Hounddog

2007
R
1h 38m

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

6.7K

YOUR RATING

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Drama Music

A drama set in the American South, where a precocious, troubled girl finds a safe haven in the music and movement of Elvis Presley.A drama set in the American South, where a precocious, troubled girl finds a safe haven in the music and movement of Elvis Presley.A drama set in the American South, where a precocious, troubled girl finds a safe haven in the music and movement of Elvis Presley.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

6.7K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 wins & 1 nomination total

Trivia
According to the site Slate, after playing family friendly roles for years, Dakota Fanning decided to her first controversial role as Lewellen in this film. The part of the Elvis fanatic included some very mature scenes, such as the horrifying rape of her character. The reviews at the time noted the public backlash of the role, and as Slate wrote, "Protesters of the film may be genuinely concerned that acting out a rape scene in a film is traumatic to Fanning." Fanning didn't take too well to her critics. She lashed out in a press conference in Los Angeles (via Today), "When it gets to the point of attacking my mother, my agent ... my teacher, who were all on the set that day, that started to make me mad ... They hadn't seen the movie." At the end of the day, the young, but seemingly mature beyond her years starlet felt she was leading audiences to harrowing discussions worth talking about. In an interview with The New York Times, Fanning, at just 12 years old, mused, "There are so many children that this happens to, every second. That's the sad part. If anyone's talking about anything, that's what they should be talking about."

Goofs
The 45 rpm record that Lewellen's father gave her in the truck (supposedly by Elvis on RCA) is apparently a reissue of an original which did not exist at the time.

Quotes
Lewellen: What's that from?
Buddy: What?
Lewellen: That big ole bruise you got there.
Buddy: Nothin'.
Lewellen: I got one, too.
Buddy: Where?
Lewellen: Right here. My daddy did it.
Buddy: My daddy don't hit me!
Lewellen: Does so.
Buddy: Does not, you liar!
Lewellen: I'm gonna kill my daddy one day.
Buddy: Are not.
Lewellen: Am too! I'll kill your daddy too, if you want.

Crazy credits
The film has a 2008 copyright date in the credits, despite first being shown in early 2007.

Connections
Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Roles Too Mature for Child Actors (2019)

Soundtracks
Homage to Harry Partch
Written by Dave Soldier, Richard Lair and The Thai Elephant Orchestra
Courtesy of Mulatta Records

User reviews68

Featured review

10/10

Great movie not pointless at all not gross

This was really an excellent movie. Anyone who says this movie was pointless or boring I don't have any idea why. This movie was the complete opposite, I think it was the first movie I've seen in a long time that had a point and was not mindless or boring.

I'm a fourteen year old and the movie was great, it was very relatable even though I haven't been through any sexual abuse.

If a movie can relate to me so deeply even though I didn't grow up in that time period, grew up in New York City, and did not go through some of the things she went through then I really think it's an excellent movie.

The content was not disturbing to me at all in a sense most people say. I think most people who say it's disturbing haven't seen the movie because yes, it is very real and true but not gross. I think it's great the director/writer touched on the subject of sexual abuse in such a great way because that subject is not brought up often in our society but it's something that is happening.

I was not sure of seeing this movie-not because of the rape scene because I knew people were making such a big deal of it but because of the other comments about how the movie wasn't going anywhere or was pointless. But I was so surprised that they were so wrong and that for me and from what I could see in the audience it was the complete opposite of pointless.

Bottom line if you haven't seen the movie already and aren't sure if you ant to go and see it, go and see it. I wasn't sure if I should see this movie either but it turned out to be one of the best movies I've seen in a long time with great writing, directing, and acting. Very real but not gross or disturbing and a story that needed to be told.