Distributor:
Warner Certificate: PG | 102 minutes |
Region 1 | NTSC Director:
Frederick Du Chau Extras: Yes
ANYONE
IN IT WE KNOW?
Voices of
Frankie Muniz, Mandy Moore, Dustin Hoffman, Whoopi Goldberg, David
Spade, Joe Pantaliano, Snoop Dogg,
WHAT’S
IT ABOUT THEN?
Who
would have though that a pair of
dung eating flys could steal a
movie, well that’s what the
outrageously funny Buzz and
Scuzz manage to do every time
they appear; Racing Stripes, the
heart warming tale of a zebra
who thinks he is a racehorse, is
great family fun.
Stripes
the Zebra is taken in by young
Channing Walsh and her father
after a crash involving a whole
heap of exotic animals sees him
left behind accidentally;
Stripes
grows up convinced he is a racehorse and makes it his ambition to win
the legendary Kentucky Derby, luckily for Stripes Channing’s father is
a famous horse trainer (albeit one who has turned his back on racing
after the death of his wife in a race) and young Channing is determined
to become a jockey – setting the scene for a classic little guy
overcoming all the odds to triumph.
Like Babe
the numerous animals in the movie all talk to each other (not to humans
though) and it’s the supporting cast of animals that really adds to
the enjoyment, Dustin Hoffman voices a lovely old Shetland Pony who acts
as Stripes trainer whilst Whoopi Goldberg is a wise old goat, Joe
Pantaliano turns in a great performance as a mobster style Pelican in
fact Frankie Muniz as Stripes and Mandy Moore as his racehorse love
interest have probably the hardest job playing straight to all the great
comedy support. Definitely aiming for a feel good vibe and mostly
pulling it off. Stripes has broad appeal for a wide range of audiences.
ANY
SPECIAL FEATURES THEN?
There are
plenty of extras including a less effective alternate ending, lots of
deleted scenes and out-takes, a game featuring the flys Buzz and Scuzz
called The Flying Fiasco Challenge, a featurette looking at how they got
the animals talking, there’s also a fun acting class with the animals
with their animals and their trainers, the music of Racing Stripes
focuses on the contributions made by Sting and Bryan Adams to the
soundtrack, there’s a virtual comic book offering a prequel to the
movie, a directors commentary from Frederick Du Chau and the theatrical
trailer.
