All Dogs Go to Heaven is Bluth’s third film that he co-wrote and directed after leaving Disney and forming his own studio. Released in 1989, the animation has some drawbacks, given that it was released nearly 40 years ago. However, the human inconsistencies found within hand-drawn animation are often what make it feel so unique and timeless compared to the overly polished 3-D animation of today. All Dogs Go to Heaven has these incredibly rich backgrounds and innovative facial expressions that you’d never be able to fully render on a computer.
Charlie is obnoxiously rotten at the beginning of the film. He’s an obsessive gambler, lies to get what he wants, steals, and treats his best friend Itchy (Dom DeLuise) like roadkill. Charlie’s former business partner, Carface (Vic Tayback), wants Charlie dead so he can be the sole successor to their Super Rat Race gambling ring. Carface succeeds, and Charlie goes to Heaven since all dogs have some essence of good within them. Charlie swindles his way back by stealing time and targets an orphan named Ann-Marie since she can talk to animals and he could get rich off of that. Over the course of the film, Charlie bonds with Ann-Marie and sacrifices everything to save her life and find her a loving home.
The real criticism of All Dogs Go to Heaven is that none of the songs seem to be the right pace. This is explained in Chapter 20 of Don Bluth’s autobiography, Somewhere Out There, when Bluth states that Burt Reynolds had great pitch when he sang but no rhythm. It feels like most of the music in the film caters to this idea, as the songs seem off-key and stumble around musically, waiting for the singing dogs to catch up. The exception is King Gator’s “Let’s Make Music Together,” since Ken Page’s vocals are extraordinary, but the song is also the key example of not advancing the story at all.
Reynolds’ chemistry with DeLuise has this Abbott and Costello repertoire, where Charlie’s seriousness is often interrupted by Itchy’s sneezy jitteriness. Judith Barsi is tragically exceptional, as she outshines everyone in the film with her charm and innocence. The ending basically rips your heart out, and All Dogs Go to Heaven is more memorable because of it. Recommended.
Why should public libraries add this animated film to their shelves?
This is animation that caters to both children and adults. Children will appreciate the goofier aspects of the visually stunning animation, while adults will understand the film’s darker aspects, like Charlie nearly descending to Hell and his complete 180-degree character development. Don Bluth is a lifelong LDS/Mormon, and his work is interesting because it explores themes of the afterlife and the essence of good and evil without being overly preachy. At its core, All Dogs Go to Heaven is about a dog bonding with a little girl who had nothing. Selfishness becomes empathy in an animated film with true meaning.
Is this animated feature a good fit for campus or community screenings?
Yes. Campus screenings could be centered on animation, film studies, or the visual arts when it comes to the film’s lush visual style, or even religious studies or theology, given the film’s exploration of the afterlife. With community screenings, All Dogs Go to Heaven is suitable for all ages and could initiate discussions about ethics, our own mortality, pets of the past and present, and even dignity toward humans, animals, and all living creatures.
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