Shiloh

1996 "The story of a boy who risks everything to save his best friend."
Shiloh
6.3| 1h33m| PG| en| More Info
Released: 30 November 1996 Released
Producted By: Good Dog Productions
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

An abused beagle runs away from his owner. On the road, he meets young Marty Preston and follows him home. The boy immediately forms a bond with the dog and names him Shiloh. His stern father won't let him keep the dog because it belongs to Judd Travers, a local hunter. After Shiloh is mistreated again, he runs away and returns to Marty. Knowing his father will once again make him bring Shiloh back to Judd, he makes a home for the dog in an old shed up the hill from the Prestons' house and hides him from his family. His secret is soon discovered when a stray attacks the dog one night and he must turn to his father for help.

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NateWatchesCoolMovies We all have those classic movies about animals that we watched when we were little ones, and hopefully if you've got any senses about you, still revisit as an adult. Well, most people have a few of those... I've got at least like twenty. One couple of movies that are very dear to me are Shiloh, and Shiloh 2: Shiloh Season, two indisputable classics that I was pretty much raised on, and have a burning nostalgia for. Shiloh boils down to one simple, loving archetype: a boy and his dog. Or, rather, a boy who desperately wishes to save a dog from going down the same road of violence and abuse that it's currant owner has. Marty Preston (Blake Heron, and Zachary Browne in the sequel because they just can't stick with one actor) is a young rural lad with a wholesome life and family, wishing for a dog of his own. Local roughneck and hunter Judd Travers (Scott Wilson) owns a whole pack of mutts that he mistreats when drunk, and aims to turn them all into vicious hunting dogs. When one small beagle escapes, it makes its way onto Preston land and suddenly Marty finds he has a new best friend. His stern father Ray (inimitable Michael Moriarty) warns him that the dog is probably Judd's, while his mother (excellent character actress Ann Dowd) urges compassion from her husband. Soon enough Judd comes looking, and conflict arises between the boy and the bitter old hunter. It's a children's story so nothing too messed up ever happens, but there's some touching lessons and surprising gravitas from both Moriarty and Wilson that is nice to see from such a seemingly innocuous, kid oriented franchise. Judd shows beautiful complexity in the sequel, the writing allowing Wilson to illustrate that not all mean people started out that way, and that with a little kindness and a lot of patience, old wounds can be burrowed into and treated. I first became a fan of Scott through the Shiloh films and he will always be Judd Travers to me. Marty finds a friend in Shiloh, getting right to the point of what these movies are about: friendship. New friends, old friends, and letting people in who need someone and don't even know it. It's great stuff, timeless to be sure, and always guaranteed to draw forth a smile. Rod Steiger lends his famous kind streak to the role of Doc Wallace, a convenience store owner with sagely wisdom for Marty and his fellow friends, as well as compassion for Judd. Now, there's a third film, also with Wilson but yet another different actor for Marty, and Moriarty sitting it out as well, which is why I haven't checked it out so far. Maybe it's time.
wes-connors "From the 'Newbery Award'-winning book," proclaims the Warner Bros. synopsis, "Shiloh, an adorable beagle, runs away from his neglectful owner, and is found by young Marty (Blake Heron). Marty knows that Shiloh belongs to someone else, but is determined to save the dog from more neglect. Against the wishes of the dog's owner (Scott Wilson) and his father (Michael Moriarty), Marty risks everything to make the dog his own." Good summation of a great film for young children, based on a classic novel.If memory serves, there was no incongruously flirty "tomboy" girlfriend in Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's original story; this character was played up to give the film greater appeal, probably. Still, Dale Rosenbloom does well in capturing the essence of the novel, which thoughtfully plays up the issue of animal rights. "Shiloh" and the humans perform well, with Mr. Wilson (as Judd Travers) adept at conveying the villainous owner of Shiloh is actually a wounded man. He has the right to kick Shiloh around, or does he? ******* Shiloh (11/10/96) Dale Rosenbloom ~ Blake Heron, Scott Wilson, Michael Moriarty, Ann Dowd
darylal In the first 5 minutes the kid works on showing us how not to use riffle by pointing it around, followed by unbelted car ride with his father. I saw nothing even remotely watchable in this move and about halfway through turned it off. A complete waste of time unless you like animal cruelty and self torture, which me and my 6 year old are not. Oh and speaking of torture the actors look like they are being torture by the script. Feel sorry for the poor guy that had to edit this, but not like he spent much time. Think I will pay the library for this movie just so I can destroy the DVD and save others from this. IF you see this movie run, run, run!
Jim Ruddy (ruddy_jim) Everything about this film is clichéd. From the one dimensional nuclear conservative family values to the animal rights message, this movie reeks of something that is 50 years past it's best viewed by date. From the characters to the plots, this film puts me in mind of a long Leave it to Beaver episode with a little more edge.But it's cliché after cliché after cliché... simply horrible. Even my 5 year old didn't like it.Acting, especially Blake Heron, was great, but the cast was let down by the plastic screenplay.I would have liked to have seen a little more subtlety, let the viewers discover things instead of just throwing so many clichéd images and lines of dialog at them. Kids are smarter than some give them credit for. Let them discover gravity by watching an apple fall, not by smacking them on the head with an anvil.