miriamwebster Strictly for fans of all things Old Hollywood and bad movie buffs. For some reason, Hollywood was caught up in big Tinseltown wave of nostalgia in mid-Seventies (Gable & Lombard, WC Fields & Me, Day of the Locust,etc.--ultimately none of them very popular) so this must have seemed like a way for Paramount to hedge its bet--tapping into Hollywood nostalgia by way of Mel Brooks-style humor.Doubtful Mel himself (who also dipped into the Old Hollywood genre himself with Silent Movie) could have done much with a feature-length satire on Rin Tin Tin, the kind of thing that might, at best, have made an okay 10-minute sketch on The Carol Burnett Show. The dog--easily the most compelling character in the film, but in a Lassie sort of way--isn't even funny and during last reels, when he's required to attempt suicide in a variety of "comic" ways, movie really becomes not only unfunny but downright distasteful. Talents of human co-stars Madeline Kahn, Bruce Dern and blink-and-you'll-miss-her Teri Garr are totally wasted although Late Late Show fans may get a perverse kick out of seeing umpteen dozen former big-name and B-list stars of yesteryear who show up in embarrassing last-gasp career cameos. Filmic Parvo.

Dominick Mazza Won Ton Ton, The Dog Who Saved Hollywood is by far a comedy masterpiece, but it stars the lovely Madeline Kahn in a truly hysterical performance. She rises so above the material. She possesses the same kind of movie magic of the screwball comediennes of the 30's and 40's and even comes off much better. I think if Madeline Kahn were a star in those days we would have had at least 100 films starring her. But when she made her film debut in 1972 she was a true Hollywood find. After all her first four movies are all now classics and two considered masterpieces. Not to mention two Oscar nominations. But with all that greatness the movie studios offered her parts in so-so comedies. I mean she made some more very good films, but not up to her first four. She was as beautiful and extremely talented as all her peers of the day. I always felt she was one day going to get her Academy Award in her older years, but unfortunately she died much too soon. Bruce Dern, Art Carney, Teri Garr, Phil Silvers, Ron Liebman, Nancy Walker and so many stars from the past appear in this take off on Rin Tin Tin. Paramount has yet to release it on DVD. 2006 is here today and its the films 30th anniversary. I wish they would release it for us all to enjoy and cherish a underrated performance from Madeline Kahn.

wolfhell88 This is a nice slapstick-comedy about the good old days in Hollywood and also a hommage to Rin Tin Tin, the most famous silent-movie dog-star. Bruce Dern plays a director who starts to have success after discovering the dog. All-star guest appearances from Milton Berle over Cyd Charisse to Rory Calhoun and Johnny Weissmueller are also included but the best actor is the dog who plays Won Ton Ton. He is fantastic. In some scenes it doesn't work to put the humor and slapstick from the Twenties into the Seventies but this movie is really worth to take a look.

carbadg I'm not surprised that someone who was in high school when this came out didn't appreciate it. It is of course as much a farce as Mad Mad Mad Mad World, but it has become a cult film for old movie buffs, because it has the most impressive cast of old movie stars, supporting actors, bit players and celebrities of any movie ever made. Movie buffs and clubs have had parties where they show the film and have people list as many players as they can identify. Don't believe it? Mouse up the whole supporting cast and feast your eyes!