist
Peter MacNeill	...	Neighbor
Albert Schultz	...	Male Dog Owner #2
Jerry Schaefer	...	Norm
Zachary Bennett	...	Dougie
Ron James	...	Male Dog Owner #1
Diane Flacks	...	Chirpy Dog Owner
Earl Pastko	...	Bartender
Nick Johne	...	Video Cashier
Jennifer Irwin	...	Woman
Myrna Sun	...	Lustress
Michael McManus	...	Derrick, the Waiter
Tracy Wright	...	Dog Psychologist's Wife
Leisha Morais	...	Dog Psychologist's Child
Jason Arnott	...	Dog Psychologist's Child
Terri Hawkes	...	Announcer
Boyd Banks	...	Ge Groovy Lesh
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Casey	...	Mogley
Mike Horner	...	Guy in 'Pipe Fitter' Video (uncredited)
Melanie Moore	...	Girl in 'Pipe Fitter' Video (uncredited)

Directed by
Bruce McCulloch

Writing credits
Bruce McCulloch		(writer)

Produced by
Susan Cavan	....	producer
Armand Leo	....	line producer
Jeff Sackman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Christophe Beck
Craig Northey

Cinematography by
David A. Makin

Film Editing by
Norman Buckley
Christopher Cooper

Casting by
Diane Kerbel
Christine Sheaks

Production Design by
Marian Wihak

Art Direction by
Arvinder Grewal

Costume Design by
Linda Muir

Makeup Department
Marika Latorcai	....	assistant makeup artist (as Marika Williams)
Geralyn Wraith	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Scott Michael Nabat	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
P.J. Diaz	....	trainee assistant director
David Manion	....	first assistant director
Eric J. Robertson	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Kelly Brine	....	storyboard artist
Elliott Carew	....	assistant props
Craig Grant	....	property master

Sound Department
Eric Apps	....	adr recordist
Jeff K. Brunello	....	sound effects editor
Michele Cook	....	adr editor
Paul Curtis	....	adr editor
Chris David	....	sound re-recording mixer
Roderick Deogrades	....	sound effects editor
Marc Fishman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Elisabeth Flaum	....	sound effects editor
Shawn Kennelly	....	adr foley mixer
Garrett Kerr	....	dialogue editor
Kirk Lynds	....	re-recording assistant
Michael Payne	....	supervising sound editor
Andy Peach	....	sound recordist
Donna Powell	....	foley artist
David Rose	....	adr recordist (as Dave Rose)
David Rose	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Dave Rose)
Lou Solakofski	....	sound re-recording mixer
Orest Sushko	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jane Tattersall	....	supervising sound editor
Randy Wilson	....	control room operator

Special Effects by
John LaForet	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
D. Gregor Hagey	....	electrician
Andris Matiss	....	Steadicam operator
Harry Stroud	....	gaffer
Karen Stroud	....	gaffer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Erika Larner	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Erika Larner-Corbett)

Editorial Department
Dawn Kuisma	....	post-production assistant
Jeff McEvoy	....	assistant editor
Ricardo Olivero	....	color timer
Philip Stilman	....	executive in charge of post-production

Music Department
Trevor Ambrose	....	music editor
Fernand Bos	....	supervising music editor
Linda Cohen	....	music supervisor
Alex Steyermark	....	executive music producer
Casey Stone	....	score mixer

Transportation Department
Cheryl Darbey	....	driver
Evan Siegel	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Michael Barnes	....	financial legal services
Karen Chandler	....	assistant accountant
Shawn Doney	....	assistant production coordinator
Holly Harold	....	assistant to director
Mark Logan	....	location manager
Jeff McEvoy	....	title designer: main titles
Peter Muldoon	....	production accountant
John Musikka	....	assistant location manager
Nicki Skinner	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Accent Entertainment Corporation
• Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit (CPTC)
• Harold Greenberg Fund, The
• Indieprod Films
• Lions Gate Films
• New Line Cinema
• Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit, The
• Téléfilm Canada

Distributors

• Independent Pictures (III) (????) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Lions Gate Films (Canada)
• New Line Cinema (1999) (USA)
• One World Media
• Sony Pictures Video

Also Known As:

Réservé aux chiens (Canada: French title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality and language.

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Singapore:M18 | Germany:12 | USA:R | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Accent Entertainment Corporation

Trivia:

In one scene in the movie, Andy goes into a bar with a bicycle wheel, saying that someone had stolen the rest of his bike. Director and co-star Bruce McCulloch once performed a skit on "Kids in the Hall" where he played a man whose bicycle wheel had been stolen, but the rest of the bike had been left behind.

Quotes:

Lorna: So what do you do for a living?
Andy: I... I write classified ads.
Lorna: I've read some of your work. Some of it's pretty good.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in WildCat (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

The Only One I Know

Unusual and charming. Explores the heart truthfully

I liked it a lot. It's about people, not things or action or plot. That's uncommon these days, and should be applauded and supported by movie goers. People complain about f/x flicks, big cash blockbusters, and formulaic "lowest common denominator" pop-trash movies. That's a noble sentiment, but why not walk that talk? Why not get out to the theaters and pay to SEE movies that attempt to break out of the pop-culture molds? One of the reasons f/x (etc.) movies are almost all Hollywood makes anymore is because that's mostly all you and I pay to see anymore. Well, here's your chance to put your money where your mouth is and support something a little bit different.

"Dog Park" had a few annoying "snotty chick" cliches, but not too many, nor too bad. Whether or not this movie represents real life or not, I cannot say. Whether or not a movie, any movie, even SHOULD represent real life--who knows that, either? But, if art, good or bad, is designed to evoke a certain feeling, and certain vibes, then this movie does that very well. The specific events may or may not be "accurate," but the vibe and the results are.

Minor flaws aside-- and they are mostly mere quibbles-- this is a bright, charming, thoughtful movie about contemporary people. I think everyone could relate to, and benefit from, "Dog Park"'s exploration of the heart: its fear, courage, deadness, commitment and connection. I gave this movie an 8 out of 10.

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