C.H.O.M.P.S. (1979)

Wonderfully offbeat film!

Absolutely brilliant

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Nowhere near as good as "Benji" or Lassie. It is the sort of movie you would probably watch once or maybe even twice and then you'd donate it to a children's' hospital. There are lots of canine hero movies that are a lot better, such as "Benji" and "Lassie" but if you are into canine hero movies, you should watch this one for a bit of variety from the standard formula. C.H.O.M.P.S does get a bit blown up, but is successfully repaired, so just steel yourselves and your children for that

I've seen this movie several times, when it comes out on DVD it'll be added to my collection. The story is great, there's no bad language and there's just enough comic relief to keep it all light--like a good Disney movie should be. The acting is typical Disney and you see a lot of the same faces as in other Disney movies. The plot revolves around an inventor that develops a robotic dog "security system" who looks just like his real small dog. A lot of the comedy comes from watching this tiny little dog beat up the bad guys, bust through brick walls and otherwise perform amazing stunts--really well done. This is a movie for the whole family although the kids will probably cry just like I did in the one really sad part of the movie (and no, I won't blow it for you). This is another Disney classic along the lines of "The computer that wore tennis shoes" and "Flight of the Navigator." For it's time, this movie was way ahead and is also just plain good sci fi. Loved it.

In this spoof of crime fighting gadgetry and corrupt business execs.Wesley Euire(Best rememebed as "Will Marshall"on the 1970's version of The Kroft Bros.and NBC TV's"Land Of The Lost Show!")creates a bioonic dog.Which he programs to protect property and people from intruders.A large crime wave hits the city and Euire tries to impress his not too understanding boss:"Mr.Norton"(played by former "Maude"and "Different Strokes"actor:Conraid Bain)with his new invention.His efforts are not too well received by "Mr.Norton"(Mr.Bain).But it takes some crooked doings by Bain's competitor(played delightfully by the late Mr.Jim Backus)and his two bumbling hencemen(played by the equally delightful Chuck McCann and Red Buttons)and alot of persuation from Bain's Daughter"Casey"(Valerie Bertinelli)to get Bain to ultilize Mr.Euire's crime fighting dog device.Bertinelli's performances are sadly limited to a few scenes .Where she fights with her onscreen father(Mr.Bain)to get him to use "Chomps"and she bills and coos with Mr.Euire.Other than these minors sequences.The rest of the film centers on Euire's attemps to get his device to work right.And the bumbling capers of Messers:McCann,Backus and Buttons are the real stars of this minor film comedy from Cartoon producers:The Late Mr.William Hanna and Mr.Joesph Barbera.

C.H.O.M.P.S. is very much like any number of cheesy late 70s Disney family comedys-The Cat from Outer Space or Unidentified Flying Oddball, for instance. Utterly devoid of anything creative, beating the same cliches to death, yet vaguely entertaining in a mindless sort of way. The actors won't win any awards, nor will the director, writer, or FX crew, but in its inoffensive ness and bland predicatability there is some vague entertainment to be had. The idea of the robot dog as security system is so full of holes you could use it as a colander. The incredibly repetative disco soundtrack will stick in your head, so beware.