By John Corrado

Clifford the Big Red Dog, which is being released on Blu-ray today from Paramount, is a surprisingly decent live action family film that brings Norman Bridwell’s classic series of children’s books about the adventures of a young girl and her big red dog to life.

The film stars Darby Camp as Emily Elizabeth, a lonely middle schooler who feels out of place and could use a friend. She finds one when a magical older man named Mr. Bridwell (John Cleese) introduces her to a bright red puppy, who grows to be ten feet tall overnight.

I actually found myself somewhat pleasantly surprised by Clifford the Big Red Dog when I saw it in theatres. Sure, the story is inherently predictable, and there is a lot of broad humour as it essentially turns into a madcap chase movie with Emily Elizabeth and her Uncle Casey (Jack Whitehall) running around New York City trying to protect Clifford from a mad scientist (Tony Hale) who wants to run experiments on him.

But the film coasts by thanks to a decent amount of heart and charm, with winsome performances from Camp and Whitehall, and an endearing big red dog at its centre. It’s a fairly enjoyable family movie that I think will find even more of an audience at home with its wide, all-ages appeal.

For more on the film itself, you can read my full review of Clifford the Big Red Dog right here.

Bonus Features (Blu-ray):

The Blu-ray comes with a handful of bonus featurettes and deleted scenes. A code for a digital copy is also included in the package, which ships with a non-embossed slipcover.

• Part of the Pack (6 minutes, 34 seconds): Members of the cast and crew talk about their characters, the story, and the messages of the film.

• Acting is for the Dogs (3 minutes, 20 seconds): Looks at shooting the film with a ten-foot, two-person puppet standing in for the animated Clifford on set as reference for the actors.

• The Magic of Bridwell (7 minutes, 11 seconds): A nice overview of the history behind author and illustrator Norman Bridwell’s original Clifford books published by Scholastic, and how they paid tribute to him through John Cleese’s character.

• Tips & Tricks for Taking Care of a 10-Foot Dog (2 minutes, 28 seconds): A short “guide” on how to care for your own giant pet, built around clips from the film.

• Deleted Scenes (2 minutes, 50 seconds)

• Dr. Russ (17 seconds)

• Searching for Bridwell (56 seconds)

• Animal Blessings (1 minute, 35 seconds)

Clifford the Big Red Dog is a Paramount Home Entertainment release. It’s 97 minutes and rated G.

Street Date: February 1st, 2022