Dot and the Kangaroo
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| Dot and the Kangaroo | |
 The book cover. |
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| Author | Ethel Pedley |
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| Illustrator | Frank P. Mahoney |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Children's fiction |
| Publisher | Angus and Robertson |
| Publication date | 1899 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback and Paperback) |
| Pages | 81 |
| ISBN | ISBN-10 1419116592 |
Dot and the Kangaroo, written in 1899, is a children's book by Ethel C. Pedley about a little girl named Dot who gets lost in the Australian outback and is eventually befriended by a kangaroo and several other marsupials. The book was adapted into a stage production in 1924 and a film in 1977.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
A girl named Dot is lost in the outback after chasing a hare into the wood and losing sight of her home. She is approached by a red kangaroo who gives her some berries to eat. Upon eating the berries, Dot is able to understand the language of all animals, and she tells the kangaroo her plight. The kangaroo, who has lost her own joey, decides to help little Dot despite her own fear of humans. The book is filled with criticism on negative human interference in the wild.
| Dot and the Kangaroo | |
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| Directed by | Yoram Gross |
| Produced by | Yoram Gross Studios |
| Written by | Ethel C. Pedley (novel) Yoram Gross (screenplay) John Palmer (screenplay) |
| Starring | Lola Brooks Joan Bruce Barbara Frawley Peter Gwynne Ron Haddrick Ross Higgins Richard Meikle Spike Milligan June Salter |
| Music by | Bob Young John Palmer Marion Von Alderstein |
| Distributed by | Henstooth Video |
| Release date(s) | 1977 |
| Running time | 70 min. |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
[edit] Film adaptations
The book was adapted into a 1977 film that featured a combination of animation and live-action. The main character, Dot, was voiced by Barbara Frawley. The movie featured an original soundtrack including several lyrical melodies composed by Bob Young, John Palmer and Marion Von Alderstein. The movie backdrop was filmed on location in and around the Jenolan Caves of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia. Although the film uses many of the same elements as other animated children's musicals involving animals, such as many of the Disney films in the United states, the film is essentially Australian in its use of icons and accents. It also references Indigenous Australian culture in some scenes which show animation of cave paintings and aboriginal dancing.[2] The film was a success and allowed Yoram Gross to enlarge his production company and market his family films in the United States. Also, the film's use of animation set against still photographic backgrounds established the style for many of his later films.[3]
[edit] Soundtrack
Lyrics by John Palmer:
- Dreamtime
- Quark Ducks
- The Bunyip (Bunyip Moon)
- Platypus Duet
- Click-ity Click
- In The Kangaroo Pouch
Lyrics by Marion Von Alderstein
- I'm a Frog
Additional lyrics by Bob Young.
Recorded by Maurie Wilmore.
[edit] Controversy
Surrounding the first of the movies, titled "Dot and the Kangaroo," is some controversy and alleged drug references. Regardless of the nature or implications of the movie's script, numerous cannabis plants are visible in both the foreground and background of the movie on several occasions. Furthermore, Kangaroo gives Dot a root to eat, called the "Root of Understanding," but warns, "You mustn't eat too much ... If you eat too much, you'll know too much." Others claim that such occurrences are a mere coincidence.
[edit] Sequels
Another eight movies in the series were made by the Yoram Gross studios by 1994. The theme behind all of the films in the Dot series is the negative impact of humanity on animal life in nature.
The complete series of films are as follows:
- 1977 - Dot and the Kangaroo at the Internet Movie Database
- 1981 - Around the World with Dot at the Internet Movie Database
- 1984 - Dot and the Bunny at the Internet Movie Database
- 1985 - Dot and the Koala at the Internet Movie Database
- 1986 - Dot and Keeto at the Internet Movie Database
- 1986 - Dot and the Whale at the Internet Movie Database
- 1987 - Dot and the Smugglers at the Internet Movie Database
- 1987 - Dot Goes to Hollywood at the Internet Movie Database
- 1994 - Dot in Space at the Internet Movie Database
[edit] Release
A DVD version of the film was released on October 30, 2001. In the 1980s, Family Home Entertainment had an American release on home video (possibly the only Australian cartoon to be released on home video by the company). In Australia there is a complete series DVD set of all the Dot films.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Giannalberto Bendazzi, Cartoons: One Hundred Years of Cinema Animation, Indiana university Press, ISBN:0-253-20937-4
- ^ Rick Thompson, The Oxford Companion to Australian Film, 1999, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0 19 553797 1
- ^ Giannalberto Bendazzi, Cartoons: One Hundred Years of Cinema Animation, Indiana university Press, ISBN:0-253-20937-4
[edit] Links
- PDF of the (public domain) text.
- Dot character page at Yoram Gross website
- Dot and the Kangaroo, available at Project Gutenberg. (with original illustrations)
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