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Disney
Disney
Disney
Togo, a filmed released by Disney in 2019, follows through a story inspired by the 1925 Serum
Run. A deadly diphtheria epidemic broke out in a small Alaskan town called Nome in 1925. In
order to save dying children, a team of sled dogs ran through 674 miles of ice and snow during a
dangerous snowstorm to carry an anti-toxin. The two most famously celebrated dogs were Togo
and Balto. Although Balto claimed most of the credit for saving the town, Togo’s journey was
In the film, William Dafoe stars as Leonhard Seppala, champion dog sled racer and owner of
Togo. The movie’s beginning starts with the dog sled travelling over breaking ice, and then
flashbacks into a memory upon first meeting Togo as a puppy. Seppala continues to show his
disregard for Togo, as the puppy seems out of place and incompetent. However, Seppala’s
The film plays with color, as flashbacks have a warm, soft coloring to signify a simpler, safer
time, and the present has a cold, blue coloring to demonstrate the snowstorm and uncertainty
As Disney offers favorable, cute puppy scenes, the same dog is shown as a strong,
impressionable, hardworking leader. Sympathy is built this way as I felt bad for Togo being
neglected as a puppy, but surprised and proud of Togo as he leads and supports his dog team
And of course, just like every dog movie, I was left a sobbing mess during the film. The movie
does a good job with making the viewer emotional. With sick children and life-threatening
situations for the dogs all at once, Togo makes sure at least a few tears drop from your eye.
The cinematography is stunning- with snowy mountains, a frozen ocean, purely just snowy
landscapes everywhere. I like that such a serene environment can also be shown as intense in this
movie.
I definitely recommend heading over to Disney+ and watching this film if you’re in need of
something inspirational. Or, maybe if you enjoy dog-sledding movies- obviously Disney has
made a few. Personally, I felt as Togo is one of Disney’s best original films.
http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20161014-in-1925-a-remote-town-was-saved-from-lethal-disease-by-
dogs