The Shaggy D.A. (DVD)

In the 1970's Disney was churning out a lot of live action family films. Designed as a sequel to the popular 1959 film, The Shaggy Dog, in which a young boy, Wilby, uses a magic ring to turn himself into a dog and gets into scrapes, the Shaggy DA follows the young lad once again as an adult. He has graduated from university with a law degree, and is a respected member of the community. The town's district attorney is a crooked man, however, and tired ...
...Wilby decides to run for the office of District Attorney. Unfortunately, someone has stolen the magic ring, and he keeps turning into a hairy sheepdog. Who has stolen the ring, and will he be successful in his quest to restore justice?

This film is rather underrated. This is quality slapstick comedy, and while younger members of the family may not grasp the finer points of the storyline, they will definitely get the gags. The jokes ... more

In the 1970's Disney was churning out a lot of live action family films. Designed as a sequel to the popular 1959 film, The Shaggy Dog, in which a young boy, Wilby, uses a magic ring to turn himself into a dog and gets into scrapes, the Shaggy DA follows the young lad once again as an adult. He has graduated from university with a law degree, and is a respected member of the community. The town's district attorney is a crooked man, however, and tired of the legal travesties he sees going on about him, Wilby decides to run for the office of District Attorney. Unfortunately, someone has stolen the magic ring, and he keeps turning into a hairy sheepdog. Who has stolen the ring, and will he be successful in his quest to restore justice?

This film is rather underrated. This is quality slapstick comedy, and while younger members of the family may not grasp the finer points of the storyline, they will definitely get the gags. The jokes are pretty high quality, with the slapstick funny, but never overly ridiculous. Rather it is humour on par with the original Flubber and The Love Bug. The story is superbly supported by the comic genius of Tim Conway (the ice cream man), Dean Jones (the hapless Wilby Daniels/Elwood the dog), Keenan Wynn (DA Slade), Dick Van Patten (The DA's assistant),and Suzanne Pleshette (Mrs. Daniels), who give some of their most inspired performances in their portrayals.

Beyond the humour we also have the story of crooked politics, and one man's attempts to right the problems, providing dimension to a story that could have easily been one dimensional. It may seem an odd theme for a family comedy, but it works as the magic ring scenario renders a lightness to the story. This makes it easy to watch, with the underlying messages of right vs wrong and not letting the bullies win coming through loud and clear. It was a message I myself understood through all the laughs all those childhood years ago, along with the laughs that made me wax with happy nostalgia when I saw this.

Quality wise, at the £6 price mark, it is also an absolute bargain. and as it does not have any special features, priced just about right. You get the 88 minute film, which is just about the right length for getting the story accomplished and yet keeping the kids from hopping all about, and being a Disney's Buena Vista Entertainment release, you get remastered picture and sound, so that it is immensely viewable. Sadly, it is fullscreen rather than widescreen, so it appears the remastering was done from the original for TV aspect ratios, but this does not detract. It is in English only and without subtitles, so also, sadly, not very suitable for the hearing impaired. All in all, a fantasy film worth watching, and enjoyed by the entire family, but one that I would advise buying on offer along with its 1959 predecessor for continuity. At about £6 each, it would not be a huge investment, but one that you would not regret. 

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