Dakota Fanning in Hounddog trailer

By Jack July 24, 2008 11:54 AM

For those of you interested in a high-pitched performance from child actress Dakota Fanning, check out this trailer for "Hounddog." The drama, set in the American South, tells the story of a precocious little white girl who finds a safe haven in the music and movement of Elvis Presley.

This film wrapped in the summer of 2006, but had trouble finding distribution due to controversy surrounding an explicit rape scene involving the character played by then-12-year-old Fanning. It's still unclear whether or not the outrage caused by this controversial scene is justified.

Regardless, judging from the previews, this movie is not really going to be all that great anyway. Check out the trailer below and see what you think.

Watch Dakota Fanning in Hounddog Trailer:

"Hounddog" hits select theaters on September 5th.

| comments: 11

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Update on   reply

Posted by stevenpill (No Email) on July 27, 2008 9:49 PM

The trailer has been around since March.  That's because Empire Film Group (the latest owners/distributors) originally intended to release the film on July 18th.  They've been having troubles due to fears of the same kind of disaster that has followed this movie since before it even wrapped... two years ago!  

They've also made big claims that all the child porn has been either deleted or "modified".  That's doubtful, seeing as the entire plot revolved around Dakota Fanning's role as a promiscuous 9 year old!  The trailer concentrates on a few scenes of music, following the old "it's not about sex, it's about music" line that goes back to the day they were "outed" by defecting set crewmen.  It was also a fantastic lie... as their own screenplay proved!  It should be noted that the scene of Dakota covered with snakes and her near-nude scene with Piper Laurie were retained and shown on the trailer.  (Did anyone notice the bruise marks on her backside?)  

How much else was likewise retained?  And do the principals think that the story of what was done with three child actors in the making of "Hounddog" can be "edited" away?  They can destroy the evidence, but not the reality.  

Oh, yes.  Dakota's tinny little voice and gyrations didn't help things much.  Nor did her outrageous psuedo-Southern accent.  And she's from Georgia!

RE: Update on   reply

Posted by stevenpill (No Email) on July 27, 2008 9:53 PM

Typo:  "pseudo-Southern".

For more on this subject, please access my website at "xanga.com/STEVENPILL".

Would like to see Dakota become a voice for abused   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on August 1, 2008 9:37 AM

children.  Personally i'm glad Dakota took on such a role that would shed some like on the exploitation of young girl (and boys).  It seems like an issue that grabs headlines for a quick 15min when it occurs.  The controversial  plot and the fact that Dakota is the main character will help drive people to the theaters and shed more than 15 minutes on the subject.

Dear Shemp   reply

Posted by stevenpill (No Email) on August 5, 2008 10:02 AM

You're falling victim to the oldest excuse that pornmakers have offered for their works:  "It'll raise awareness of the issue."  This is blatant hypocrisy on their part.  Since the Supreme Court ruling allowing pornography if it has "socially redeeming" content, this has been their gateway into the popular culture... and the means by which they've subequently polluted it.  The definition of "art films" (as they, with utter audacity, refer to their works) is pornography thinly wrapped in a veneer of social commentary to give it legitimacy.  

But it is still pornography.  And, in "Hounddog's" case, it's the first overt attempt to legitimze child porn in the American cinema.  That's why this film is so important an issue.

Please consider this as a lesson of history and human decency:  Depravity does not cure depravity.  If it did, we'd have been living in Utopia decades ago.  Depravity- unchecked- only leads to more and greater depravity.

That's what led us on the road to "Hounddog".  And now, we've arrived.

Fanning Film   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on August 7, 2008 7:33 AM

dude... have you even seen the film?

RE: Fanning Film   reply

Posted by stevenpill (No Email) on August 7, 2008 10:50 AM

No- Dude- I haven't.  Relatively few have.  For some testimony from those who actually have, access my column "The Hounddog Commentaries" (05APR08) on my site at "xanga.com/STEVENPILL"... among a number of others.  I've also studied the statements from other reviewers, on-set witnesses and possess a copy of the original screenplay itself.  And my researches have been ongoing over two years' time.  I can speak with some authority on the subject!  Asking me "have you seen it" under these circumstances is on par with asking me how I know we landed on the Moon.  I wasn't there, either.  Regards.

RE: Fanning Film   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on August 14, 2008 12:39 PM

I saw the film and your definitely making a mountain out of a molehill

RE: Fanning Film   reply

Posted by stevenpill (No Email) on August 16, 2008 5:19 PM

Dear Shemp:  Whatever.  If you've accessed my site, you'll learn that quite a few thought otherwise... including people who witnessed the actual shooting.  Note of interest:  Empire Film Group has, once again, set back the release date; this time to September 19th.

RE: Fanning Film   reply

Posted by A random shemp (No Email) on August 26, 2008 7:05 AM

You're gonna wake up one day my friend and realize all your energy was wasted on a movie that you never saw...

what's next... are you gonna attack Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones?  Or did someone tell you that movie is going to turn out okay.

RE: Fanning Film   reply

Posted by stevenpill (No Email) on August 26, 2008 12:19 PM

Dear Shemp:  

After all this time researching this film, I think I have a pretty clear image of what it's about, what went into its making and, most importantly, all that it entails in the big picture.  I don't see a minute of my time as being wasted in combatting child exploitation and pornography.  Children MATTER.  

Concerning "The Lovely Bones":  That's about as pathetic a storyline as I've ever heard.  A raped and murdered child commenting from the grave?!  It takes a pretty sick mind to put something like that (or "Hounddog") together and foister it on audiences; particularly underaged ones.  

Am I correct that they bumped Dakota out of that role in favor of Saiorse "Atonement" Ronan?  Either way, you get an exploited, R-rated child to handle yet another degrading movie.

Hounddog Withdrawn   reply

Posted by stevenpill (No Email) on September 7, 2008 12:58 PM

Dear Readers:  It appears that my time devoted to the "Hounddog" issue was not wasted after all.  This Friday, I learned from a reliable source that the theater chains scheduled to screen the movie on September 19th have opted out.  This means that "Hounddog" will not appear in any but (perhaps) a few independent and "art film" theaters at best.  Effectively, it's been withdrawn.  For more details, access my column at www.xanga.com/STEVENPILL.