Boy, do I have fond memories of seeing this delightful cartoon feature on cable TV as a kid in the early 80's. I just bought a copy of this gem on DVD and rewatched it. I'm happy to report it still has the ability to powerfully move and captivate me now as an adult like it did when I was a little boy.
Adorable little redhead girl Dot gets hopelessly lost in the Australian outback. Dot meets and befriends a nicely, loving, motherly and understanding female kangaroo who looks after Dot and helps her find her way back home. While trekking across the bush Dot and the kangaroo meet a colorfully flaky and entertaining assortment of animals which include a singing frog quartet, playful mice, a miserable owl, a touchy, but wise platypus and his wife, dancing flamingos, helpful big-voiced birds, nasty dingoes, and the engagingly exuberant bird Willie Wagtail. All of these above cited encounters are quite fun and enjoyable, but for me nothing beats the special appearance of creepy local Aussie folkloric bogeyman figure the bunyip, a freaky, pasty white humanoid blob with brown spots who runs through the woods while other animals flee in mortal dread. Better yet, "The Bunyip Song" seriously smokes, with some incredibly awesome lyrics: "You better come home quickly/ And you better hide very soon/ For the bunyip's going to get you/ In the bunyip moon." The shots of the bunyip coming out of both fire and water are really hair-raising as well, implying that the bunyip is basically everywhere. Ooga booga, now that's scary stuff, man! Seriously, this is a truly terrific cartoon feature. It's quite sweet-natured and good-hearted, with nifty animation (the kangaroo in particular is positively cuddly and lovable), endearing characters, breathtaking scenery, beautiful photography, and a marvelous batch of infectiously catchy, sprightly and witty songs. As an added bonus there isn't even a faint trace of either cynicism or sarcasm to be found; in its place we have a winningly child-like and innocent sense of awe and wonder which in turn makes this movie extremely special and unforgettable. Moreover, there's also a smartly articulated message concerning loss and separation at the heart-breakingly sad and poignant conclusion. The closing sequence of the kangaroo hopping back into the bush after Dot is returned to her parents is genuinely haunting and touching. A radiantly sparkling and affecting little jewel.
Adorable little redhead girl Dot gets hopelessly lost in the Australian outback. Dot meets and befriends a nicely, loving, motherly and understanding female kangaroo who looks after Dot and helps her find her way back home. While trekking across the bush Dot and the kangaroo meet a colorfully flaky and entertaining assortment of animals which include a singing frog quartet, playful mice, a miserable owl, a touchy, but wise platypus and his wife, dancing flamingos, helpful big-voiced birds, nasty dingoes, and the engagingly exuberant bird Willie Wagtail. All of these above cited encounters are quite fun and enjoyable, but for me nothing beats the special appearance of creepy local Aussie folkloric bogeyman figure the bunyip, a freaky, pasty white humanoid blob with brown spots who runs through the woods while other animals flee in mortal dread. Better yet, "The Bunyip Song" seriously smokes, with some incredibly awesome lyrics: "You better come home quickly/ And you better hide very soon/ For the bunyip's going to get you/ In the bunyip moon." The shots of the bunyip coming out of both fire and water are really hair-raising as well, implying that the bunyip is basically everywhere. Ooga booga, now that's scary stuff, man! Seriously, this is a truly terrific cartoon feature. It's quite sweet-natured and good-hearted, with nifty animation (the kangaroo in particular is positively cuddly and lovable), endearing characters, breathtaking scenery, beautiful photography, and a marvelous batch of infectiously catchy, sprightly and witty songs. As an added bonus there isn't even a faint trace of either cynicism or sarcasm to be found; in its place we have a winningly child-like and innocent sense of awe and wonder which in turn makes this movie extremely special and unforgettable. Moreover, there's also a smartly articulated message concerning loss and separation at the heart-breakingly sad and poignant conclusion. The closing sequence of the kangaroo hopping back into the bush after Dot is returned to her parents is genuinely haunting and touching. A radiantly sparkling and affecting little jewel.