Acceptable film about Lassie in which suffers a car accident and is rescued by Turner family formed by Dad (Jon Tenney) , stepmom (Helen Slater) , little Jennifer (film debut of Michelle Williams and Anna Chlumsky turned down this role) and teenager Matthew (Tom Guiry) . All of them leave the town for the wilds of Virginia . In the country they are helped by a homeless collie named Lassie who becomes part of their lives . As Lassie protects Matthew from a dangerous wolf and saves him from a raging waterfall .
Entertaining and fun dog movie shot in marvelous outdoors with very well trained animals . Exciting life of a Collie named Lassie is here expanded to include the adventures of the humans who surround the dog . It packs a good cast such as Michelle Williams , Tom Guiry , Helen Slater , John Tenney , Richard Fansworth and Frederic Forrest , among others . This is an amusing tale of some children , a family and the most remarkable dog in the world . Set Virginia dealing with the fate of a wonderful Collie dog and the people who own and command them , there are splendidly revealed as Lassie narrates the circle of his life and seen through its own carefree life and unflinching loyalty . Handsome take off of the Eric Knight family novel but sometimes fails to capture qualities that make this book a classic . There were some earlier "Lassies," in literature of the 1800's, as well as in silent films . Eric Knight, a British-born author, wrote a Lassie character in a short story in 1940 , then expanded it to a novel called "Lassie Come Home," which became the first Lassie sound film . This is a new classic for a new generation, a thrilling saga of courage and loyalty . The animals in this film were in no way harmed or mistreated , and all scenes in which they appeared were under strict supervision with utmost concern for their handling . Developed quite energetically , as the story is efficiently told and through its profound and wizened eyes . One thread that connects all the Lassie projects is Lassie herself . Every one of the long string of Lassie productions has featured a collie directly descended from the original canine star, a dog named Pal . The new film was made with a young collie , whose biggest challenges were in scenes caring sheep and swimming across a river on her way home . The impressive scenery , photography and music enhance the story of ¨Lassie¨ and its adventures , sufferings and adversities . The tale is treated in good sense and high sensibility ; environment , animals , landscapes combine to enhance the glories of nature , one of which , after all , is beauty . Glowing and glamorous cinematography by Kenneth MacMillan , though being necessary a right remastering . It was filmed on location in Hinton, Sandstone Falls, New River Gorge National River, West Virginia, and Tazewell County, Virginia . Sensitive as well as emotive musical score by Basil Poledouris . He was an excellent composer and author of masterpieces , he composed : ¨Robocop¨, ¨Conan the Barbarian¨ , and ¨Conan the destroyer¨, ¨Hunt for Red October¨ , ¨Flesh and Blood¨ , ¨Free Willy¨ , ¨Starship troopers¨ , among others . The music all plays with the soul , it is so delicately composed, performed, and chosen for the movie that it is worth seeing just to enjoy the soundtrack . The motion picture was professionally directed by Donald Petrie .
Other films based on this famous novel starred by marvelous collie are the followings : the classic and original Lassie was first performed by a male collie named Pal and played Lassie in all of the early sound films such as ¨Lassie comes home¨ (1943) with Elizabeth Taylor , Roddy McDowall , Donald Crisp , Dame May Witty and Edmund Gwenn ; ¨Sons of Lassie¨ (1945) with Peter Lawford , Donald Crisp , June Lockhart and Nigel Bruce ; ¨Courage of Lassie¨ (1946) with Elizabeth Taylor , Frank Morgan , Tom Drake and Harry Davenport ; ¨Challenge to Lassie¨ with Edmund Gwenn , Donald Crisp , Geraldine Brooks and Reginald Owen . And subsequent follow-up played by Pal's descendants in the TV series and TV appearances and in most Lassie films since ¨Lassie's great adventure¨ (1963) with June Lockhart , Hugh Reilly , Jon Provost , Richard Kiel . And ¨Lassie¨(2005) by Charles Sturridge with John Lynch , Samantha Morton , Peter Dinklage , Peter O'Toole , Kelly Mcdonald , Robert Hardy , Edward Fox and John Standing .
