'{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2016}} {{Infobox film | name = Hounddog | image = Hounddog poster.jpg | alt = | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = [[Deborah Kampmeier]] | producer = Deborah Kampmeier<br />[[Robin Wright|Robin Wright Penn]]<br />Raye Dowell<br />Jen Gatien<br />Terry Leonard | writer = Deborah Kampmeier | starring = {{Plainlist | * [[Dakota Fanning]] * [[Piper Laurie]] * [[David Morse (actor)|David Morse]] * Robin Wright Penn * [[Isabelle Fuhrman]] }} | music = [[Gisburg]] | cinematography = {{Plainlist| * [[Jim Denault]] * [[Edward Lachman]] }} | editing = Sabine Hoffmann | studio = Empire Film Group<br />[[Hannover House]] | distributor = | released = {{Film date|2007|01|22|[[2007 Sundance Film Festival|Sundance]]}}<!-- Do not add the US release dates.--> | runtime = 102 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = <$4 million<ref name=twc>{{cite web|url=https://womensmediacenter.com/news-features/keeping-hold-of-your-visionthe-making-of-hounddog |title=Keeping Hold of Your Vision—the Making of Hounddog |date=September 17, 2008 |website=Women’s Media Center |access-date=October 19, 2022}}</ref> | gross = $131,961<ref name="mojo" /> }} '''''Hounddog''''' is a 2007 American [[Coming-of-age story|coming-of-age drama film]] written, directed, and produced by [[Deborah Kampmeier]]. The film stars [[Dakota Fanning]], [[Piper Laurie]], [[David Morse (actor)|David Morse]], [[Robin Wright|Robin Wright Penn]], and [[Isabelle Fuhrman]] in her film debut. Filmed near [[Wilmington, North Carolina]] and set in 1956 [[Alabama]], the film follows a troubled girl who finds solace from an abusive life through the music of [[Elvis Presley]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.themotionpicturegroup.com/news_releases/09222006.html |title = The Motion Picture Group, Inc. co-finances ''Hound Dog'' |date = September 12, 2006 |publisher = The Motion Picture Group |access-date = September 26, 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061114055628/http://www.themotionpicturegroup.com/news_releases/09222006.html |archive-date = November 14, 2006 |url-status = dead }}</ref> ''Hounddog'' premiered at the [[Sundance Film Festival]] on January 22, 2007, where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize, and was given a limited theatrical release on September 19, 2008. Although Fanning was praised for her performance, the film was panned by critics due to a controversial rape scene that was filmed when Fanning was only twelve years old. It was also a commercial failure, grossing $131,961, against an estimated $4 million production budget. ==Plot== In 1956, 12-year-old [[Alabama]] native Lewellen lives in poverty with her stern, religious grandmother, who has taken it upon herself to raise the girl, as Lewellen's father, Lou, cannot provide her stability. Lou struggles with alcoholism, though he tries his best to make Lewellen happy, such as gifting her an [[Elvis Presley]] vinyl record. He even tries to provide a motherly figure for Lewellen by dating a mysterious woman, Ellen, who promised one night to rescue Lewellen from life in the rural South should her relationship with her father fall apart. Ellen is later revealed to be Lewellen's maternal aunt and Grannie's estranged daughter. Lewellen finds consolation in playing with her best friend Buddy, idling away her last preteen summer with typical outdoor rural pastimes such as swimming in the pond and exploring the woods. Lewellen and Buddy make a new friend, Grasshopper, who is spending the summer with her grandparents. Lewellen begins to idolize Elvis, even more so after she learns he is coming to Alabama for a concert. Lewellen finds that singing Elvis' music is a way to channel her trauma into something constructive and creative. Charles acts as a mentor, imparting wisdom of his [[Snake handling in Christianity|snake handler]] religion to explain this to Lewellen, in other words, how to create something positive out of something venomous and deadly. Ellen leaves after Lou assaults her, pretending she doesn't know who Lewellen is after her car is towed. Lou is struck by lightning while mowing the lawn, leaving him mentally handicapped, but the thought of Elvis coming to town gives Lewellen the resolve to carry on despite her circumstances. Buddy tells Lewellen that the local milkman, Wooden's Boy, has an Elvis ticket and is willing to give it to her if she does her Elvis dance for him. Just as Lewellen starts singing and dancing, Wooden's Boy tells her to take off her clothes. Lewellen questions doing such an act, but agrees to do so after Buddy tells her it is part of the deal. Once Lewellen finishes, Wooden's Boy unzips his trousers and rapes her while a horrified Buddy looks away. The assault causes severe emotional trauma for Lewellen that manifests as an illness. During church service, Buddy and Grasshopper laugh at Lewellen, causing her to walk out. Subsequently, Buddy breaks his promise to Lewellen by taking Grasshopper to see Elvis instead. Charles and Grannie are distressed by Lewellen's sudden decline in health, and in fits of feverish illness, she hallucinates being attacked by venomous snakes. Ellen returns to town to take Lewellen with her, but Grannie threatens to kill her if she comes back. Later that day, Charles discovers Ellen has been bitten by a rattlesnake and nurses her back to health. Charles overhears Wooden's Boy bragging to Buddy about what he did to Lewellen. Enraged, Charles resolves to help Lewellen reclaim her voice by encouraging her to sing "[[Hound Dog (song)|Hound Dog]]". An emotional Lewellen struggles to sing, but she manages to pull through and reduces Charles and his bandmates to tears. The next morning, Lewellen finds a puppy abandoned on the road, and shortly after, Ellen drives up in her car. Lewellen shows her the puppy and Ellen expresses that she wants Lewellen to go with her now to start a new life together, as she’d promised. While Ellen waits in her car on the side of the road, Lewellen goes to find her grandmother and father one final time, and spots them outside attempting to kill a large, venomous snake. She watches them for a moment from a distance, then calls to her father. He looks to Lewellen and she tells him that she loves him. Lou smiles and replies with, “Yes ma’am” before looking back to the snake. Lewellen says nothing more, then turns and walks away for the last time, leaving her home and old life behind. ==Cast== * [[Dakota Fanning]] as Lewellen * [[Isabelle Fuhrman]] as Gwendalyn "Grasshopper" * [[Piper Laurie]] as Grannie * [[Jill Scott (singer)|Jill Scott]] as [[Big Mama Thornton]] * [[David Morse (actor)|David Morse]] as Lou * [[Robin Wright|Robin Wright Penn]] as Ellen * [[Christoph Sanders]] as Wooden's Boy * Cody Hanford as Buddy * [[Afemo Omilami]] as Charles * Ryan Pelton as [[Elvis Presley]] * Sean A. Wallace as Boy ==Reception== {{Anchor|Reaction}} The film garnered a great deal of attention, and generated intense controversy, owing to the use of a very young actress in a role that included a rape scene far before reaching [[age of consent|a consent age]]. Though the scene only showed Fanning's face and her character's reaction to the [[Psychological trauma|trauma]] of the act,<ref name=":0">{{cite news | url= https://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2007-01-23-fanning-hounddog_x.htm | title= Fanning speaks up on rape scene | date= January 23, 2007|newspaper=[[USA Today]]| first=Anthony | last=Breznican}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url= http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1581847,00.html | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070126170358/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1581847,00.html | url-status= dead | archive-date= January 26, 2007 |title=Fanning Controversy | date=January 24, 2007 |newspaper=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> it became known as the "Dakota Fanning rape movie" at the Sundance Film Festival.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/14/dakota-fannings-hounddog_n_126267.html | title=Dakota Fanning's "Hounddog," The Rape Movie, Savaged On Way To Release | date=October 15, 2008 | work = [[The Huffington Post]]| first = Katherine | last=Thomson}}</ref> Fanning expressed ire towards the attacks against her family, most of which she said were directed toward her mother.<ref name=":0" /> Because of the outcry over ''Hounddog'', [[North Carolina General Assembly#North Carolina Senate|North Carolina State Senator]] and minority leader [[Phil Berger (politician)|Phil Berger]] called for all future films made in [[North Carolina]] to have their scripts approved in advance if they are to get the normal production subsidy from the state. Berger says that he has not seen the film but is acting in response to what he has read about it.<ref>{{cite news |date=January 26, 2007 |title=Republican: Scripts need reviewing – Movie prompts lawmaker's film incentive idea |newspaper=[[The Star-News]] |url=http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070126/NEWS/701260363 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070205044341/http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070126/NEWS/701260363 |archive-date=February 5, 2007}}</ref> [[review aggregator|Review aggregation website]] [[Rotten Tomatoes]] gives the film a score of 15% based on reviews from 54 critics, with the website's consensus stating: "Despite a noble effort from Dakota Fanning, ''Hounddog'' is overwrought, cliche-ridden and downright exploitative."<ref name="tomatoes">{{cite web | url = http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1195905-hounddog/ | title = Hounddog | work = [[Rotten Tomatoes]] |accessdate = November 4, 2013}}.</ref> Fanning was praised for her performance by [[Roger Ebert]], who compared it to [[Jodie Foster]]'s in ''[[Taxi Driver]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/hounddog-2008|title = Hounddog|author-link = Roger Ebert | first = Roger | last = Ebert |date= September 18, 2008|newspaper= [[Chicago Sun-Times]]}}</ref> ===Box office=== In its opening weekend of September 19–21, 2008, the film took in $13,744 in 11 theaters. It grossed $131,961 in its entire run.<ref name="mojo">{{cite web |url = http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=hounddog.htm | title = Hounddog | work =[[Box Office Mojo]]|accessdate = October 10, 2008}}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * {{IMDb title|0415856|Hounddog}} * {{amg title|356926|Hounddog}} * {{mojo title|hounddog|Hounddog}} * {{rotten-tomatoes|1195905-hounddog|Hounddog}} * {{Metacritic film|title=Hounddog}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Hounddog}} [[Category:2007 films]] [[Category:2007 drama films]] [[Category:American coming-of-age films]] [[Category:American drama films]] [[Category:Films set in 1956]] [[Category:Films about rape]] [[Category:Films set in Alabama]] [[Category:Films shot in North Carolina]] [[Category:American independent films]] [[Category:2007 independent films]] [[Category:Obscenity controversies in film]] [[Category:Films about child sexual abuse]] [[Category:Films about child abuse]] [[Category:2000s English-language films]] [[Category:2000s American films]]'