User reviews

As in another user comment on this movie, I first saw this on HBO as a kid. The mix of live footage and animation makes the events in the story seem more authentic and believable and also maintains a connection with reality that drives home the ecological message. As a kid, I remember liking the songs, which are still enjoyable, and being fascinated by the aboriginal elements. Upon second viewing recently, I was struck by the environmental and anthropological themes. It is still magical, and the ending remains affecting.

The first instalment in the Dot film series, 'Dot and the Kangaroo' is one of the better entries of that series of films, is one of Yoram Gross' better films and is one of the best overall examples of Australian animation. While not perfect, it is a lovely film and, while remembered fondly by those who saw it as a child, under-appreciated now.

It is agreed that the animation is not too great, lacking in vibrancy and the drawing does lack finesse. A good deal of it is also rather repetitive, particularly in some of the songs. Speaking of the songs, my feelings on them were mixed. The songs that don't really work, due to excessive cheesiness and pointlessness, is "Platypus Duet", "I'm a Frog" and "In the Kangaroo Pouch".

However, some of the songs do work. The best song is the sublime "Dreamtime" and "Quark Ducks" is pretty funny, the sometimes hilarious lyrics are easy to quote. "The Bunyip" is suitably creepy without being traumatising.

While the animation was not great on the most part, the live photographic backgrounds were very detailed and quite beautifully done. The script is funny, sometimes scary and heart-warming and the characters are engaging with a relatable titular character, a creepy villain and some other fun characters. The voice acting is good from the likes of Barbara Frawley, Spike Milligan and Ron Haddrick.

It is the story where 'Dot and the Kangaroo' most shines. Parts are fun and others are scary, but it's the charm and emotional heart that's particularly note-worthy, really warming the heart and moving even the most cynical of adults to at least a tear or two. The messaging is sincere and never preachy or tacked-on.

Overall, a lovely film and one of the better Dot films. A good example of Australian animation. 8/10 Bethany Cox

This film was repeatedly shown on british TV early on Saturday mornings, and I NEVER missed it. Boy did I love this film in the 80's whilst growing up. Well now nearly 30 (BOO HOO!!), nostalgia starts kicking in and I started to remember what I loved about the 80's. I remembered this movie and set off using the world wide web to track a copy down. I found help from a most unusual source, the director himself! Yoram Gross helped me obtain, via e-mails from Oz, a DVD copy. HOW COOL! Was I disapointed?

No............

The film looks dated, then so do I. Compared to the excellent CGI these days used for animated giants like Shrek and Toy Story this comes last in the egg and spoon race. But this film oodles charm. The story is very innocent, even compared to Shrek and Toy Story, and children will love it. Now I'm definately not one of those people who bang on about films causing kids to rebel and hurt, maim and kill folks. But if you are this film will only cause your kids to "jump in the pouch of a red kangaroo, hippety hoppety, hippety hop". I had not heard the songs for maybe 20 years yet still knew nearly every word. The way the animation is mixed with real time footage is charming and adds to the film, even if Roger Rabbit did it 100 times better. The animals are truly adorable and you warm to them all, exept the Bunyip which is just frightening enough for the age it's aimed at, still don't wanna meet one at 30 though!!!

So dated, yes. Fun, massively. Heart warming, definately. Memorable.........."Quack, quack, quack, quack, all we wanna do all day is quack.......quack, quack......QUACK!"

I remember watching this beautiful film when I was a little girl ... being captivated by Dot and Kangaroo's adventures in the Australian wild, and then being moved to tears at the end when they part. 20 years have now passed since my first viewing, and it still brings bittersweet tears to my eyes.

Well I must agree I haven't seen this in a long time since I was five, but now after seeing it again I understood everything.

If you play close attention you might learn something, it's fun while it lasts though you gotta admit the scene when they sing about the bunyip is creepy especially the background music for it.

But the rest is very enjoyable but fair enough although it doesn't exactly have a happy ending and it's a bit heart-wrenching when you do I should know after seeing it again when we got to the end, I couldn't help it, it was so sad it made me and my sister cry. Well who wouldn't at seeing how much Dot misses her friend already...

But there's a moral for those after seeing the end don't be sad for all we know someday those two friends will meet again and she's not gone forever and would't want her friend sad plus she'll live in your heart no matter what.

That's all that matters out of all the scale it's very lovely movie I suggest if kids are gonna watch this watch it with their folks for support and understanding

I am focusing my attention on the story of 'Dot and the Kangaroo'. Now I am reviewing a film that can only be seen by a British audience on YouTube unless in this case, you happen to own a multi-region DVD Player. Therefore, I am composing this review to the best of what I have managed to gather from watching the film on YouTube. Anyway here goes, the film is based on the posthumous 1899 novel of the same name by Ethel C. Pedley (1859-1898).

The film begins with 5-year-old Dot (Barbara Frawley) lost and alone in the woods of New South Wales after asking her parents' permission to go off exploring only to fall down an embankment. Wondering through the woods and encountering wild animals, the child is thankfully found by a mother kangaroo (Joan Bruce who also plays Dot's mother) who has lost her joey and therefore is inclined to help Dot. Thus Dot embarks on an amazing musical adventure through the wilds of the Australian Outback in the safety of the kangaroo's pouch.

Now, the kangaroo can keep Dot safe but she cannot help her alone and the other animals of the forest cannot help them either, mostly due to their anger towards humans. 'What have the humans ever done for us?' Some of the animals ask aloud despite most of them being friendly towards Dot. Indeed, by this time, Dot's parents have realised their daughter's absence and her father (Ron Haddrick) and grandfather are looking for her.

The other animals put their anger to one side upon hearing of the kangaroo's reasons for helping Dot and recommend seeking help from the platypus couple (June Salter and the great Spike Milligan). This our heroines do, discovering the Jenolan caves that are along the way and learning of the mythological Bunyip of Indigenous Australian legend from the Aboriginal Art that graces the walls of these caves.

The platypus couple are no more trusting towards mankind as the rest of the animal kingdom but their advice leads our heroines to the more friendly Willie-Wagtail (Ross Higgins) and hopefully lead Dot home. It also leads to a brief encounter with some aborigines and their dingoes near the Blue Mountains, which only serves to further strengthen the bond between Dot and the red kangaroo. Of course, there is only so long that such a bond can hold without potentially upsetting the balance of Nature.

In a ground-breaking (for its time) film that will pull at the heart-strings of its audience to an extreme degree, directors Yoram and Sandra Gross go to great lengths to portray the negative impact of Mankind on Nature from around 1884 onwards, as is emphasised in the book as well as portraying animated characters within a live-action setting. Indeed, the film certainly goes some way to achieving this goal as it was successful enough to spawn eight sequels, each of which featuring young Dot learning more about what her kind have done and are still doing to the Animal kingdom and some in cases, to themselves.

Therefore, young Dot will continue to strive to get that message across to the rest of her kind whatever it takes even if it means going on more adventures or dare I say it, exposing some of the more negative aspects of Dot's character that you will not really see as such in the earlier sequels. Good luck trying to find the time to watch the remainder of Dot's adventures because eight sequels is a lot to get through and if you ask me, the style, quality and appeal of the animation (not to mention the plots) will gradually start to vary and not always for the better. Of course this is just my personal opinion, and as the old saying goes, 'Each to their Own'.

One of the formative films from my childhood. I think I must have only been about 5 when I watched this and I was understandably traumatised by certain moments, including the infamous bunyip scene which, as of then, was one of the most frightening things I've ever witnessed. It's quite laughable as an adult, of course, but I do like the way they bring the Aboriginal cave paintings to life. The ending packs the same kind of emotional punch as THE SNOWMAN and is tough to watch even now. I love the mix of quaint animation with live-action backgrounds which I still feel is a truly innovative touch. Growing up watching stuff like this, NEIGHBOURS and FROG DREAMING has given me an enduring love for all things Australian!

Apparently I am swimming against the tide of the glowing comments on this film. I have not seen it since I was 4 or 5 years old but there is one thing I remember distinctly...

The Bunyip was TERRIFYING!!! Nightmare inducing terrifying. With the creepy music and the little girl and kangaroo running/hopping away for their lives...

As a kid I also remember the animated Hobbit... no worries. Watership down? Didn't blink an eye. Dot and the Kangaroo? It still haunts my dreams. And I have several friends the same age who also think it was massively creepy. Maybe we can get a group rate on therapy.

In short: one freaky film for its time.

I just finished watching Dot and The Kangaroo with my 4 year old son. I would have been 5 years old when this weird combination of animation and camera footage was released. My mother in law bought the DVD at Walmart for $1.00 American. My son seemed to enjoy it and I thought it was strange enough to warrant a view. One of the things that I found disturbing was the two little mice playing patty cake while singing about their boyfriends eating snakes. The music was rather relaxing. I had no idea what this thing was when we popped it in. Mother in law bought all of these strange videos for a buck each and most of them are like Chinese cartoons that have been dubbed over in English. Since I like anything strange, I enjoyed this.

This was one of my favorite movies when i was little. I think the first time i saw it, i was about 5 or 6, and my mom put it on after I got a happy-meal from McDonalds. I always wanted to watch the movie but cried every time at the end. This is definitely one of my favorite movies of my youth. It's an amazing cartoon adventure of a girl who leaves home and is befriended by a kangaroo.

I haven't seen this movie in maybe 17 years or more, but I would like to buy it. The animation is fantastic and is truly one of the better animated films even though it will now be outdated. I think its a fantastic story and should be rented and never forgotten. A seminal cartoon for me. -Aaron.

Except for the 1987 film "Dot goes to Hollywood," I remember very little about the "Dot" films from my childhood. I had recently ordered the DVD of this film, and after watching it a few times, I really love it out of the other "Dot" films, though I haven't seen some. And also, I love kangaroos.

Based on a children's book by Australian author Ethel C. Pedley, the film is about a girl named Dot who is lost in the Australian bushland after chasing a bilby (a hopping rat) into the woods and losing sight of her home. She is approached by a red kangaroo, who gives her a strange root to eat. Upon eating the root, Dot is able to understand the language of all animals, and she tells the kangaroo her plight. The kangaroo, who has lost her own joey, decides to help little Dot despite her own fear of humans. I am even thinking of reading the original Pedley book, though, as I said before, not many people today know of books like this one.

Overall, I love this film, and I love four out of the seven songs in the film, which are "In the Pouch," "All We Ever Do All Day Is Quack," and "The Platypus Song."

I can't remember the last time I saw this film, but I must've been 8 or 9. I saw it at a friend's house; they had HBO, but we didn't yet just yet. I remember freaking during the Bunyip scenes. It was weird, scary, and creepy. The song was cool though; I always liked the song...the singer had a low, soothing voice, which only made the Bunyip seem even scarier. I also like the mix of live action and animation; it was the first time I'd seen anything like that. Since I haven't seen the movie in more than...well, let's just say I'm not 20 anymore :o), I don't want to make a judgment as far as which animation is better done: Roger Rabbit or Dot and The Kangaroo. I think Dot... was a little less detailed when compared to Roger...so I'm going to say that Dot...is a better animated/live action film. I'm glad to know that there are others who feel the same way do about a a great film.

As if the sounds and colours of the Australian bush aren't scary enough, the creepy rough animation over the old live action footage in the makes this one of those kids films that weird you out when you're not sure why.

I guess it's similar to Watership Down in it's beauty. As an adult watching, it's really quite a scary film, but when you're a child you simply don't pick up on what's so creepy about it.

I'm not sure that this film is worth watching unless you really love old, rough animated films of it's style. It's one of those movies that I watched all the time as a kid, and I still love it and get it out occasionally, but would someone who hadn't grown up with it understand? I'm not sure.

Dot is very annoying and her other adventures are simply crap (except, the gay mosquito in Dot and the Keeto still cracks me up.) I'm in love with the animation and sound of this film more than anything.

I remember seeing this movie as a child on HBO. I keep looking for a copy to rent or buy. It is the delightful story of a young girl(animated) who gets lost in the Australian outback(Live footage).

She is befriended by a group of animals who help her through the outback to find her way back home. Along the way she learns a bit about the history of the outback. Filled with some catchy songs and a great story, this movie rates high among my favorite children's movies. If you and your child get a chance to see this I highly recommend it

Thanks to this movie being shown to me when I was about three or four, my favorite animal of all time is now the kangaroo. This movie is the best, I watch it as often as I can, and it never gets old or boring. Of course, the Bunyip still freaks me out, even though the song that goes along with that scene is so cool! I remember telling my friends that "The Bunyip could easily beat the crap out of the Boogeyman plus the Monster Under The Bed and the Monster In The Closet!". My friends thought I was insane, and I plan on showing this movie to them. It won't have the same effect on them as it does me, but maybe they will become fans, too.

I have a VHS copy of Dot and the Kangaroo, Dot and the Bunny plus Dot and Santa Claus that I found at a used video store, and it still works perfectly! Sadly, the one I had taped off of HBO back in the 80s was lost during a move in the early 90s. I'm also planning on getting the Dot and the Kangaroo DVD Box Set, just to be able to see Dot and Keeto, Dot and the Whale, Dot and the Bunny, etc. again (though, I don't ever remember seeing Dot in Space).

I wish there was a soundtrack, or MP3s from this movie, but I've never found any. Oh well... I'm going to go watch it again. Beware the Bunyip! Love, Laura

Australian cinema was in a vibrant state between the 1970's and the mid 1980's.....We had Mountain Men!, Disappearing Girls!, Apocalyptic Futures! and Crocodile Wrestling! We also had "Dot!"....A fun little tale about a lost girl, A Kangaroo and an Adventure In the Australian bush!...With Animation on a live action background, Which was cutting edge in 1977 and secured the movie as a children's favourite.

However, Looking back on this movie (After recently buying the boxset!), It's painfully obvious as too the age of it, As The Writing, The Animation, Music and Songs don't stand up well now....Though, It's the type of movie, Where it's good natured charm Overcomes it's obvious flaws.

It's certainly worth showing to children..Or adults for that matter?, As it's one of the far too few examples of good Feature length Australian Animation.

Ethel Pedley wrote the Dot series as a criticism of the humans' impact on Australia's wildlife. And so, Yoram Gross adapted them to film. "Dot and the Kangaroo" has the girl lost in the woods and befriending a marsupial who lost her baby to humans. In the process, Dot comes to develop a better connection to nature.

I recommend the movie. It's got some interesting songs, and I like the mix of animation and live action. But mostly it reminds us that we can't separate ourselves from nature as much as we think. After all, you can't fight nature and win. I have a vague memory of seeing some of the Dot movies when I was little, but the characters were dubbed with American accents.

PS: One scene has the kangaroo mention a creature called the bunyip. We don't see the bunyip here, but a later movie in the series focused on smugglers who are after him, and we get to meet him.

I totally agree. It was such a great adventure. Just the amazing idea of going around with different marsupials. I ALSO really got into Australian mammals in a big way as a kid because of this colourful set of films. Used to get up at 6 am to see this on the telly in Winter.

My ambition was to have those adventures, and through Dot anyone could.

That Bunyip, scary creature though!

It never occurred to me until now, that the late and great Yoram Gross who was responsible for a lot of great animated films and television shows here in Australia. One of the biggest series of films he produced which played a large part of my 90s chilhood upbringing came from the Dot films. Which all started in this 1977 Classic based on Ethel C. Pedley's children's book of the same name.

The plot basically follows a 5-year-old girl named Dot, who becomes lost in the bush after promising her family not to go far to grab some grass then falls over a ditch chasing a small animal and helplessly wanders around the wilderness full of wildlife. The only animal to then come to her aid is a Kangaroo whose lost her own Joey and immediately connects to Dot due to her sadness, she then make it her duty to help the poor human as the journey further into the bush encountering many kinds of animals and threats along the way.

Both the book and film make the feasible use of Dot eating a special root which in turn makes her then understand what the animals are saying rather than just leaning on your standard anthropomorphic talking animal tropes mostly seen in Rudyard Kipling's 'The Jungle Book.' While this doesn't come into play a lot during the film, it eventually becomes important during the end when Dot walks away from the wildlife. Much of the film's plotting is aided by many catchy song numbers composed by various musicians, which all feel like Disney musical numbers, still very much enjoyable today and doesn't pad the film out too much or drastically changes the tone, but it does help the scenes flow. The animation is largely made up of animated characters on live-action shot camera footage, which from a distance doesn't look all too magnificent due to the footage quality and aspect ratio, however it all blends really well thanks to Gross's smooth direction at blending the live-action and animation together.

Upon looking back at this film as an adult, I can honestly say it's aged quite well. The relationship between the title characters is as charming as ever as are the nostalgic song numbers and colourful animation blended really well with the somewhat 'dated' but slick live-action camera footage. It's the type of film that the parents of today should really show their kids as something that's old school and heart-warming, learning about the impacts of man's negative interference with nature. While I haven't seen all the Dot films to date, they all have a place within my nostalgia for what I used to rent from my local library as something I'd truly enjoy as well as deeply learn from it's ethical messages in regards to nature and good deeds.