Dog Days of Summer (film)
Encyclopedia
Dog Days of Summer is a 2008 American independent feature film directed by Mark Freiburger
and shot on location in Edenton, North Carolina
. It is based on an original screenplay by screenwriters Travis Beacham
and Christopher J. Waild
.
The film stars Will Patton
, Richard Herd
, Devon Gearhart
, Colin Ford
, R. Keith Harris and Megan Blake
.
That summer kicked off with the arrival of Eli (Will Patton), as witnessed by preteen Philip (Devon Gearhart) and best friend Jackson (Colin Ford). The two boys stare in awe as Eli tumbles out of his ancient-looking car and invite the townsfolk over to look at his amazing model circus.
It's not long before Eli convinces the mayor to pay him to create a scale model of the town for the upcoming bisesquicentennial. Philip and Jackson, both dealing with troubles at home, glom onto Eli, using his old camera to take pictures of the town for Eli to use as inspiration.
Despite its picture-perfect surface, Philip's town is anything but idyllic. His father is a minister, but not exactly the heroic kind—more the philandering kind. Jackson's blind father drinks his life away, mourning the loss of Jackson's mother to a car crash. Both boys are lost in a sea of adult emotions, with neither the maturity nor the resources to cope. As the boys take pictures for Eli, they watch the lives of those they love unraveling around them, and struggle to hang onto their dream of an uncomplicated life where the sun is always high and the river is filled with fish...
Mark Freiburger
Stephen Mark Freiburger is an American filmmaker. Freiburger grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, attending Providence High School and the North Carolina School of the Arts. At 22, Freiburger produced and directed his first feature, Dog Days of Summer...
and shot on location in Edenton, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. It is based on an original screenplay by screenwriters Travis Beacham
Travis Beacham
Travis Beacham is an American screenwriter. He studied screenwriting at the North Carolina School of the Arts.-Movie career:Just prior to graduating from the School of the Arts in 2005, Beacham co-wrote the independent feature Dog Days of Summer directed by fellow alum Mark Freiburger.In late...
and Christopher J. Waild
Christopher J. Waild
Christopher J. Waild is an American screenwriter. Waild grew up in Springfield, Ohio and attended the North Carolina School of the Arts where he studied screenwriting...
.
The film stars Will Patton
Will Patton
William Rankin "Will" Patton is an American actor.-Life and career:Patton was born in Charleston, South Carolina, the eldest of three children. His father is Bill Patton, a playwright and acting/directing instructor who was a Lutheran minister and served as a chaplain at Duke University...
, Richard Herd
Richard Herd
Richard Herd, Jr. is an American actor in television and film. He is well known in the science fiction community for his role in the 1983 NBC miniseries V and the 1984 sequel V: The Final Battle, as John, the Visitors' Supreme Commander...
, Devon Gearhart
Devon Gearhart
Devon Gearhart is an American teen actor.Gearhart was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and began acting at the age of seven, landing national commercials with Burger King, PBS, Pizza Hut and The Cartoon Network. Gearhart's movie debut came in 2004 when he landed the role of Young Bobby in...
, Colin Ford
Colin Ford
Colin Ford is an American child actor and voice actor. He is best known for his role as young Sam Winchester in the 2005 TV Series, Supernatural.-Biography:...
, R. Keith Harris and Megan Blake
Megan Blake
Megan Blake is a pet lifestyle expert and an actress based in Malibu, CA. She is also Miss Georgia 1983.-Career:Blake is a pet expert on, hosts, segment produces and writes for Animal Attractions Television, the #1 Pet Series on PBS and winner of two Tellys and an Honorable Mention at the Genesis...
.
Plot
Dog Days of Summer opens with adult Philip Walden paying a visit to the unnamed town where he grew up. In a voiceover, he expresses his disgust over the ramshackle, broken down state of things, and, with trepidation, recalls "the summer I unwillingly grew up."That summer kicked off with the arrival of Eli (Will Patton), as witnessed by preteen Philip (Devon Gearhart) and best friend Jackson (Colin Ford). The two boys stare in awe as Eli tumbles out of his ancient-looking car and invite the townsfolk over to look at his amazing model circus.
It's not long before Eli convinces the mayor to pay him to create a scale model of the town for the upcoming bisesquicentennial. Philip and Jackson, both dealing with troubles at home, glom onto Eli, using his old camera to take pictures of the town for Eli to use as inspiration.
Despite its picture-perfect surface, Philip's town is anything but idyllic. His father is a minister, but not exactly the heroic kind—more the philandering kind. Jackson's blind father drinks his life away, mourning the loss of Jackson's mother to a car crash. Both boys are lost in a sea of adult emotions, with neither the maturity nor the resources to cope. As the boys take pictures for Eli, they watch the lives of those they love unraveling around them, and struggle to hang onto their dream of an uncomplicated life where the sun is always high and the river is filled with fish...
Cast
- Will PattonWill PattonWilliam Rankin "Will" Patton is an American actor.-Life and career:Patton was born in Charleston, South Carolina, the eldest of three children. His father is Bill Patton, a playwright and acting/directing instructor who was a Lutheran minister and served as a chaplain at Duke University...
as Eli Cottonmouth - Richard HerdRichard HerdRichard Herd, Jr. is an American actor in television and film. He is well known in the science fiction community for his role in the 1983 NBC miniseries V and the 1984 sequel V: The Final Battle, as John, the Visitors' Supreme Commander...
as Frank Cooper - Devon GearhartDevon GearhartDevon Gearhart is an American teen actor.Gearhart was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and began acting at the age of seven, landing national commercials with Burger King, PBS, Pizza Hut and The Cartoon Network. Gearhart's movie debut came in 2004 when he landed the role of Young Bobby in...
as Philip Walden - Colin FordColin FordColin Ford is an American child actor and voice actor. He is best known for his role as young Sam Winchester in the 2005 TV Series, Supernatural.-Biography:...
as Jackson Patch - Megan BlakeMegan BlakeMegan Blake is a pet lifestyle expert and an actress based in Malibu, CA. She is also Miss Georgia 1983.-Career:Blake is a pet expert on, hosts, segment produces and writes for Animal Attractions Television, the #1 Pet Series on PBS and winner of two Tellys and an Honorable Mention at the Genesis...
as May Walden - Gregory Alan WilliamsGregory Alan WilliamsGregory Alan Williams is an American actor and author. Williams is best known for portraying Garner Ellerbee in the syndicated series Baywatch.-Early life and acting career:...
as Sheriff Lem Baker - Wayne CrawfordWayne CrawfordWayne Crawford is an American film and television actor, and film producer, screenwriter, and director. Crawford has appeared in nearly thirty films, produced 15, written 9, and directed 7....
as Quincy Patch - R. Keith Harris as Pastor Salem
- Colin Key as Older Phil Walden
- Jessica Webb as Camille
- Paul Silver as Brock Walden
- Mark Joy as Chuck Walden
- Richard Fullerton as The General
- Joe Inscoe as Doc Rockwell
- Patricia Herd as Marilyn Rockwell
- Bonnie Johnson as Martha
- Logan Fahey as Chip Robinson
Release
- On April 18, 2008 the film opened theatrically as the #22 highest per screen average in the nation out of the 122 recorded films in theatrical release.
- The North American DVD release date was April 21, 2009