I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Truly Dreadful Film

Powerful

As Good As It Gets

Scripted nature film from Walt Disney seamlessly mixes wildlife footage with the engrossing, entertaining story of Nikki, a Malamute dog (1/8 wolf) separated from his owner in the Canadian Rockies after rescuing an orphaned bear cub up a tree. The unlikely bond between dog and bear survives different methods of sleeping and hunting for an amusing effect (the film is very careful not to dwell on the carcasses). But when winter comes and the bear must hibernate, Nikki forges off alone and is nabbed by a trapper who wants to use him for dog fighting. The animals are marvelous, though the cinematographers (all five of them, including William W. Bacon III, Lloyd Beebe, Ray Jewell, Donald Wilder and Jack Couffer, who also co-directed) are the stars this time. Jacques Fauteux provides a warm and funny narration, and Oliver Wallace's background score is very lively. The different types of film used is noticeable on occasion, and the speed is played with (slowed down or sped up) a few times; otherwise, a first-rate family product from the studio, one with the requisite tug at the heart at the finish line. *** from ****

"Nikki, Wild Dog of the North" was an interesting hybrid of a movie made while Walt Disney was still alive, though not the first time Disney made such a hybrid. It is a cross between one of Disney's True Life documentaries with a fictional narrative. The end results are somewhat mixed. There is some nice scenery, a breezy narrative, and the footage of animals in action is interesting - especially since some of the stuff the animals are put through would probably cause an outcry by the SPCA and animal lovers today. The human side of the movie is somewhat less successful, with human characters that are stereotyped at best and downright goofy at their worst. The narration is overbearing and pretentious at times as well. All of this results in a movie that is probably best for younger children, though older children and their parents will probably find it bearable if they can't find anything better to watch.

I watched "Nikki" (1961) and "Benji the Hunted" (1987) back-to-back today, and since there are not enough things to say about those two films in two separate reviews, it's better to compare them in one. They have very similar storylines (a dog tries to survive in the wilderness) and they are both primarily aimed at kids, but the quality levels differ: "Nikki" (**1/2) is a simple, straightforward, adventurous, well-made Disney tale, while "Benji the Hunted" (*1/2) is a sleep-inducing one. Voice-over narration is often regarded as an annoying gimmick, but the narrator in "Nikki" has a very pleasant voice and agreeable material to work with, while "Benji" omits the narration entirely and replaces it with an obtrusive, often inappropriate music score. In short, "Nikki" is much better.

One thing can be said about Disney in the 50s and 60s, and that is it put out some great films with animal stars, from the True-Life Adventure series to "Old Yeller" and others. This film combines a True-Life filmmaking approach with a good adventure story, and the result is entertaining family fare. The Malamute and the bear cub are adorable! Both adventure and nature commentary are shown, combined with gorgeous on-location photography (filmed in Canada) and a nice music score.