When Marmaduke Went to Imperial Beach
Marmaduke and the Surf Dogs
Marmaduke on broadcast shoot for Extra, Imperial Beach, California, 2010
One of my most interesting video production gigs as a producer was an interview for Extra with Terri Seymour. She interviewed Owen Wilson, George Lopez, and woof-woof, Marmaduke. I’ve noticed that most baby boomers like myself are familiar with the oafy Great Dane from his comic-strip days. Those times reach back to 1954, but younger generations sniffed the movie cautiously. And possibly due to that the movie suffered from bad reviews.
Marmaduke and Carlos
Owen and George (the voices of Marmaduke and Carlos the Cat, respectively) sat and spoke about their collaboration on the movie on the sands of Imperial Beach. Only moments before, the annual surf dog contest took place. There was a potpourri of man’s-best-friend in surf outfits or their usual fur coats. But the stand-out was Marmaduke in his tall director’s chair. He himself did not surf. Nor did he seem interested in surfing.
When you think about how far animation has come, to a point where hair looks like real hair, and fur like real fur, compared to the first Mickey and Minnie films, you have to admit we’ve come a long, long way. It’s a little sad that nobody really takes note of this, other than video or film production people, and that we have, as film audiences, become so doggone jaded.
One of these days, my hubby and I will rent “Marmaduke” on Netflix. I’ll pop up some popcorn and then my husband and I are going to enjoy the good old days that a rambunctious dog and his kitty-cat sidekick are sure to invoke.
