Old Yeller Redux

While wandering about Costco today found a new series of Disney DVDs from "Vault Disney." The four movies I saw were Old Yeller, Pollyanna, The Parent Trap, and Swiss Family Robinson. I dearly wanted Pollyanna, but I just bought Old Yeller for now.

These are 2-DVD sets. The second disk has goodies, in this case a Tommy Kirk interview, trailers, radio ads, a documentary revisiting the movie and the making of the movie, a few short clips on how the movie is put together, a photo album, Fess Parker telling the story of the movie, and, neatest of all, a news story from Mason, Texas, where Beck Gipson (son of Fred Gipson who wrote the original novel) unveils a statue of Travis and Old Yeller. The first DVD also has the Pluto cartoon "Bone Trouble."

Watched the film with the commentary on; the "commentators" were Fess Parker, Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran--and Bob Weatherwax, son of Rudd Weatherwax, who trained Lassie, and nephew of Frank Weatherwax, who trained "Spike," a.k.a. Yeller. Kirk and Weatherwax had not seen the film in years and were pretty much rediscovering the finer plot points. While all the commentary was fun, with many insights, I most enjoyed Weatherwax talking about how his dad and uncle would have gotten Spike to do the various stunts he completes in the movie.

Having seen Star Wars: Attack of the Clones earlier in the week and Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron yesterday, watching Old Yeller today made me recall our chat with Tommy Kirk one year at DragonCon. Of course we mentioned Old Yeller, and I told him I was afraid with all the remakes Disney has been doing, they would do a remake of Old Yeller as well. I told him frankly that I didn't think the original movie could be made today. And in fact, the idea of an Old Yeller remake turns my blood cold.

I can see it now. In this version, Travis is a sullen, angry teenager in the vein of Anakin Skywalker, resentful of the fact his father must spend so much time farming and now even angrier that he is leaving on the cattle drive. He slouches around and mutters about "this crummy farm."

One of the reasons he is so angry is that his father hates the local Native American population, so he must hide his friendship with a local Indian boy. He prefers living an idyllic life with the boy in the forest rather than the labor of the farm.

Arliss, instead of being a young scamp, is a withdrawn and mute child, silent since he saw his father shoot an intruder in the house. Along comes Old Yeller, who miraculously helps the little boy emerge out of his muteness and also tempers some of Travis' anger.

Due to the rabid animals the careless settlers brought to the virgin land out west, the wild animals are now also cursed with rabies. A wolf bites Old Yeller! Mother convinces Travis nothing will save the dog! He will have to shoot him!

Along comes Travis' faithful Indian friend. He just happens to have a miraculous organic poultice that cures the dog!

When his father comes home, Travis explains to him about the miracles wrought by the dog and by his new friend. His father understands and agrees to give up the farm so the whole family can live more naturally in the wilderness, rejoicing in the harmony of nature. Yeller licks everyone's faces and they laugh. The end.

Cold shudder time, folks...

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