DUDLEY DO-RIGHT (1999): ChildCare Action Project (CAP) Media Analysis Report MAR11099

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MAR11099
Dudley Do-Right (1999), (PG)
CAP Score: 81
CAP Influence Density: 0.34

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SUMMARY / COMMENTARY:

Dudley Do-Right (PG)

A Universal Pictures release.
A Davis Entertainment/Joseph Singer Entertainment/Todd Harris production.
Based on the TV cartoon characters developed by Jay Ward.

Executive Producer, Director, and Screenwriter: Hugh Wilson.
Co-producer: Mary Kane.
Brendan Fraser: Dudley Do-Right
Sarah Jessica Parker: Nell Fenwick
Alfred Molina: Snidely Whiplash
Robert Prosky: Inspector Fenwick

An action feature styled after TV cartoon series of years gone by. Folks under 30 likely will not have the slightest idea about its connection with the TV cartoon series. But there is enough "90s" in it to make it age-restricted -- at least the MPAA thinks so, and so does the CAP Entertainment Media Analysis Model.

Sarcasm and slapstick comedy are designed to make the younger kids happy -- and it may be funny to them until one of them tries the slapstick comedy of Dudley Do-Right on other kids. Dudley gets hit in the face and on the back of his head at least four times with loose floorboards. The crude and rude Snidely Whiplash launches a fake gold rush in the babbling brooks of Canada -- and proceeds to take over the town by over-charging the influx of gold-hungry tourists. Nell has almost nothing to do in this farce other than her cuteness and that she is the focus of both Whiplash's and Do-Right's affections since youth. Dudley's boss, Inspector Fenwick fires Do-Right for muddling things up but later re-instates Do-Right with honors for "saving the world" (at least, for saving Semi-Happy Valley).

This comedy flick is preceded by a Fractured Fairytales cartoon of about 6 minutes (not part of the analysis parameters of the CAP model, but noteworthy). But it is NOT of the same caliber of the original TV *Fractured Fairytales.* Definitely a 90s cartoon. The fair maiden in it is drawn leaving little to the imagination about her anatomy and is somehow relieved of her clothes then partially hidden behind a bush.

The programming tried to mimic the style of cartoons but using live actors and actresses, thus bridging the reality gap between cartoon fantasy and real life influence. Possibly influential comments by Whiplash was "The bad guy has all the fun" and "We're gonna kill him real slowly." There was bank robbery with guns, gunfire to intimidate and control (including a shotgun in a face), and portrayal of fear of vampires. Lots of slapstick comedy which would likely result in injury if your child were to ape it. And some instances of sexual matters were there such as a crotch hit, inappropriate touch, and a flash of a buttock. And since Mystery Men there seems to be a increase of flatulence onscreen, including Do-Right's horse named Horse.

This movie is an excellent example of the utility of the CAP Entertainment Media Analysis Model. Three of the six CAP Investigation Areas revealed programming equivalent to G-rated movies of 1995/96, two with programming equivalent to PG movies of the same era, but in Wanton Violence/Crime the movie earned a score equivalent to a light R-rated movie or a heavy PG-13 movie of that era. Thus, a red CAPAlert light.

So many of our visitors seem to be relying only on this Summary/Commentary for a full accounting of the subject movie. This is not possible. For the best representation of the CAP Entertainment Media Analysis Model applied to this movie, visit the Findings/Scoring section below.

FINDINGS / SCORING:

NOTE: Multiple occurrences of each item described below are likely.

Wanton Violence/Crime (W):

bank robbery with firearms

threats with shotgun to the face and other firearm intimidations

repeated slapstick comedy of floorboard hit to the head

attempted murder

warfare ordnance

Impudence/Hate (I)⁽¹⁾:

"The bad guy has all the fun."

"We're gonna kill him real slowly."

flatulence

Sex/Homosexuality (S):

flash of buttock

inappropriate touch

crotch hit

Drugs/Alcohol (D):

bar scene

drunkenness

Offense to God (O)⁽²⁾:

God's name in vain once without the four letter expletive

portraying vampires as something to be feared

zen meditation "At one with the universe."

Murder/Suicide (M)⁽³⁾:

none noted

(1) As noted in CAP Special Report-001, "Investigation Area and Scoring Trend," of the six CAP Investigation Areas, Impudence/Hate was the strongest presence in all four movie classifications. It has a strong revelation about the entertainment media.

(2) The use of the three/four letter word vocabulary without God's name in vain is incorporated into the Impudence/Hate Investigation Area. The use of God's name with or without the four letter expletive is incorporated into the Offense to God Investigation Area. There is no duplication. As required of the Holy Scriptures, unless God's name is used with reverence to His glory and praise, its use is considered in vain.

(3) Only portrayal of successful murder or suicide are incorporated into Murder/Suicide. Portrayal of attempts to commit murder or suicide and deaths by police action or war are incorporated into Wanton Violence/Crime.

Additional reviews of this movie may be located at "Movie Review Query Engine at Telerama."

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Thomas A. Carder
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ChildCare Action Project: Christian Analysis of American Culture (CAP)

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