While my nostalgia for Yoram Gross's Dot films are as great as anyone else who watched these films as a child of the 80s or 90s. I'm now looking at these films a little more with a critical eye, especially to determine their qualities, not just in being the classic animated films they are, but also in continuity with one another. However, the latter seems to be bit of an issue with these films, I noticed this especially after watching the first two films "Dot and the Kangaroo" and "Dot Around the World."
One uncanny thing about this film is that it's initial plot was somewhat or already fulfilled in "Dot Around the World" (or "Dot and Santa Claus"). When Dot happened to have found the long lost joey of the kangaroo who nurtured her when she initially got lost in the Australian bush, by travelling around the world from various places Joey was taken.
Instead this film ignores the previous film in favor of a direct continuation of the original film; where Dot is largely inspired to go back into the Bush to look for the long lost baby joey of the mother Kangaroo. Dot however, is taken aback most of the time when she has frequent encounters with a long lost bunny, who becomes enamored to believe he is a baby kangaroo. It's due to this bunny's silly behavior and antics, Dot names him; 'Funny Bunny', while Funny Bunny continues to convince Dot otherwise to be a kangaroo to fit in with the bush's environment, the two of them eventually explore the vast bush-land areas and encounter many different animals along the way of Dot's quest to find the mother kangaroo's joey.
I've now come to a conclusion, the continuity between these films are very loose, especially when the Macguffin 'roots of understanding' played a key role in both the original Ethel C. Pedley book and Yoram Gross's original film; "Dot and the Kangaroo." While that doesn't bother me at all, what I liked about this film was it's message, as Dot and Funny Bunny explored the wider regions of the bush they began to discover and learn a lot about the bush's ecosystem and the importance of various wildlife's needs and environmental adaptation to their habitats. Even when Dot finds out about Funny Bunny's real circumstantial nature which is pretty horrible when considering the series' exploration on human's negative impact on nature, it's the film's ending that makes up for what the series' lack of consistent continuity has when being consistent with this single film's unique message.
Much like Gross's other films, his blending of real film footage and animation is wonderful to look at as ever. Although it hasn't aged well by modern standards, especially when real animals or figures from the live action footage become animated within various sequences and transitions, their characterizations are very charming to see. As is the humour that Gross utilizes to a great effect with some great song numbers. There are also some small instrumental callbacks of the first film's songs fitted within the soundtrack of this film to convey some scenes tones, although as unsubtle as it may be utilized, it works for the series as a whole, especially when none of the original lyrics are used or rewritten either, which is great to see Gross respects his creations.
Overall, 'Dot and the Bunny' is one of the more entertaining films in the Dot series, mostly thanks to the presence of Funny Bunny; whose crazy ideas and antics are funny, as his persona is empathetic and his development heartfelt. It's an acceptable film that explores the series' humorous side, while continuing to be heartwarming and persistent on educating children on human's negative impacts on nature, Funny Bunny's story being the main focus.
One uncanny thing about this film is that it's initial plot was somewhat or already fulfilled in "Dot Around the World" (or "Dot and Santa Claus"). When Dot happened to have found the long lost joey of the kangaroo who nurtured her when she initially got lost in the Australian bush, by travelling around the world from various places Joey was taken.
Instead this film ignores the previous film in favor of a direct continuation of the original film; where Dot is largely inspired to go back into the Bush to look for the long lost baby joey of the mother Kangaroo. Dot however, is taken aback most of the time when she has frequent encounters with a long lost bunny, who becomes enamored to believe he is a baby kangaroo. It's due to this bunny's silly behavior and antics, Dot names him; 'Funny Bunny', while Funny Bunny continues to convince Dot otherwise to be a kangaroo to fit in with the bush's environment, the two of them eventually explore the vast bush-land areas and encounter many different animals along the way of Dot's quest to find the mother kangaroo's joey.
I've now come to a conclusion, the continuity between these films are very loose, especially when the Macguffin 'roots of understanding' played a key role in both the original Ethel C. Pedley book and Yoram Gross's original film; "Dot and the Kangaroo." While that doesn't bother me at all, what I liked about this film was it's message, as Dot and Funny Bunny explored the wider regions of the bush they began to discover and learn a lot about the bush's ecosystem and the importance of various wildlife's needs and environmental adaptation to their habitats. Even when Dot finds out about Funny Bunny's real circumstantial nature which is pretty horrible when considering the series' exploration on human's negative impact on nature, it's the film's ending that makes up for what the series' lack of consistent continuity has when being consistent with this single film's unique message.
Much like Gross's other films, his blending of real film footage and animation is wonderful to look at as ever. Although it hasn't aged well by modern standards, especially when real animals or figures from the live action footage become animated within various sequences and transitions, their characterizations are very charming to see. As is the humour that Gross utilizes to a great effect with some great song numbers. There are also some small instrumental callbacks of the first film's songs fitted within the soundtrack of this film to convey some scenes tones, although as unsubtle as it may be utilized, it works for the series as a whole, especially when none of the original lyrics are used or rewritten either, which is great to see Gross respects his creations.
Overall, 'Dot and the Bunny' is one of the more entertaining films in the Dot series, mostly thanks to the presence of Funny Bunny; whose crazy ideas and antics are funny, as his persona is empathetic and his development heartfelt. It's an acceptable film that explores the series' humorous side, while continuing to be heartwarming and persistent on educating children on human's negative impacts on nature, Funny Bunny's story being the main focus.
