SEALED NEW DVD: BEETHOVEN (1992) Charles Grodin Bonnie Hunt, Family Dog Classic
Rated PG, Universal Pictures, Ivan Reitman Productions

Factory-sealed, brand-new family dog classic DVD (please see photos), plastic outer wrapping may have a few minor imperfections from storage; DVD has never been opened nor played. Full frame 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital Sound, subtitles, feature running time: approx. 1 hour 27 minutes, Region 1 (US, Canada, US Territories).

Languages: English, Spanish, French 
Subtitles: English, Spanish

Cast members include Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt, Dean Jones, Nicholle Tom, Oliver Platt, Christopher Catile, Sarah Rose Karr, Stanley Tucci, David Duchovny, Patricia Heaton, Laurel Cronlin, and a young Joseph Gordon-Levitt cast as "Student #1." 

Directed by Brian Levant, written by John Hughes and Amy Holden Jones. Won the Genesis Award for Best Feature Film.

Brief synopsis, via IMDb:

A slobbering St. Bernard becomes the center of attention for a loving family, but must contend with a dog-napping veterinarian and his henchmen.

A bit of film trivia, via IMDb:
  • In addition to the trained dogs who worked in the film, a full mechanical dog was also used, plus a mechanical dog's head which was used to achieve certain facial expressions and reactions. American Humane Association was on the set throughout filming. Prior to filming, AHA monitored training and preparation of the dogs for certain tricks that they had to master.
  • Steve Martin was the first choice to play George Newton. Later, John Candy, Danny DeVito, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Jeff Goldblum, Rick Moranis, and Robin Williams were considered for the part, as were Ed O'Neill, Tim Allen, and John Ritter.
  • Dean Jones was cast against type as the villain of this film. He was previously best known for playing nice guy leading roles in live action Disney films during the 1960s and 1970s.
  • Eleanor Keaton, Buster Keaton's widow, trained the dog Beethoven for this movie.
  • Oliver Platt and Stanley Tucci, who play a duo of bumbling crooks in this film, are friends in real life and later worked together as a comedy double act in The Impostors (1998), which was also directed by Tucci.
  • Great care was taken to make sure the animals used in filming were not harmed. Measures taken included many trick shots, multiple cuts, and even a mechanical dog/dog suit in order to achieve scenes.
  • Originally, director Brian Levant wanted a different actress closer to Charles Grodin in age to play Alice, as Grodin was already 56 and Hunt was only 29 during filming. Levant considered Mary Steenburgen for the role as Grodin and Steenburgen had recently completed and then-shelved film called Clifford (1994) in which they played a romantic couple. However, producer Ivan Reitman felt Grodin and Hunt had the best chemistry and while Grodin was significantly older than Hunt, he felt Grodin had aged well enough that he could pass for being in his early 40s. He also cited the films of Audrey Hepburn as an example of an age gap between co-stars working well. Hepburn had often starred alongside men old enough to be her father, such as Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, and Humphrey Bogart, who all played her romantic interests in different movies. Eventually, Levant relented and agreed to Hunt's casting.
  • So incensed were the American Veterinary Association about the depiction of a vet as leader of a dog-napping ring, they fired off a letter of protest to Jack Valenti, head of the Motion Picture Association of America.
  • Joseph Gordon-Levitt's film debut. He is the kid on the right wearing a green top who gets on the school bus while Ted hides behind a tree before getting on the bus.
Summary from the DVD case's back cover:

Fall in love with the big-hearted, wet-nosed star of this outrageous comedy hit from producer Ivan Reitman. With nefarious dog-nappers hot on his heels, an adorable puppy named Beethoven adopts the unsuspecting Newton family -- and promptly grows up into 185 pounds of romping, drooling, disaster-prone St. Bernard!

Charles Grodin is George, the none-too-thrilled father whose disdain for the cuddly canine turns to loyalty after Beethoven becomes the target of unspeakable animal experimentation.

Now it's up to George to save the day in this fetching adventure that's "...fun for the whole family" (Janet Maslin, New York Times. 

Thank you for your interest. I will ship within 1-3 business days of cleared payment. 

I happily combine multiple items for shipping. The cost to ship 1 DVD is the same as combining 3 or sometimes 4 to ship; 4 or more DVDs combined will save you even more on shipping costs. If you are ordering more than 1 DVD in the same transaction, you will be promptly refunded for any overpayment that may occur of shipping the DVDs. Please send me a note to give me a heads up.


***When your item arrives, please post positive feedback, as this will notify us that your item has arrived. We will post positive feedback at the time of shipping. Earning and receiving Five Star Ratings from our satisfied customers is our goal, and is greatly appreciated! Should there be a problem with either your item or with shipping, PLEASE contact us first before leaving negative feedback or a low rating so that we can make efforts to correct the problem. Thank you in advance. 

No international shipments will be made at this time.


LUVBd1