Doctor Dolittle 1967

[Phil Moors]

Was Doctor Dolittle 1967 ever released on Super 8 in any form, full length, cutdown and the most likely a cinema trailer? It is a film that I have always loved, despite the poor reviews it received and the many problems on set.

It was considered disappointing at the time, but look at the later reincarnation, Eddie Murphy dreadful films and the painfully bad Dolittle 2020 with the totally miscast Robert Downey Jr.

I have all the Dolittle books by Hugh Lofting and enjoyed them a lots when I was younger. Although the statuesque Harrison is nothing like Lofting’s Dolittle who was in stature and appearance a lot like Arthur Lowe.

[Douglas Meltzer]

Phil,

I'm also fond of the 1967 film. I have never come across any trailers/cutdowns in Super 8mm. The only 8mm releases relating to Lofting's books I've seen are the Republic Pictures silent 200 footers of Lotte Reiniger's 1928 animated shorts.

[Osi Osgood]

Wasn't there a giant snail in the film? I kind of remember something like that, but I might be thinking of some other film.

[Mike Newell]

Doctor Doolittle was one of those early childhood movies I saw in the cinema. Others being Sound of Music, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and a re issue of Tom Thumb. Whilst I have seen the others over the years I don’t think I have ever watched Doctor Doolittle again. I can’t remember seeing it on television or being available on DVD. We had the soundtrack LP so that’s why the songs are familiar to me. I agree the Eddie Murphy remakes were awful. Maybe that’s why the original is seldom heard of these days.

[Alan Paterson]

I remember seeing this as a kid in the cinema in Dunfermline when it was released. Somehow our local cinemas avoided showing it so we had to travel some distance to catch it. I was quite disappointed that the big pink sea snail didn't seem to do a lot. The film seemed to lack the charm or magic that Disney movies enjoyed. Since then, I've never seen it on Super 8 either as an extract, cutdown or feature. I do recall it being on the telly once though.

[Osi Osgood]

There WAS a giant snail! So, I have seen this. Come to think of it, I remember the song "I talk to the animals".

[Edward Nicielnik]

Also push me pull u

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qUr96HmUTw&t=89s

[Steve Lee]

One thing I do remember about Dr Dolittle is that it was one of the first titles released on the original Philips Laser Disc system. And it sticks in my mind because it was the first time I had seen a widescreen presentation on a TV. The discs were presented in letterbox format.
Only now thinking about it, maybe because the film was shot in Todd AO, and it didn't transfer very well over to pan and scan, maybe that's why it didn't show up on VHS and broadcast TV.
Looking at the list, Dr Dolittle was one of the Todd AO films that didn't have a second super panavision version made for general release, which had been the case for most of the rest of them.
But the good news is that it is currently available on DVD and blu ray.

[Alan Paterson]

Just been reading up about the production problems during the shooting of 'Dr Dolittle'. This one really tickled me. They used 1200 live animals on the film and a parrot learned to shout 'Cut'. :-)

[Phil Moors]

Update: I have just found out that the Trailer for Doctor Dolittle was released in colour on Thunderbird trailer reel no 76

Gulliver's Travels
Dumbo
Swiss Family Robinson
Doctor Dolittle.

Thats a trailer reel I wouldn’t mind owning. No doubt the colour has shifted since release.

I have Doctor Dolittle on dvd, it’s a 20th Century Fox release in their Studio Classics Collection. The quality of the Dvd is excellent, with good colour and very sharp in 2:35 ratio. And sound in 4.0. It’s one of those dvd’s that is trying to be a blu ray, excellent. The film has also been released on blu ray by Twilight Time and Koch Media. Twilight Times is the best but ridiculously expensive. Koch Media is not recommended being very brown throughout. See comparisons on DVD Beaver.

By the way Doctor Dolittle was nominated for 9 Academy Awards (Not 1 as stated on the box) and won two. One for Best Song ‘Talk to the Animals’ and one for Best Special Visual Effects. The photography also is excellent throughout by Robert Surtees.

[Ken Finch]

I have have just purchased it on dvd today from an Amazon dealer. It is really superb, just as described by Phil. It has a different box cover but otherwise identical. It even starts with the overture which I don’t remember being on it when I saw it in the cinema all those years ago. Ken Finch.

[Phil Moors]

Ken it also has an interval with music and the full play out music. The only downside is the trailer provided is very rough, but there are scenes from the film and Rex Harrison talks to the audience with Chee Chee the chimp and Polynesia.