Hachi: A Dog's Tale

Lasse Hallström’s 2009 film follows a professor who takes home an Akita puppy found at a railway station, and the dog who meets him there every evening. The method is declared early. In shots from Hachi’s point of view the colour drains almost to black and white, and the film never puts human dialogue into the dog’s mind or narrates the animal’s thoughts. Richard Gere and Hallström chose to shoot digitally so the interaction between actor and dogs need not be broken into short takes. Gere has described days where up to ten hours went on the dogs and ten minutes were left for his own part. Three Akitas shared the role, and at his first meeting Gere was told not to look at them. Winning their trust took three days. The source is documented. Professor Hidesaburo Ueno died on 21 May 1925, and Hachiko kept returning to Shibuya Station until his own death on 8 March 1935. The bronze statue there was unveiled on 21 April 1934, while he was alive, and Hachiko was present. Sony gave the picture no American theatrical run, and Japan supplied the largest slice of its worldwide takings. A good fit if you want the drained dog’s eye shots and unbroken takes. Not for anyone hoping to be told what the dog is thinking.