Highly Overrated But Still Good

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Boy, do I have fond memories of seeing this delightful cartoon feature on cable TV as a kid in the early 80's. I just bought a copy of this gem on DVD and rewatched it. I'm happy to report it still has the ability to powerfully move and captivate me now as an adult like it did when I was a little boy.Adorable little redhead girl Dot gets hopelessly lost in the Australian outback. Dot meets and befriends a nicely, loving, motherly and understanding female kangaroo who looks after Dot and helps her find her way back home. While trekking across the bush Dot and the kangaroo meet a colorfully flaky and entertaining assortment of animals which include a singing frog quartet, playful mice, a miserable owl, a touchy, but wise platypus and his wife, dancing flamingos, helpful big-voiced birds, nasty dingoes, and the engagingly exuberant bird Willie Wagtail. All of these above cited encounters are quite fun and enjoyable, but for me nothing beats the special appearance of creepy local Aussie folkloric bogeyman figure the bunyip, a freaky, pasty white humanoid blob with brown spots who runs through the woods while other animals flee in mortal dread. Better yet, "The Bunyip Song" seriously smokes, with some incredibly awesome lyrics: "You better come home quickly/ And you better hide very soon/ For the bunyip's going to get you/ In the bunyip moon." The shots of the bunyip coming out of both fire and water are really hair-raising as well, implying that the bunyip is basically everywhere. Ooga booga, now that's scary stuff, man! Seriously, this is a truly terrific cartoon feature. It's quite sweet-natured and good-hearted, with nifty animation (the kangaroo in particular is positively cuddly and lovable), endearing characters, breathtaking scenery, beautiful photography, and a marvelous batch of infectiously catchy, sprightly and witty songs. As an added bonus there isn't even a faint trace of either cynicism or sarcasm to be found; in its place we have a winningly child-like and innocent sense of awe and wonder which in turn makes this movie extremely special and unforgettable. Moreover, there's also a smartly articulated message concerning loss and separation at the heart-breakingly sad and poignant conclusion. The closing sequence of the kangaroo hopping back into the bush after Dot is returned to her parents is genuinely haunting and touching. A radiantly sparkling and affecting little jewel.

This Australian part animation, part live is now nearly 30 years old, and maybe this is the time for a remake. I am never a fan of remakes ordinarily, but though a classic in it's own right, Dot and the Kangaroo is a hazed memory for many adults, and is almost never shown on television for the latest generation of children.The story of a young girl lost in the Australian bush is befriended by a kangaroo who has lost her very own joey (which is never found). The film follows their adventures in returning Dot to her family using some now very dated looking crossover filming between live action and animation, which at the time was very impressive.This is not a traditional feature length cartoon for two simple reasons. Almost every cartoon has a happy, everybody lives happily ever after feel to it...this one doesn't. And there is a creature called a Bunyip in this movie which is going to GET YOU... As a young child, you may just worry about this for a while, especially if you live in Australia... Usually the token scary monster of a cartoon is so over the top it's laughable. This is a little more than that, and must not be dumbed down for any remake. That would be unacceptable!This is a must for anyone who remembers the film and wants a nostalgic trip, but for newcomers, maybe you should wait for a remake (if ever) -or just avoid the film as I have no doubt you will never understand what all the fuss is about. You will hear Dot singing about the best way to travel being in the pouch of a red kangaroo, and switch off immediately. This aside, the film may still appeal to young children.

Wow! One of the greatest movies I have ever seen. Because of the great voice talent? Not really. For the amazing animation? Hardly. (Worse than 60's HB's). The animated characters on a live-action background? That helped convince me to rent it after my wife's reminiscing. But when she told me that it was a sad cartoon movie and doesn't have a standard happy ending, I said, "Oh, we must see this." Being an Austrailian film, it's not easy to find, (We wrote a few e-mails to Netflix before it became available) but well worth it. It is very touching and bold, and the characters are deeper than the animation leads you to believe. Yoram Gross's vision, assumably, was to expose kids to the Bush's' point of view which he did a swell job. Overall, a frolicking adventure that opens with a girl (Dot) crying because she is lost in the bush. The kangaroo that finds and helps her has also lost her joey. After the parents give up on her and the roo is almost killed protecting Dot, she returns home never to see her friend again. I have never in my life seen such a sad kids movie but my two young daughters were both moved and very much enjoyed it. A MUST on many levels.

As in another user comment on this movie, I first saw this on HBO as a kid. The mix of live footage and animation makes the events in the story seem more authentic and believable and also maintains a connection with reality that drives home the ecological message. As a kid, I remember liking the songs, which are still enjoyable, and being fascinated by the aboriginal elements. Upon second viewing recently, I was struck by the environmental and anthropological themes. It is still magical, and the ending remains affecting.