- Directors: Don Jr. Hardy, Dana Nachman
- Disc Format: Color, Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen
- Language: English
- Subtitles: English, Spanish
- Region: Region 1
- Rated: Not Rated
- Studio: MPI HOME VIDEO
- DVD Release Date: December 4, 2018
- Run Time: 81 minutes
Don’t get me
wrong; I like dogs, but I was concerned that the cuteness of a handful of
puppies was all that Pick of the Litter might provide as appeal. Oh boy, was I
wrong. Following the journey of five puppies on the road to becoming guide dogs
for the blind, the film provides an empathetic and educational glimpse into the
two-year process. And there are cute puppies.
Dana Nachman and
Don Hardy’s insightful documentary is hardly innovative, but it also doesn’t
need to be. Since Nanook of the North, documentaries have served as a way for viewers
to step into the shoes of another, if only temporarily. As a vehicle for this
purpose, Pick of the Litter is exceptional. Not only can we empathize with the
hardships of a blind person, follow the struggles of the volunteers and
trainers working to get the dogs ready, but we also step into the furry steps
of the five dogs working their way through the program.
There is some
suspense to the narrative as well, because there is no guarantee that all (or
even any) of the dogs being trained will actually become guide dogs. Many of
the dogs are cut along the way, so that only the ones with the best skills and temperament
are actually given the positions. But I didn’t necessarily see the stories
where the dogs were cut as sad, because some of the dogs seem to desire nothing
more than being an average dog. With that being said, Pick of the Litter offers
no material that couldn’t be viewed by a dog-loving family member of any age.
At only 81-minutes, it is a brisk view that has something to engage all age
groups. It isn’t a challenging documentary, but one with heart to spare.
The DVD release
doesn’t have any special features.
Entertainment Value:
8.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 8/10
Historical
Significance: 6/10
Special Feature: 0/10
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