Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey

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🎙️ EPISODE 697: 04.14.23 It's technically the second official "Fill-In Friday" episode, folks! And — in case you didn't know (how/why on earth wouldn't you is another question) — that's the gimmick where I am scanning the archives to find films made by directors I've already reviewed (at least once). Wherein last week we completed the brief two-movie filmography of relative Russian youngster Kantemir Balagov, here the magic spinning arrow landed on one, Duwayne Dunham, a man who's best known from his work editing David Lynch projects (from Blue Velvet to all 18 eps of Twin Peaks: The Return) but who also had a brief and bizarre turn spearheading a slew of Disney and kids movies, mostly of the TV variety (I reviewed the Disney Channel feature, Halloweentown last spooky month), in the mid to late 90s. 1993's Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey is his directorial debut and a film Young Jeff has very fond memories of it.

This is your classic "talking animal movie" although it was before the era where they had the tech/inspiration(?) to digitally make it seem like the dogs and cats were ACTUALLY talking. So it's more like we can hear their thoughts, and they can hear each others' thoughts? It's complicated. (It's not that complicated.) Starring Michael J. Fox as a selfish and free-spirited American Bulldog, Don Ameche as a wise old Golden Retriever, and Sally Field as a pampered Himalayan cat. The latter two are 'owned' by a set of brothers and the latter is 'owned' by their sister. Because, if you learn anything from Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (which is a remake of a 1963 movie btw) it's that CATS = GIRL and DOGS = BOY. It's difficult for me to work out exactly how I feel about the film because I fucking loved this shit as an 11-year-old. But as a decrepit old man I found it to be more boring than endearing. Why are my nostalgia receptors fading, I ask! Perhaps this is just part of my own INCREDIBLE JOURNEY, one which I am still struggling to understand.

CHRONOLOGICALLY
⫷ EPISODE 696 - (YOU ARE HERE) - EPISODE 698 ⫸

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Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey is a 1993 American adventure comedy film and a remake of the 1963 film The Incredible Journey, which was based on the 1961 novel of the same name by Sheila Burnford. Directed by Duwayne Dunham, it was released on February 3, 1993. It grossed $57 million worldwide and was followed in 1996 by Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco. This film is dedicated to producer Franklin R. Levy, who died during production of the film. It was released on February 3, 1993.