Where the Red Fern Grows Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Where the Red Fern Grows Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman December 28, 2021

There were a number of "rite of passage" books that even if they weren't officially assigned as part of classwork were nonetheless all but required reading for kids of my generation, and two in particular made a lasting impact on me. Both Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time and Wilson Rawls' Where the Red Fern Grows have children at the center of their stories, but otherwise probably couldn't be more different. That said, as both A Wrinkle in Time and A Wrinkle in Time prove, adapting classic books for either the small or large screen is not always an easy proposition. Somewhat interestingly, Where the Red Fern Grows has also had two cinematic adaptations, both for the movie industry. The 1974 Where the Red Fern Grows was generally well received, and it certainly got a lot of press in my home state of Utah when it came out I assume at least in part because both star Stewart Peterson and producer Lyman Dayton (Peterson's uncle and co-writer and co-director of this version) are Mormons, and the "family friendly" aspect of the story appealed to the general ethos of the state (I was still in school in Salt Lake City at the time and remember seeing features on the local news and reading a ton about it in the local newspapers). This 2003 remake is probably a bit glossier than the 1974 version, and it offers some additional allure due to its casting of a trio of notable (pun unintended) musicians, Kris Kristofferson, Mac Davis and Dave Matthews.

In terms of the three musicians, Kristofferson and Davis contribute what are probably best deemed glorified cameos which actually play out during the credits sequence. Kristofferson is on hand as an adult Billy Coleman, a man whose reminiscences about growing up in Depression era Oklahoma serve as the bulk of the story in Where the Red Fern Grows. During the opening flashback scenes narrated by the adult Billy which introduce a young Billy (Joseph Ashton), Davis shows up briefly as a visitor dropping by the farm run by Billy's father Will (Dave Matthews). In that regard, Matthews, making his feature film debut in this role, has by far the biggest part of the three musical talents, and he's rather effective in a kind of intentionally tamped down characterization.

While several great character actors are featured prominently, including Dabney Coleman as Billy's Grandpa and proprietor of the local general store (and gas station), and Ned Beatty as a kind sheriff named Abe McConnell whose path intersects with Billy's, the success of the film probably relies most heavily upon the performance of young Joseph Ashton, in what looks like was the last feature film for the child actor. Ashton is both scrappy and vulnerable, and he brings an emotional honesty to his characterization which is particularly touching as the story wends its way to its bittersweet conclusion.

Where things may fall a bit short is in structuring and some of the sidebars. The book made a good deal out of the fact that Billy had to work for a rather long time in order to be able to finally pay for two mail order "coonhounds". It's probably understandable that this version of the film opts for a kind of quasi-montage documenting his strategies for earning money, but the entire thing feels too "easy" in a way. It's also probably understandable that the film wants to get to the dogs, but even here there are more quasi-montages that seek to quickly and efficiently establish Billy's training and growing emotional attachment to his pets. There may be a bit too much attempted humor in some of the vignettes, but there's an undeniably heartfelt foundation to the way the film presents things that is hard to resist.

One of the film's more blatantly manipulative if admittedly very effective elements (aside from the adorable dogs, of course) is its use of music, which includes contributions from Wynonna Judd and Allison Krauss, as well as another name that those of us who grew up in Utah are pretty familiar with, Alan Osmond. While he doesn't actually sing the tune, Osmond contributes a country pop theme co-written with Mike Curb, whom some fans may recall helped turn "The Osmond Brothers" into "The Osmonds" during the same general era that the first film version of When the Red Fern Grows came out.

Where the Red Fern Grows Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Where the Red Fern Grows is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of MVD Marquee Collection, an imprint of MVD Visual, with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Where the Red Fern Grows was shot on film, but MVD hasn't provided any technical data in terms of what element was utilized or other background information. This has a slightly digital look at times, and while the film stems from not all that long ago, I wouldn't be surprised if this turned out to be an older master. There's some minor but noticeable damage on display, but all in all no major signs of age related wear and tear. Grain is a bit variable looking, at times nicely tight and organic, but at other moments kind of swarm like and clumpy looking (this can be seen especially in some scenes involving bright skies). The palette is nicely intact and often pops very well. Fine detail perks up a bit in close-ups, where things like the texture of the straw hat the Sheriff wears or even things like moles and pock marks on Ashton's face are rendered precisely.

Where the Red Fern Grows Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

While Where the Red Fern Grows offers a surround track, it's a lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 one, and so audiophiles may want to stick with the LPCM 2.0 track, which suffices perfectly well. The surround track does open up both ambient environmental sounds and some of the music, but it lacks the same midrange and even low end that the LPCM 2.0 track offers. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout, and I noticed no issues whatsoever with regard to damage, distortion or dropouts. Optional English subtitles are available.

Where the Red Fern Grows Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• The Roots of a Classic (SD; 6:31) has a sweet interview with Sophie Rawls, Wilson Rawls' widow.


• Lights, Camera, Animals (SD; 7:44) looks at some of the wrangling on the film.


• Trailers includes Where the Red Fern Grows (SD; 1:29), along with trailers for other releases from MVD.

Where the Red Fern Grows Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Dog lovers have long championed Where the Red Fern Grows as one of the most wonderful and affecting tales of a boy and his beloved pets ever written. Parts of this version may admittedly be a little hackneyed, but there's also an honesty to the performances that becomes increasingly moving. The film might have done better with a few less montages (including a completely needless coda), but for those who have loved Rawls' original book, this version hits the main points effectively. Video has a few hurdles, but audio is fine, and the brief supplements are enjoyable. Recommended.