Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale

In 1986, the late, great cartoonist Murray Ball turned his hand to directing and adapted his phenomenally successful cartoon strip “Footrot Flats” into New Zealand’s first animated feature film.

Set in the fictional rural town of Raupo, Ball’s film (from a script he co-penned with fellow cartoonist Tom Scott) focuses on establishing the origins of fan-favourite characters Dog and Wal’, along with a host of other recurring characters from the cartoon strips, including nature-loving neighbour Cooch Windgrass, farmhand Rangi, Wal’s niece Pongo, the villainous Murphy’s from an adjacent farm and of course Dog’s animal companions – love interest Jess, Major the pigdog, and Horse (Wal’s seemingly indestructible cat.)

The film, now celebrating its 40th anniversary, has been remastered in 4K, and the result is a presentation that looks and sounds better than it ever has. In 1986 when the film was released it was a local phenomenon, outgrossing E.T. The Extra Terrestrial. Dave Dobbyn wrote his Kiwi anthem Slice of Heaven for the film and it spent eight weeks at the top of the NZ music charts before seeping into our culture to be played at any moment of national pride.

– Chris Matthews

Director
Murray Ball
Producer
John Barnett, Pat Cox
Screenplay
Murray Ball and Tom Scott
Animation Director
Robbert Smit
Music
Sir Dave Dobbyn
Voices
Peter Rowley, John Clarke, Billy T. James, Rawiri Paratene, Fiona Samuel, Peter Hayden