Racing Stripes

Theatrical Release Date: 2005 01 14 (USA)

UPC: 085393368821

Studio: Warner Home Video

MPAA Rating: PG   Contains:[Scatological Humor]

Summary: A horse of a different pattern becomes a spoiler in a high-stakes race in the family-friendly comedy-drama. Nolan Walsh (Bruce Greenwood) is a farmer who once earned his living training racehorses before his wife was killed in an accident while riding, which led him to leave the racing game. Nolan tends to his farm and looks after his daughter Channing (Hayden Panettiere) and a large flock of animals, who speak to one another but not to humans. After a traveling circus passes through town, a zebra pony is left behind; Nolan takes in the animal, intending to return it to the circus, but at Channing's insistence they keep the zebra, naming him Stripes (voiced by Frankie Muniz). Channing loves Stripes, and the zebra is welcomed by the other critters on the farm, including grumpy Shetland pony Tucker (voiced by Dustin Hoffman), slow-moving hound dog Lightning (voiced by Snoop Dogg), a New Jersey-born pelican named Goose (voiced by Joe Pantoliano), skinny-brained rooster Reggie (voiced by Jeff Foxworthy), and deep-thinking goat Franny (voiced by Whoopi Goldberg). Channing discovers that Stripes can outrun nearly any horse around, and Woodzie (M. Emmett Walsh), a local character who has spent years handicapping the ponies, is convinced the zebra would be shoo-in in the Kentucky Open, a prestigious race held at the estate of champion horse breeder Clara Dalrymple (Wendie Malick). Channing believes Stripes can win, but he'll need the help of Nolan, who isn't so sure he's ready to start training again; meanwhile, Stripes gets plenty of advice from the other farm animals about his big step onto the race track. Mandy Moore, David Spade, and Steve Harvey also contribute their voice talents to the picture. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Category: Children's/Family

Features: ccNever-before-sceen alternate ending!
Barnyard outtakes reel with Buzz & Scuzz, Goose and more!
How to Make Animals Talk featurette
Acting class with the animals and their trainers
Deleted scenes with stripes, Reggie and more!
Buzz and Scuzz's Flying Fiasco challenge
Virtual comic book The Racing Stripes prequel
The music of Racing Stripes with Sting and Bryan Adams
Full-length director's commentary
Theatrical trailer

Racing Stripes

Format: Digital Video Disc (DVD)

Release Date: 05/10/2005

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1

Runtime: 102 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,French,Spanish

Subtitles: English,French,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Side #1 --
1. Left Behind [3:32]
2. Welcome, Stripes [4:17]
3. Racing in His Heart [4:11]
4. Showdown [2:48]
5. New Filly [2:16]
6. Rookie Mistake [3:28]
7. Wise Guy Goose [4:04]
8. That's the Attitude [3:34]
9. Double Hit [3:16]
10. Easy Rider [2:28]
11. Buzz and Scuzz [4:21]
12. Determined Dreamer [5:19]
13. Spooked [4:15]
14. Woodzie's Hunch [4:28]
15. How Did You Know? [2:32]
16. The Real Problem [2:05]
17. 99-to-1 Chance [3:16]
18. It Ain't Over Yet [3:47]
19. Taught a Lesson [3:47]
20. Rescue Mission [4:02]
21. No Way They're Missing This [4:34]
22. Making a Deal [2:16]
23. Away They Go [4:19]
24. No Holding Back [3:58]
25. Winner's Circle [3:26]
26. End Credits [3:14]

Derek Armstrong

In the world of delusional barnyard animals, a zebra that wants to be a racehorse is a lot like a pig that wants to be a sheepdog, and that's not the only thing Racing Stripes owes to Babe. Unfortunately for Racing Stripes, it didn't steal any of the parts that made Babe classic. For one, the technical specs are not up to snuff. The animals' moving mouths have that disembodied quality that was industry standard before Babe raised the bar -- a whole ten years beforehand. Secondly, the characters are just more annoying versions of the Babe stable, notably the cowardly wise-guy pelican (voiced by Joe Pantoliano, a typically obvious choice), who could be the long-lost cousin of Babe's displaced duck. The characters who bring the most fun to the proceedings -- precisely because they are rendered effectively -- are a pair of flies called Buzz and Scuzz, who are 100-percent digital creations. The intensely formulaic nature of Racing Stripes does not preclude it from having some nice moments, even though they may be of the preschool variety. Bruce Greenwood gives a tenderly sober performance as the widowed trainer, and the rudimentary racetrack he cuts into his cornfield feels like a pleasant homage to Field of Dreams. Director Frederik Du Chau is even capable of the occasional clever shot. And if we're focusing on preschoolers, it never hurts to learn that age-old lesson of accepting those who are different. Unlike its determined zebra, Racing Stripes is not one of a kind, but it's still competently heartfelt family entertainment. ~ Derek Armstrong, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Dawn Matthews  Actor 
Caspar Poyck  Actor 
Graeme Hawkins  Actor 
Jansen Panettiere  Actor 
Frankie Manriquez  Actor 
Gary Bullock  Actor 
Matt Stern  Actor 
Morne Visser  Actor 
Kyle Alcazar  Actor 
Thandi Puren  Actor 
John Lesley  Actor 
Tarryn Downes  Actor 
Mark Isham  Composer (Music Score) 
Lloyd Phillips  Producer 
Broderick Johnson  Producer 
Andrew Kosove  Producer 
Frederik Du Chau  Director 
Edward L. McDonnell  Producer 
Steven P. Wegner  Executive Producer 
David Schmidt  Screenwriter 
Hayden Panettiere  Actor 
Bruce Greenwood  Actor 
M. Emmet Walsh  Actor 
Wendie Malick  Actor 
Frankie Muniz  Actor 
Mandy Moore  Actor 
Michael Clarke Duncan  Actor 
Jeff Foxworthy  Actor 
Joshua Jackson  Actor 
Joe Pantoliano  Actor 
Michael Rosenbaum  Actor 
Steve Harvey  Actor 
David Spade  Actor 
Snoop Dogg  Actor 
Fred Dalton Thompson  Actor 
Dustin Hoffman  Actor 
Whoopi Goldberg  Actor 

Country: USA,South Africa