00:00
/
00:00
Footrot Flats - The Dog's Tale
Film (Trailer and Excerpts) – 1986
Animated movie Footrot Flats - The Dog's Tail Tale became the most successful Kiwi release of the 1980s. It also managed to win over viewers in Australia (where the animation work was handled). The adaptation of Murray Ball's beloved comic strip brought his beloved cast of animals to earthy life, alongside farmer Wal — voiced by John Clarke. Peter Rowley plays Dog. The opening clip served double duty as both movie trailer and music video for Dave Dobbyn's hook-laden 'Slice of Heaven'. It proved to be a key weapon in the film's Australian success. Tony Hiles writes about the movie's creation here.
...it's a Trans-Tasman thing. Although all the actors and all the music and all the direction and that sort of thing comes from New Zealand, the animation itself was done in Australia.– Footrot Flats director Murray Ball, in the making of documentary
Key Cast & Crew
See all 34 credits
Produced by
Magpie Productions
Acknowledgements
Made in association with Independent Newspapers Ltd, with assistance from the NZ Film Commission
Music
Closing credits song 'Slice of Heaven' written by Dave Dobbyn; performed by Dave Dobbyn, Herbs & Bruce Lynch
'You Oughta Be in Love' written by Dave Dobbyn; performed by Dave Dobbyn, Bruce Lynch & Ardijah
More Information
-
Interview with co-writer Tom Scott, The Canberra Times (via Trove website), April 1987
-
Obituary of Footrot Flats creator Murray Ball, The Guardian, March 2017
-
Dave Dobbyn on composing the Footrot Flats soundtrack, Rip It Up, January 1987
-
Dave Dobbyn on composing song 'Slice of Heaven', The Dominion Post, September 2012
-
Interview with producer John Barnett, Nga Taonga, November 2023
More from the Cats and Dogs Collection...
Goodnight Kiwi
Long before 24-hour television, Goodnight...
Campbell Live - Driving Dogs
In late 2012 Campbell Live showed that dogs...
Newsnight - Rastus the Cat
A Dog's Show - 1981 Final
Man. Dog. Sheep. This was an unlikely formula for Kiwi...
Wonderful World - TV One Channel ID
One shaggy dog, dozens of humans, and a smorgasbord of...
Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy
Based on the chldren's books by Lynley Dodd, this show...
The Making of Footrot Flats - The Dog's Tale
This documentary explores the path of Footrot...
The Lion Man - First Episode
Lion Man Craig Busch, and his unlikely colleagues...
Spot - Telecom
In the 90s Spot was an acronym for the Services and...
Dogstar
This doco looks at the relationship between dogs and...
Animal House/SPCA Rescue
Over 67 episodes from 2004 to 2011, Animal...
Purina Pound Pups to Dog Stars - First Episode
Reality series Purina Pound Pups to Dog...
Prize Bitch
This ‘best in show' documentary follows three...
Bugger - Toyota Hilux
A series of farming mishaps each provoke the laconic...
Hounds - Episode Five
In this acclaimed comedy series the life of a lawyer...
Pictorial Parade No. 52 - Up to Scratch
This item from the long-running National Film Unit...
This Film is a Dog
This black and white short film (with hardboiled...
Tux Wonder Dogs - Series Six, Episode Six
Dogs of all shapes and sizes — from huskies and...
Cactus Cat
In this charming clip Look Blue Go Purple show they...
The Frog, the Dog, and the Devil
Bob Stenhouse worked largely alone to visualise this...
Chic Chat - 1981 Episode
Chic Littlewood’s afterschool show for children...
Footrot Flats - The Dog's Tale
Animated movie Footrot Flats - The Dog's
Fatcat & Fishface
Since their 1997 debut Horrible Sounds for...
Bryan and Bobby - SNAP
Outdoor Dogs
This New Zealand Now edition looks at working...
One Hundred and Forty Days Under the World
New Zealand’s Antarctic presence is still in its...
Bitch
Bitch is a tale of "infidelity among friends"...
Melting Pot
This big, bright cover of British act Blue Mink's plea...
Bradman
A social cricket match in Cornwall Park needs a third...
Dirty Creature
This tale of a girl, her dog and a strange old man...