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CAIRN MOVIE DESCRIPTIONS

 

1990’s

·         Graveyard Shift-1990
    David Andrews, Stephen Macht, directed by Ralph S. Singleton.
    This movie is full of blood sucking rats, that makes it is a perfect venue for a Cairn Terrier. The Cairn in this picture is called Moxie. We are introduced to the cairn by his quirky exterminator owner Cleveland when he says,
     “Moxie here is a real special breed of rat terrier. He didn’t waste his puppy years down at the beach playing Frisbee with Frankie and Annette, he’s too busy training, trackin’ rats through walls and concrete.”
    Moxie tries his best to live up to his reputation but sadly meets his nemesis in the sewers of his small New England town. This picture is based on a story by Stephen King. He does love to pepper his stories with animals; in this case, it is a giant rat/bat mutant and a Cairn Terrier. There is a lot of blood, plenty of violence, and all of the actors except the Cairn are very sweaty. This film has content that includes violence and disturbing imagery. VHS, DVD, available on Netflix.

 

·        Hocus Pocus- 1993
     Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy. Directed by Kenny Ortega.
    This is a Disney Halloween musical offering. This picture has great singing by the Divine Miss Bette. Bette Midler and her two back up witches Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker make this film a lot of fun. Midler plays the evil, but not too competent, leader of an early American witches’ coven. They are silly, yet dangerous, child eating witches revived after a two hundred year sleep.
    The Cairn steals his scenes in a small, but pivotal, role as the devil’s minion. The dog is seen throughout an extended cameo with Penny Marshall and Garry Marshall. VHS, DVD, available on Netflix.

 

·         Twister- 1996 
    Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes, directed by Jon D. Bont.
     This was the blockbuster tornado movie of the disaster film genre that made tornado chasing into a viable hobby. This picture stars a Cairn actor named Toby who is the unnamed Cairn character in the first scenes of the film. The movie opens with the Cairn in the storm cellar for a scene that is a salute to “The Wizard of Oz. That is what sends the story off on its twist. This film has a great Shania Twain theme song and the picture is fun too, especially the famous cow scene. This film won one AfI Award, two Academy Awards, and one Razzie Award.This film contains scenes of violence caused by natural disaster. VHS, DVD, DVD-HD, DVD Blu Ray, available on Netflix.

 

·        Dunston Checks In- 1996
     Jason Alexander, Faye Dunaway, Erick Lloyd, Rupert Everett, Paul Reubens, directed by Ken Kwapis.
     A wheaten Cairn actor named Kobe is featured in the role of a beloved pet named Neil Armstrong in this picture. Neil, a guest at the hotel, is introduced with a very athletic flight through the air at check in. He continues in his portrayal of the hapless canine guest throughout film. Poor Neil is always getting into situations that end in a bath.
    This is a very funny family comedy film about two boys, the sons of the manager, who live at the hotel and get into constant trouble. There is also a jewel heisting orangutan called Dunston adding extra complications. Sadly, although the orangutan gets a screen credit, the Cairn does not. VHS, DVD, available on Netflix.

 

·         The Portrait Of A Lady- 1996 
    Nicole Kidman, John Malkovich, Barbara Hershey, Shelly Winters, John Gielgud, Shelly Duvall, Mary Louise Parker, Richard E. Grant, directed by Jane Campion.
     A wheaten Cairn Terrier is featured as a favored pet throughout movie. There are a number of different breeds of dogs featured in this picture. The characters in the movie have pets throughout the film.
     This is an adaptation of the classic novel by Henry James. It is an incredibly subtle, slow paced historical period costume production. It is beautifully filmed, with an intensely talented cast. As we follow the life of the lady played by Kidman, the characters of this Victorian drama are carefully revealed slowly facing the truths beneath the surface of their lives.
    There is some mild visual eroticism throughout the film and in the dream sequences. There is a bit of nudity in the some of the dream segments of the movie. This film was nominated for two Academy Awards, and one Golden Globe Award. This film has content with some nudity and mild eroticism . VHS, DVD, listed as a future release on the Netflix waitlist.

 

·        2 Days In The Valley- 1996 
     Danny Aiello, Jeff Daniels, Terry Hatcher, Marsha Mason, Eric Stoltz, Mark the Pit Bull and Coby the Cairn, directed by John Herzfeld.
    This film has a tangled plot, about murder for hire in the San Fernando Valley. It is quirky, bloody, and full of characters that are pathologically violent. A Cairn actor named Coby plays the role of Bogart. He appears throughout as does a Pit Bull actor named Mark whose character is unnamed. Bogart repeatedly prevents his washed up director owner from committing suicide.
     The movie has a lot of pointless blood and violence. It does not quite ever rise to the slick comic book style of the later Tarantino “Kill Billseries so the blood just seems icky and the characters pathetic. Currently out of print, This film has content with violence, strong language, disturbing imagery, and deals with suicide. VHS, DVD when you can still find them,, available on Netflix.

 

·        The Beautician And The Beast- 1997
     Fran Drescher, Timothy Dalton, directed by Ken Kwapis.
    This is a sweet romantic family comedy. It is light entertaining matinee fare with sitcom laughs. Timothy Dalton is well worth looking at, Fran Drescher is her usual charming, funny self, and there is a Cairn Terrier with a small role throughout. This story borrows heavily from Drecher’s “The Nanny” TV show plot except this time she is a beautician who gets the job of nanny to a dictator. One Razzie Award.
VHS, DVD, available on Netflix.

 

·         Lost And Found-1999
    David Spade, Sophie Marceau, Artie Lange, Martin Sheen, Jon Lovitz, directed by Jeff Pollack,
     You can’t miss the Cairn in this one, he's played by a Cairn actor named Kobe, and the doggie is, shall we say, prominently featured on the cover poster for the film. The plot revolves around the Cairn named Jack who runs away a lot, is lost, found, and then swallows a wedding ring that must be retrieved. This makes it impossible to send the dog home until it is “recovered” so Spade’s character steals his cute neighbor’s dog.
     This movie has sections of dark humor in it involving the dog that many viewers may find inappropriate. For fans of David Spade’s brand of dark humor that will not be a problem. For example, one scene uses the dog to satirize drugged out people. Spade comes home to find the dog is high and prostrate on the floor having eaten too much of the sugary junk food he scrounged up in the kitchen. Spade is seen in the doorway from the dog’s sugar stoned, 1960’s psychedelic viewpoint.
      In another scene the dog is hidden in a dryer that is accidently turned on. Although these scenes and others are not portrayed as harming the dog or as intentional cruelty, they will make some viewers uncomfortable. It is slapstick comedy and fiction. These scenes are intended to be the same type of silly slapstick dog humor in the film “Something About Mary so it is up to the viewer to decide if they go too far.
     Jon Lovitz, in the role of a dog whisperer is very funny. He communes with the dog and exposes Spade for his mistreatment of Jack. After reading Jack the dog’s mind, he reveals he knows about the dryer incident. Jack let him know he was accidently left for several turns of the drum after the dryer was turned on. Spade straightens up and treats the dog well after the meeting with the psychic.
     It is a very silly movie that has its funny moments. It does have some blue language, adult themes, and inappropriate treatment of dogs. It is now out of print but still available in several formats.
This film contains some strong language, comic dog mistreatment, and some drug themes. VHS, DVD, available on Netflix.

 

·       Music of the Heart- 1999
     Meryl Streep, Jane Leeves, Gloria Estefan, Cloris Leachman, Angela Bassett, uncredited Cairn puppies. Directed by Wes Craven.
     This is the true story of an East Harlem school whose music program goes from nothing, to funded, to not funded, to Carnegie Hall and full funding again with the guidance of a dedicated music teacher. It was nominated for several Academy Awards including Best Lead Actress for Streep who also garnerd nominations for a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations. It was nominated for Best Orignal Song and a Grammy for TV and film song for "Music of My Heart" written by Diane Warren. Gloria Estefan debuted in this film. The Cairns have a scene as free puppies in a box in front of the school. Two Oscar nominations, One Golden Globe nomination, One Screen Actor's Guild nomination, One Grammy Nomination.
DVD, available on Netflix, and at Amazon.com.