Beethoven’s Big Break [DVD]

By Captain Cumquat

Just when you thought the ‘’Beethoven’’ film series was as good as dead and buried – the last couple of sequels had, er, gone to the dogs – Universal throw audiences a bone by releasing a refreshingly original instalment in the assiduous K9 series that isn’t a knock-off of the film that came before it.

With Batman and James Bond flying high with their restarts, the studio’s decided to ‘reboot’ the ‘’Beethoven’’ series (the first few films centred on a hapless father, played by Charles Grodin, giving up his home to a monstrous drooling beast) – but with an interesting touch. This isn’t so much the Charles Grodin movie over again as it is the tale of the dog that would eventually star in the film – the ‘Beethoven’ behind the ‘Beethoven’ if you will!

Derek Rydall’s script is rather clever –it fixes on an animal handler named Eddie (Jonathan Silverman, “Weekend at Bernies”) who works with a lot of creatures, but won’t allow any in the family home. Not that that stops son Billy (Moises Arias) from bringing stray dog Beethoven and his family of puppies into the abode…. And Beethoven makes his keep by being put to work! Ya see, dog-nappers steal the canine star of the movie Eddie’s working on and so the studio big shots must quickly find a substitute and unexpectedly cast the big woofer as their next big star!

Silverman is perfectly cast as the hapless dad, but it’s Stephen Tobolowsky (TVs “Heroes”, “Wild Hogs”) that’ll get all the laughs – he’s a riot as the wiry villain! Tobolowsky, one of today’s most versatile actors, chooses to go over-the-top and comically maniacal with his performance of Sal– and it works a treat! Kids will love to hate this guy!

Director Mike Elliot has rounded up quite the support cast too – Jennifer Finnigan (TVs “Close to Home”) as Eddie’s love interest, Eddie Griffin and Rhea Perlman as filmmakers working on the ‘Beethoven’ movie, and singer Joey Fatone, hamming it up as one of the dog nappers.

Ok, so it’s essentially only a kids-only outing, but for a rather inexpensive direct-to-video sequel this is both a surprise and a welcome addition to a series that nobody thought new life could be breathed into. The pup has found his bark again!

The best “Beethoven” since the original!

Extras

Extras include commentary with Director Mike Elliott and Stars Jonathan Silverman and Moises Arias, featurettes (Moises Steals the Show, Hail Cesar!, On the Set of Beethoven), a gag reel, and deleted scenes (Extras Unpreviewed)