Benji the Hunted
Was brought up in a dispute between film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert on their syndicated television show Siskel & Ebert (1986). The same week, the critically acclaimed Full Metal Jacket (1987) was released, and Ebert gave it a mixed review. Meanwhile, Ebert gave "thumbs up" to Benji the Hunted, which Siskel gave thumbs down. Siskel claimed that Ebert liked Benji the Hunted more than Full Metal Jacket. Ebert's favorable review of Benji the Hunted was again brought up when Siskel and Ebert appeared on the animated sitcom .,Grizzly bears are not modernly found in Oregon. This bear species has been extirpated from this northwestern American state since the early 20th Century. They can modernly be found in western Canada and Alaska. Timber wolves currently inhabit Alaska, Canada, portions of the Great Lakes region and northwestern American states (specifically Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming).,Mary Beth McLaulin: Tonight, Benji is missing at sea. He was with his trainer, Frank Inn, in a small open fishing boat just off the coast when the boat capsized. Mr. Inn was rescued. He was taken here to the Coast Guard station in Newport where he apparently is in good condition, but Benji is still missing.,After the credits are over, a still of Benji appears and the text reads "woof.",Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Full Metal Jacket/Spaceballs/Roxanne/Benji the Hunted (1987),Too Many Yesterdays
Music by Betty Box and Euel Box
Lyrics by Joe Camp
Performed by Guy Hovis,Benji the Hunted is a movie that will surely bring a warm joy to animal lovers. The biggest strength of the movie is the detailed portrayal of emotions by the animal star-cast. It is nearly impossible to miss the perfection with which director Joe Camp captures even tiny details like the trembling legs of cougar kittens that followed Benji, the innocence of their faces, or even their spontaneous playful nature. The movie is not about Benji performing breath-taking complicated maneuvers to save the day, rather how Benji faces the day-to-day challenges of living in the wild with the added responsibility of four orphaned cougar kittens. The challenges of the wild are plentiful, enough to keep your eyes hooked to the screen. Yet it's not a fast-paced thriller which would have cost the movie its credibility as a realistic one. The human actors in the movie have very limited role, and the director wastes no time in bundling them out of limelight. Benji again emerges as a hero, showing a big "human" heart, and the message of peace and non-violence is very effectively communicated in the movie. The background score is average, yet does its job efficiently by not distracting the audience from the movie. It is a family movie suitable for all age groups, and a recommended watch for all animal lovers.,