What Do The Critics Say?

"Owen Wilson has gone to the dogs, first as an owner of a badly behaved canine in Marley & Me and now as the voice of the badly behaved canine in Marmaduke. It's a lot of twists and turns for very little reward. But bottom line, will the kids like it? Quite possibly. The film is packed with adorable dogs and kids, with both Marmaduke and the dad ultimately coming through as heroes." Nancy Churnin DALLAS MORNING NEWS "Like most movies aimed at the kindergarten set, Marmaduke balances its giggly, gross-out gags with a stern moral agenda." Stephen Holden NEW YORK TIMES "It contains approximately twice the laughs of "Sex and the City 2" and half the number of bitches." Peter Sobczynski eFILMCRITIC "If Hollywood insists on cranking out movies about dogs that won't stop yapping at us, I hope they'll all be as well-made as Marmaduke." Chris Hewitt ST PAUL PIONEER EXPRESS "This is a film that begins and ends with a fart joke. And those are two of the highlights." Brian Tallerico MOVIE RETIEVER "It’s tempting simply to note that director Tom Dey bookends Marmaduke with fart jokes, and leave it at that. Kids love dogs and fart jokes. The goods are being delivered to the target audience. All others should look away." Keith Phipps AV CLUB "Truly a milquetoast Scooby Snack for pet-friendly families who thrill to computer-generated mouth movements on real-life four-legged critters. One promising novelty is the reimagining of a pooch park as a clique-crazy high school where the eponymous Great Dane (Wilson) is trying to fit in, but that spark of inspiration gets muzzled pretty quickly by 'who let the dogs out?' jokes and canine flatulence." Stephen Garrett TIME OUT NEW YORK

"It's yet another cutesy, cloying endeavor where humans are dullards, creatures are cool, and the latter speak in voices often cribbed from current popular culture crazes. On the plus side, Owen Wilson's work as the title character, plus an overall genial atmosphere of fun and adventure, make for one of the more enjoyable kid vid films in recent memory. It's no Babe, but it's no bomb either." Bill Gibron FILMCRITIC.COM "Marmaduke is your standard-format talking flea-taxi flick. Think "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" with a massive switch of pedigree. For in case you don’t know, Marmaduke is a big, lumbering, slobbering Great Dane. The movie works in a way that toddlers and early primary schoolers will definitely dig." Leigh Paatsch HERALD SUN "Marmaduke is a comic strip about a large, slobbering dog who tackles people. That's it. No more, no less. But there is the little matter of a movie, and all I can say is: It's harmless. It causes neither physical nor extreme mental anguish. The dogs are cute: I'll say that for it. So are the humans, though William H. Macy wears out his welcome as a control-freak pet-food executive." Amy Biancolli HOUSTON CHRONICLE "In a genre so choked with cynical films, this one was made with enough skill and heart to make its emotional payoffs believable and welcome." Jason Heck KANSAS CITY STAR "A sprightly family comedy about a frisky Great Dane and his human companion who both learn new things during a major transition in their lives." Frederic & Mary Ann SPIRITUALITY AND PRACTICE "May have little in common with the comic strip upon which it's based but remains a perfectly viable flick for dog-loving families. Owen Wilson makes the movie happen as the fun-loving voice of the great dane who famously hates water. With plenty of dumb puns, the straight-line story barely ever hits a plot point in a movie that coasts on its primary conceit of watching dogs talk and interact." COLE SMITHEY

The Inside Story Owen Wilson, a gifted comic actor, counts among his recent box-office hits the 2008 holiday treat "Marley & Me", in which he played the owner of a mischievous pooch. Now, as the great Great Dane Marmaduke, it’s Wilson’s turn to wreak havoc on a hapless family (and also come to their aid when the going gets tough). "There’s an interesting symmetry with those two roles," Wilson admits. "But to be honest, it’s coincidental that those parts happened so closely together. I took on the voice of Marmaduke mostly for the chance to work again with Tom Dey, with whom I had done "Shanghai Noon". When we discussed "Marmaduke" and Tom’s ideas for the film, it all clicked for me, and in no time at all I was channeling my inner-canine to voice Marmaduke." According to Dey, Wilson’s role in "Marley & Me" might have had more to do with the actor agreeing to portray Marmaduke than Wilson admits. "Owen was the last voice actor cast because Marmaduke was the most difficult to cast. I had read the script and Owen had told me over dinner that he had a great time working with the dogs on "Marley & Me". I told Owen I had been trying to cast Marmaduke, and Owen smiled and said, 'Maybe I should do Marmaduke.' We laughed! And ten months later, he was Marmaduke." Renowned actor,comedian and talk show host George Lopez also found himself in a kind of 'turnabout is fair play' casting situation when he accepted the voice role of Carlos the cat, having less than two years earlier voiced a character in "Beverly Hills Chihuahua", as Papi, a street-wise dog who falls for a pampered Beverly Hills pooch. "I figured I’d give the cat world equal time," says a grinning Lopez. "Whatever the species, I enjoy giving the characters I play some attitude and fun, and Carlos has no shortage of both." The unexpected friendship between Marmaduke and Carlos presents a cat and dog not only living together harmoniously under one roof but who are best pals, also provides some of the film’s biggest laughs and plenty of heart. "I loved the relationship between Carlos and Marmaduke," Lopez revealed. "Most people think dogs and cats can’t coexist, but those two are like brothers. Carlos is always there for Marmaduke, even to help him with his crazy schemes." Marmaduke’s crazy schemes are part of his ongoing efforts to help his 'fam', as he calls them, succeed in their new O.C. surroundings, while he finds his niche among the neighborhood canines. But it’s not going to be easy for Marmaduke. Being a teenager can be rough, especially the parts about trying to fit in and figure out who’s cool (and who’s not). And being a two hundred pound dog; well, that exponentially increases the degree of difficulty of teenage life. Marmaduke’s new 'leash on life' in The O.C. begins promisingly enough. Tooling down the Pacific Coast Highway with his owner Phil, the sunglasses-wearing Marmaduke sticks his head out of the car’s sunroof, enjoying the SoCal sunshine. But soon enough he gets a whiff of the challenges that lie ahead during his first sojourn to the dog park. This is ground zero for dogs to meet, socialize, catch up on the latest, and conduct pressing matters of 'business'. The park is nothing less than high school: for dogs. Just like secondary schools for those walking on two legs, the dog park is rife with cliques: the 'Jocks', dogs whose main interests are catching Frisbees and dating I.Q.-challenged Cocker Spaniels; the 'Drama Geeks' who love to act and put on a show; the 'Juvenile Delinquents', a rough-looking bunch who like to hang out by the park fence; the 'Mutts': mixed breeds from the wrong side of the tracks; and the 'Pedigrees', rich and spoiled who don’t think their meadow muffins stink. Producer John Davis, who certainly knows his way around stories centered on animals with special abilities, having produced films like "Dr Dolittle" and "Garfield", says the film "is reminiscent of the teen angst films of the 1980s." And count director Tom Dey as another fan of the classic films about high school life, no small number of which were either helmed by, produced by, or written by, the legendary John Hughes. "I grew up with movies like "Some Kind of Wonderful", "Sixteen Candles" and "Ferris Bueller’s Day Off". Making "Marmaduke" was like revisiting my teenage years." But 2004 Imagen Foundation Award winner George Lopez says his cinematic alter-ego doesn’t think too much about teen social strata. "Carlos is a self-sufficient cat who really isn’t into the whole high school scene. A big day for Carlos is hacking up a fur ball." Although he has little interest in high school life at the dog park; obviously the last place he’d want to hang out; Carlos will do anything for Marmaduke, even help him make friends with the Pedigree pooch clique Marmaduke yearns to be a part of. The Pedigrees include Bosco (voiced by "24" star Kiefer Sutherland), the group’s 'alpha male' and reigning surf champion; Bosco’s girlfriend, the elegant Collie Jezebel (voiced by Fergie of the "Black Eyed Peas"), who happens to be Phil’s boss’ dog, and whom Marmaduke is crushing on; and Bosco’s shifty cohorts, the mini-Doberman Pinschers, Lightning and Thunder (voiced, respectively, by popular comic actors Marlon Wayans and Damon Wayans, Jr). The film’s human-canine interactions are just as compelling as the dog park dynamics. When Marmaduke isn’t hangin' out with his new friends and at home with step-bro Carlos, he’s both helping and testing the patience of his human 'fam', the Winslows: patriarch Phil, a Midwest dad with lofty ambitions, trying to make a better life for his family in The O.C; mom Debbie), the glue that holds the family together; and kids Brian, Barbara and Sarah. Lee Pace, who starred in the cult television show "Pushing Daisies" and with Colin Firth in the 2009 Tom Ford film "A Single Man", enjoyed his character Phil’s relationship with Marmaduke. Pace points out: "They have a special bond, despite the fact that they’re constantly battling to see who’s 'top dog'. When the family moves to Orange County, Phil gets a new beginning and so does Marmaduke. They both reinvent themselves." Phil’s reinvention is career-centric; having become the marketing chief for a California-based organic pet food company, Phil works for its eccentric owner Don Twombly, whose love for dogs drives him to insist on business meetings in the dog park. In addition, notes William H Macy ("Wild Hogs" & "Fargo") who portrays the canine-crazed corporate titan: "Don does most of these meetings without shoes because, he reasons, dogs don’t wear shoes." For Phil, keeping up with his demanding boss is even more difficult, as he finds himself dodging the omnipresent land mines of field muffins left by the furry visitors. Back at home, Phil’s wife Debbie tries to keep a newly-relocated family and busy household from spinning out of control, including overworked hubby Phil, three young kids adjusting to their new environs and, of course: Marmaduke. "When the Winslows adopted Marmaduke as a puppy, they didn’t know what they were getting themselves into," says Greer ("Kissing a Fool"), whose many credits include the comedy hit "27 Dresses". "When he grew up and became, well, Marmaduke, he became like a fourth child to the Winslows." Casting is a key component of any motion picture production. Casting humans and real animals, would prove to be a challenge. The highly-trained animals who portray the film’s animal leads were the first cast members to be locked in. "Casting the animals was about finding dogs we felt could project the personalities we were looking for," says Dey, who directed Robert Di Nero and Eddie Murphy in "Showtime". Dey admits he enjoyed working with his wet-nosed luminaries. "The dogs were great and real. The thing about filming dogs is that they never give you a false moment, which is truly exhilarating. And it’s the first time in which my lead actor never once questioned any piece of direction I gave." The lead actors to whom Dey is referring are 'George', a two year old Great Dane who stands 36 inches tall at the shoulders, and George’s one hundred and fifty pound half-brother 'Spirit'; both of whom nabbed the title role after a global casting search. The dogs respective talents complemented one another, and together they brought Marmaduke to life on screen. "George was the dog we needed to," Dey explained. 2006 People's Choice Award winner Owen Wilson ("Wedding Crashers") is a fan of George and Spirit. "When I was doing my ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement, or voice work), I got a good look at the performances of the two 'Marmadukes', George and Spirit. They are very impressive, and are the real ‘stars’ of the film." George and Spirit are joined by a talented ensemble of four-legged thespians, each of whom shines. But that’s not to say that they didn’t require some special handling above and beyond the perks demanded by today’s biggest two-legged superstars. For example, animals aren’t too keen about keeping eye line: looking their human co-stars in the eye. Animal coordinator and head trainer Michael Alexander ("Eight Below", "Night At The Museum" & "Beverly Hills Chihuahua") and his team came up with a unique solution: 'Meat glasses', which are sunglass frames rigged with an attachment holding a piece of the dog’s favorite treat. The dog would watch the meat on the spectacles and thus meet the eye line of the person wearing them. Another training technique was having the human actor hold a treat to his or her forehead, and then lower the treat down and feed the dog, all of which encouraged the animal to look the actor in the eye. Not exactly Stanislavsky, but still." It’s no surprise that on each day of shooting, the film set went to the dogs: literally. On the daily call sheets, which describe all the work to be done on set, the first eleven spots were always taken by the canine stars. "Even the animal trainers outnumbered the human actors," 1999 and 2000 NBR Award winner William H Macy ("Magnolia" & "State and Main") notes. All told, eighty dogs and six cats appear in the film, some having undergone sixteen weeks of training prior to the start of principal photography. Some of them it seems,left a peculiar kind of calling card. Or as Dey puts it: "The big dogs drooled and the drool ruled." After capturing a given take, Dey would call out, "Cut! Let’s wipe the drool and go again." One of the secrets in pulling off the surfing scene in the film was, as Michael Alexander puts it, simple: "Find a dog that likes to be in the ocean!" George the dog certainly fitted the bill, taking to the waves like a Big Kahuna. Most of principal photography took place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with a few sequences filmed at Southern California beaches. When Vancouver was hit by a record-breaking heat wave for a few weeks, the production installed special air-conditioned tents at the outdoor locations, to keep the canines cool. In addition, a spectacular junkyard set filled with dozens of abandoned 1950s era cars and neon signs was built, and an entire seaside pier was erected on a soundstage. What's It All About?

Marmaduke, the world’s most lovable Great Dane and a super-sized dog who never quite fits in, has finally found a place where it’s okay to stand out. Now living large in Orange County, California, Marmaduke is helping his family make the big transition from the Midwest to The O.C. Of course Marmaduke and Carlos won't be taking the long road. To their suprise they are being shipped air freight to California. Marmaduke's about to discover a new life, a new house, new smells and the nicest bathroom he's ever had. But, at the local dog park, he finds fitting in with his new four legged friends isn’t easy for a two hundred pound teenage dog. Lucky for Marmaduke, he doesn’t have to go it alone because he always has his 'step-bro' and best pal, Carlos, a Russian Blue Cat, watching his back. Now all he has to do is impress his owner Phil Winslow's boss, Don Twombly. How hard can that be?

The Verdict "Owen Wilson, who appeared alongside Jennifer Aniston in the successful, BMI Film Music Award winning doggy tale, "Marley & Me" ($US242,717,113 world-wide), returns for another four legged production, this time to provide the voice of a mischevous, adorable, teen-aged Great Dane named, "Marmaduke". Aimed fairly and squarely at families with young children, "Marmaduke" is a worthy entry into the family film genre. Everything little kids generally get a kick out, is here in this sweet tale of a teenage Great Dane who has a lot of growing up to do. Of course what makes it even more appealing to kids is that just like their favourite animal cartoons and many of their toys, the assortment of mutts along with a cat named Carlos can, thanks to the wonders of CGI enhancement, talk. There's an abundance of hijinks, a doggy surfing competition, a doggy party disaster and more. But, the good news is that while "Marmaduke" may not be the biggest holiday flick on the block, it is worthy of family support. It's a great way to spend time with the little ones. Now how hard can that be? Not hard at all, me-thinks. 3 1/2 STARS." The Production Team

Director Writers Adapted from Producers Original Music Cinematography Film Editor Casting Production Design Art Direction Key Set Decorator Costume Design

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Tom Dey Tim Rasmussen & Vince Di Meglio the comic by Brad Anderson and Phil Leeming John Davis & Tom Dey Christopher Lennertz Greg Gardiner Don Zimmerman Heike Brandstatter & Coreen Mayrs Sandy Cochrane Don Macaulay Jeffrey Kushon Karen L Matthews

Who Is Playing Who?

Owen Wilson Emma Stone George Lopez Raugi Yu Steve Coogan Stacy Ferguson Kiefer Sutherland Marlon Wayans Damon Wayans Jr Sam Elliott Lee Pace Judy Greer Caroline Sunshine Finley Jacobsen Mandy Haines Milana Haines David Walliams William H Macy

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Marmaduke Mazie Carlos Drama Trainer Raisin Jezebel Bosco Lightning Thunder Chupadogra Phil Winslow Debbie Winslow Barbara Winslow Brian Winslow Sarah Winslow Sarah Winslow Anton Harrison Don Twombly

Run Time 87 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright ©2010 - Twentieth Century Fox - All Rights Reserved ©1999-2010 The Movie Pages & impact Internet Services. All Rights Reserved. Protected by Australian and International Copyright. Trademark Laws and Intellectual Property Rights apply.