Hounddog (film)

Infobox Film
name = Hounddog


image_size =
caption =
director = Deborah Kampmeier
producer = Deborah Kampmeier
writer =
narrator =
starring = Dakota Fanning
Isabelle Fuhrman
Cody Hanford
music =
cinematography =
editing =
distributor =
released = January 22 2007 (Sundance Film Festival)
September 19 2008 (limited)
runtime = 93 min.
country = USA
language = English
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website = http://www.hounddogmovie.com/
amg_id = 1:356926
imdb_id = 0415856

"Hounddog" is a film written, directed and produced by Deborah Kampmeier and starring Dakota Fanning. Robin Wright Penn serves as an executive producer (and also has an acting role, as Stranger Lady). The film was produced by Raye Dowell, Jen Gatien and Terry Leonard. It premiered in competition at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, and was given a limited release in 11 North American theaters on September 19 2008.

Shot in North Carolina and taking place in the 1950s American South, the film stars Fanning as Lewellen, "a troubled 12-year-old girl who finds solace from an abusive life through blues music." [cite web
url = http://www.themotionpicturegroup.com/news_releases/09222006.html
title = The Motion Picture Group, Inc. co-finances "Hound Dog"
date = 2006-09-12
publisher = The Motion Picture Group]

Reactions

The film garnered a great deal of attention, and generated intense controversy, due to the use of such a young actress in the lead role. The controversy was ignited by religious blogs who were concerned for Fanning because the screenplay called for her to appear in a rape scene. [ cite web | url= http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2007-01-23-fanning-hounddog_x.htm | title=Fanning speaks up on rape scene | date=2007-01-23 | publisher = USA Today] The scene only showed Fanning's face and her character's reaction to the traumatic event. [ cite web | url= http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1581847,00.html |title=Fanning Controversy | date=2007-01-24 | publisher = TIME magazine] The outrage spread when the subject matter became widely known. This is the second time Robin Wright Penn has worked on a Deborah Kampmeier movie involving a rape; the first was the 2003 film "Virgin".

Because of the outcry over "Hounddog", North Carolina State Senator and majority leader Phil Berger called for all future films made in North Carolina to have their scripts approved in advance if they are to get the normal production subsidy from the state. Berger says that he has not seen the film but is acting in response to what he has read about it. [cite web | url=http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070126/NEWS/701260363 | title = Republican: Scripts need reviewing - Movie prompts lawmaker's film incentive idea | date=2007-01-26 | publisher = The Star-News]

Reviews from Sundance were mixed, with reviewers calling the movie plodding and heavy-handed. On the other hand, Dakota Fanning was praised for her performance, which Roger Ebert compared to Jodie Foster's performance in Taxi Driver. [cite web|url = http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080918/REVIEWS/809180302/1023|title = Hounddog|accessdate= 2008-09-20|author= Roger Ebert|date= 2008-09-18|publisher= Chicago Sun-Times]

As of September 20, 2008, the movie has 20 reviews on RottenTomatoes.com and rates at 18%.

Box Office

In its opening weekend of September 19-21, 2008, the film took in a dismal $13,744. As of October 5, after 17 days in release, the box office receipts were $47,794. [cite web |url = http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=hounddog.htm | title=Box Office MoJo | date=2008-10-10 | publisher = www.BoxOfficeMoJo.com]

Cast

*Dakota Fanning as Lewellen
*Isabelle Fuhrman as Grasshopper
*Cody Hanford as Buddy
*Piper Laurie as Grammie
*Jill Scott as Big Mama Thornton
*David Morse as Daddy
*Robin Wright Penn as Stranger Lady
*Christoph Sanders as Wooden's Boy
*Afemo Omilami as Charles
*Ryan Pelton as Elvis
*Sean A. Wallace as Boy

References

ee also

*List of films portraying paedophilia or sexual abuse of minors

External links

* [http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=1:356926 "Hounddog"] at allmovie
* [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1195905-hounddog/ "Hounddog"] at Rotten Tomatoes
* [http://www.premiere.com/actresses/3370/no-more-kid-stuff-for-fanning.html Premiere Magazine: Behind the Hounddog Controversy]
* [http://www.cinematical.com/2007/01/26/exit-interviews-on-dakota-fanning-rape-scene/ Exit Interviews from Sundance Screening] Video.
* [http://www.filmperspective.com/?p=37 A Look at the Film by the Film Perspective]