childhood favorites

Why are orange tabbies so damn cute?

Continuing my sick-vegetable weekend, today I managed to get a hold of Milo and Otis. This remains one of my absolute favorite cheesily-narrated animal movies from when I was a child (its only competitors being Homeward Bound and that horrible one with John Travolta and whatsherface.)

Because I can't sit through a movie anymore without pulling up IMDB or the wiki, I eventually scrolled through the IMDB to find that, tragically, many Milos and Otises were killed in the making of the film. This isn't that surprising now, as I watch Milo fall down waterfalls in a cardboard box and the both of them get attacked by a bear. But when I was a kid, I believed with my whole heart that Milo and Otis braved the dangers of the wild together, and grace and fortune smiled down upon them the entire time.

Now, watching the movie is a little sadder, but I still kind of love it. Dudley Moore's hammy "animal-ization" of all the different animal characters' voices is really brilliant. The animals are so freaking cute. It would take a staggering volume of film to cut together a film featuring so many different animals in so many environments. The classical music is choice. And even though every time any animal gets in danger, you can't help but think, well, that's where we lost Otis #17, at least it might make for a very morbid drinking game?

Watching the movie also reminds me of a book I loved as a kid. I can't remember the name, but the cover featured a green field with an orange tabby kitten in the middle. The book was about the kitten, named "Pickle," who (predictably) was always getting himself into trouble.

I really miss those days -- the days when I could easily believe in brave puppies, impish kittens, and the anthropomorphism of animals.