You know the voice, the mannerisms, the red necktie. And you know you’ll laugh. Rover Dangerfield, written by Rodney Dangerfield and featuring his inimitable voice talents, is a cartoon fan’s best friend. The makers of The Brave Little Toaster team with the comedy legend for this tuneful, all-family treat about a brave basset hound whose every move and joke is purest Rodney, captured as the funnyman was filmed recording his lines so the animators could recreate his uproarious personality. We meet Rover in Las Vegas, living the good life of a high-rolling hound. But — win some, lose some — he’s transplanted to a farm where he gets the barnyard blues. Soon he has new friends and adventures, setting up and begging the question of whether the pooch will be genuinely happy in his new home. Find out by calling Rover over.

For thoughts on Rover Dangerfield, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/rA5oSfcdD2k?si=PtqmBQQLd_aUa6M-&t=908]

Video Quality

Warner Archive brings Rover Dangerfield to Blu-Ray sourced from a brand new 2023 master in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio that will surely please any animation fan. There is the perfect amount of natural film grain present with a standout amount of detail and clarity to the picture. The textures of all the various background environments, from the Vegas strip to the country sprawl, look naturally filmic and give the adventure a nice sense of depth. The animation quality is quite strong with character and it looks gorgeous in high definition. It might not match the House of Mouse during this era, but it holds its own.

This film is saturated with sumptuous, bright colors and no trace of damage after the care taken with this new master. There is very minor softness with certain shots which seems to stem back to the animation style, but these issues do not ruin an overall terrific experience. Black levels hold up perfectly with no instances of crush or noise in sight. This disc allows the original look of the film to sparkle in all of its glory instead of digitally smoothing over the original imperfections. Warner Archive has treated this one with the utmost care.

Audio Quality

The audio quality of the Blu-Ray disc complements the video with an ideal DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that brings this to life perfectly. The songs are one of the more lively aspects of the film, and they fill the room with a peerless immediacy. The sound effects are more complex than you might imagine for a youth-oriented film, and it achieves a depth that really springs to life in the speakers. Any sonic limitations with previous releases are completely absent with this robust soundscape that provides flawless clarity to the dialogue, sound effects, and music throughout. This track sports no weaknesses and succeeds on every level. This disc includes optional English SDH subtitles.

Special Features

Dog Daze A seven-minute Merrie Melodies short is provided in which you witness some zany antics at a dog show. This is presented in gorgeous HD.

Dog Collared: A seven-minute Merrie Melodies short is provided in which Porky Pigs wins the instant affection of a slobbering dog who causes chaos for him. This is presented in gorgeous HD.

Original Theatrical Trailer: The nearly two-minute trailer is provided.

Final Thoughts

Rover Dangerfield is a strange entry into the uncertain era of ‘90s animation. If there is one thing that all kids will surely love, it is the work of legendary comedian Rodney Dangerfield. Despite the perceived mismatch of subject and audience, the creative team does a lot to make this a charming tale that somewhat captures Dangerfield’s personality while keeping things family friendly. The film is rarely gut-bustingly hilarious, but it is a pleasant enough watch if you have any kind of nostalgia tied to it. Otherwise, you will likely have a hard time getting invested. Warner Archive has delivered a Blu-Ray featuring a fantastic A/V presentation and some fun additional shorts. If you have a soft spot for this one, you will want to scoop it up. Recommended

Rover Dangerfield can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers. The film will be released on January 30, 2024.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.