Product Details

• Actors: Michael J. Fox, Sally Field, Don Ameche, Don Alder, Ed Bernard
• Directors: Duwayne Dunham
• Writers: Caroline Thompson, Linda Woolverton
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Subtitles: English
• Dubbed: Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: G (General Audience)
• Studio: Walt Disney Home Video
• DVD Release Date: December 12, 2000
• Run Time: 84 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (156 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304711913
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,182 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Homeward Bound - The Incredible Journey" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Walt Disney studios had previously adapted Sheila Burnford's classic animal-adventure novel The Incredible Journey in 1963, and the story proves just as durable in this popular 1993 version, in which the heroic trio of animals are given voices provided by Don Ameche, Michael J. Fox, and Sally Field. They don't actually speak (like the clever critters in Babe), but we hear their "voices" as the lost household pets--Shadow the golden retriever, Chance the bulldog, and Sassy the cat--survive a harrowing series of adventures as they struggle to find their way home. Perfect entertainment for kids, this frequently clever movie offers an abundance of wildlife and beautiful location scenery, and the vocal performances by Ameche, Fox, and Field are surprisingly effective. A hit with parents and children alike, the film was followed by a sequel in 1996. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

To film a scene in which Shadow tries to get out of a pit but keeps slipping back because he can't get a good grip, one trainer stood at the top of the pit calling the dog while another trainer stood at the bottom telling the dog to stay. When he did as commanded he would naturally start sliding downward.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 56 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes, those ARE five golden stars February 18, 2002

By Mark Lee VINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

This is a Disney film based on Sheila Burford's book __The Incredible Journey__, about three household pets (specifically a bulldog named Chance, a Himalayan cat named Sassy, and a golden retriever named Shadow) who run away from a faraway ranch in order to find their way back to their home in San Francisco. Meanwhile, the owners (specifically 3 kids: a little brother named Jamie, a big brother named Peter, and a sister in the middle named Hope) call a search-and-rescue while at the same time trying to cope with a stepfather. As you may expect, this film eventually comes to a happy ending where everyone is reunited and all is well.

Now, I'm 15 years old and I have loved this film ever since I saw it in the theater at the age of 6. I had many reasons why I loved it at the time--I thought it was funny, I thought it was exciting, and the ending made me cry (hey, don't snicker, I was six years old back then). But now I have a reason why this film has stood the test of time against much flashier and less "cute" movies that I see nowadays, and that's simply because...well, because it's really a good movie!

Don't understand? Well, this film is so much more than just a movie with talking (sort of) animals that go on a journey in order to entertain little 6-year-olds. The pets aren't just animals; they exude the human personalities of their owners! Chance, owned by Jamie, is a mischievious pup who's always sticking his nose where it doesn't belong. Shadow, owned by Peter, is a wise old golden retriever who's always trying to keep Chance out of trouble. And Sassy, owned by Hope, is a fickle cat who always acts like she's sick of being stuck with her "brothers", if you know what I mean.

And then there's the fact that even though the pets start out acting like siblings who drive each other crazy, they wind up going through thick and thin and actually realizing that they really love each other. Also, this film also has a subplot that turns out happy too; Peter, Hope, and Jamie finally learn to love their stepfather and actually call him "Dad". When the pets are back home in the end (face it, you KNEW it was going to happen) and they see the happy faces of their ecstatic owners, and EVERYONE is actually LOVING each other like a REAL family, Chance thinks with pride, "For the first time in my life, I was HOME." Never before have I heard such a profound statement in a Disney movie.

Any idiot can entertain a 6-year-old by making him laugh, cry, and be excited. However, it takes the work of a genius to entertain a 6-year-old with a work that he will even love nine years later. See this film NOW!

P.S. Don't see the sequel--it's completely insipid, and the pets have totally lost their human personalities in it.

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A long tale of love, puppy love... August 30, 2004

By M. Miller

Format:DVD

Homeward Bound is the homely remake of the Incredible Journey, a tale of pet's going to extremes to find their family. Michael J. Fox lends his voice talents as Chance, the most recent pet addition to the family. Chance is also the narrator of the film, which adds to the overall good nature. The movie is humorous and an overall fun family film. However, the movie is about the struggle to maintain pet-owner love, so the movie is not all laughs and giggles. Good-natured yet emotionally endearing this movie will be liked by all.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm 17 & not afraid to admit I like this! October 26, 2001

By "krusty_the_clown"

Format:VHS Tape

yep, you heard me, 17. This is ANYTHING BUT just a movie for kids- only reason it's considered a kid's movie is cause it's from Disney & there's cats & dogs in it. This movie has some hillarious lines- my favorite being Chance saying "Go steal some parrige(or however its spelled) to the bears. And of course there's "Birdzilla Returns!"- lol. Yet there are some sad parts, like when Shadow falls into the ditch & says to Chance "You've learned everything you need to know, now you just need to know how to say goodbye". I will be very honest, that part and the ending left a lump in my throat. Yep, you heard me clearly- I AM A SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD BOY and this movie made me cry! I usually am not that emotional over movies. Anywayz, this movie has a GREAT message for teens believe it or not- It can show you to not make big deals over the little things & focus more on what's really important.

As for the sequal, Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Franciso, well it's good, but not nearly as good as this one. This is a must for anyone who needs a good laugh or a good message about life.