MovieChat Forums > Benji (1974) Discussion > why have people forgotten about Benji?

why have people forgotten about Benji?

posted 18 years ago by IceboxMovies
21 replies | jump to latest

I think I can see why 5.9 is the overall rating of this film on imdb. Not everyone remembers it. Isn't that sad? Benji is one of the best family films ever, and sadly it's not the instant classic it's supposed to be. I'm sure everyone who still remembers this film loves it, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone said "Benji who?" I wish Joe Camp would call for a collector's edition DVD or something so that not only do people make sure this movie is remembered, but so that the imdb rating can be raised!!!

I'll bet YOU can't make that slurping sound Anthony Hopkins made in Silence of the Lambs...

[–] novastar_6 18 years ago

I think the reason not a lot of people know about it is because everybody's all into the here and now, not too many people of today want to go back in time to find a good movie. They want to see the new movies, everything current, that's their speed. Fortunately, there must be a growing number of people who are turning to the classics because they're being put back into circulation, with luck, maybe soon Benji will join them.

[–] Ares-10 18 years ago

I agree with you both. I loved this movie growing up and I always thought it to be very popular. I have since found out here that there is a pitiful dvd available, and the IMDb gives it a rating of 5? I am surprised. There are so many movies released now that are ridiculous. I guess that's why I see 2 or 3 new movies a year and just watch many old movies instead. This movie made $39 million in 1974 with a budget of $500,000. That makes it a blockbuster hit. It is a movie with a great heart and I am looking forward to sharing it with my three year old.

[–] mamamiasweetpeaches 18 years ago

I loved BENJI as a child but really almost forgot about him til the pretty bad new BENJI movie came out and we rented it. I didnt like it, but it got me thinking about BENJI (I had a BENJI lunchbox when I was in grade school)...so I went on eBay and bought old VHS BENJI tapes (I wish I had waited, now they are finally on DVD). My daughter and I watch them once a year. The only bad part is we cry! (In BENJI we cry when Tiffany gets kicked and knocked out and in FOR THE LOVE OF BENJI we cry when BENJI savezs the little girl).

My husband makes fun of us, but its nice to know that the same specials that appealed to me as a 7 year old now appeal to MY seven year old.

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[–] catherine-71 18 years ago

The reason the rating is so low is that a lot of people have given it what i call "hate-ratings" -- they really dislike dog films or family films and they come by and rate it as a "1" because they know how popular it was and they want to make an ugly scene about it. It's sad that the imdb allows this kind of vandalism-rating, but it does.

[–] mcdemuth 8 years ago

They really dislike dog films or family films and they come by and rate it as a "1"

I hate how people can rate movies they have NOT seen. That is totally wrong and unfair.

Even if people don't like dog films, and I have to ask why they would watch a film they know they won't like, at least rate it based on how it stacks up with other dog films. There is NO way that this DOG movie can be a "1", even under those circumstances.

I saw a movie called "Cool Dog", where a dog drove a car, and sailed a boat, and I think flew a plane. Totally unrealistic. Now that DOG FILM, In my opinion, deserves around a "4", less if I compared it to all other kinds of films. And Benji was a far better film!

[–] lilnessaslove 18 years ago

I haven't, I have it on dvd and I watched it the other day. I didn't pay a lot of attention while watching it, but it was fun to watch parts I had forgotten about till the movie flickered some memories.

"close your eyes. Show me your face. I'm gonna piss on it" -Dave Chapelle

[–] SurpriseIIIIIIIme 17 years ago

you guys are right... i just watched this movie on a dvd my aunt bought.. and fell in love with it...

benji was always a name i had heard from dog lovers, but never knew how beautiful the moie actually was.... i guess dog lovers ultimatly get to this movie somehow...

and yes, i despise the fact that people have rated is as low as 1 and 2 ... there is no way that someone could have hated the movie.... its just not possible...

[–] Marybl 16 years ago

I have never forgotten about Benji.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] PACman66 15 years ago

I have never forgotten this movie, but I also think that today's children want more then a very good dog movie. There are no songs, the dogs don't talk or sing, and no CG. I loved this film as a kid, but I also kinda feel this film didn't age that well. It's enjoyable, but not "timeless". In my humble opinion, of course.

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[–] TheJoshman 15 years ago

To Benji-The_Dog

I am not sure who you are, but you made me laugh at 1:30am. Insomnia is not good-so...thanks!

[–] Salmon144 15 years ago

Benji will always be my favorite movie dog.

[–] SpecialAgentKyra 15 years ago

I am ashamed to say that I've forgotten this movie for the past 10 years but I JUST REMEMBERED IT! And wow it was the best/saddest/heart felt movie ever when I was a kid. I want to watch it right now. :(

#35 Team Mahone For Life

[–] vegetainsane 15 years ago

It's because Joe Camp spent about 17 years after Benji the Hunted trying to get back all the rights for the Benji movies. 17 years is a very very long time to be out of the spotlight and according to benji.com, Joe doesn't want anything to do with Hollywood studios.

I think he wasn't able to get the rights back for Benji the Hunted which is owned by disney.

I actually forgot about Benji after The Hunted, the last Benji movie I saw as a kid. I see "Off the leash" at the occasional red box, so maybe I'll check it out someday.

[–] rockmail 14 years ago

There's NINE movies in the series, I think they milked it for all their could. Time for a new premise.

[–] terrondt 11 years ago

I remember benji movies as a child in the 70s. Im 43 now and i still like them.

[–] kairingler 10 years ago

films like Benji, Old Yeller, and Lassie,, are almost forgotten today,, it's pretty sad ,, I love this classic original.
are you going to bark all day little doggie,, or are you going to bite

[–] clacton0 10 years ago

Only just seen Benji just now.
Was on some doggy films lists so checked it out.
This is quite an old film but it was OK I gave it a 5 out of 10.
The dog was cute.
Have not seen this on TV so had to download to.

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[–] HellboundHero 10 years ago

I wouldn't say Old Yeller and Lassie are forgotten, they're probably the most referenced and parodied dogs in Hollywood. I've seen countless references to how sad it was when they took Old Yeller out back and the "Timmy fell down the well" bit has been heavily parodied, with one of the most recent parodies happening in Grand Theft Auto V.

Benji does seem to be forgotten, though, and I think a lot of it is because they never air the movies on tv anymore.

[–] mcdemuth 8 years ago

Benji does seem to be forgotten, though, and I think a lot of it is because they never air the movies on tv anymore.

I saw Benji on Cable TV when I was growing up in the early 1980s, and we only had about 40 or 50 channels...AT MOST!

Nowadays, there are hundreds of channels needing programming...

Turner Classic Movies is at least showing great old dancing musicals like the Ginger Rogers & Fred Astaire films from the 1930s & 1940s. But some other channel among the many others can't fit in a great family film like Benji?

If quality movies like Benji are not being shown these days, one has to honestly ask, WHAT IS BEING SHOWN?

Trash?

Should we be asking ourselves, why we are allowing trash to be on our TVs, instead of movies like Benji?