# Bolt: Wasn't there a movie exactly like this a few years ago? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 14, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bolt-wasnt-there-a-movie-exactly-like-this-a-few-years-ago/472726 "2008-11-14T16:57:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bolt-wasnt-there-a-movie-exactly-like-this-a-few-years-ago/472726/21 "2008-11-14T22:15:54Z")
No, the OP is right. Can’t recall the title… ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bolt-wasnt-there-a-movie-exactly-like-this-a-few-years-ago/472726/22 "2008-11-14T22:30:50Z")
For those who think they know the answer, look through [this list.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_animal_films) And here’s a [link](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Films_about_dogs) that’s dog-specific. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bolt-wasnt-there-a-movie-exactly-like-this-a-few-years-ago/472726/23 "2008-11-14T22:46:32Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > but I have no qualms- the character is a young girl, something Ms. Cyrus also happens to be. Actually, Miley is a thousand year old alien bent on our destruction. Tell the world! ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bolt-wasnt-there-a-movie-exactly-like-this-a-few-years-ago/472726/24 "2008-11-14T23:16:36Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > A few years ago, one veteran voice artist (I think it was Tom Kenny) was complaining about the fact that studios went for recognizable names for animated film voices rather than veteran voice actors. I guess he has a point. You’re probably thinking of [Billy West](http://interviews.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/07/05/1555200). He complains about it a lot. He’s cool with the big actors who really do provide a great character voice, like Tim Allen in _Toy Story_ for example, but not so much when it’s Will Smith just being Will Smith the fish. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bolt-wasnt-there-a-movie-exactly-like-this-a-few-years-ago/472726/25 "2008-11-14T23:28:42Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Substitute an automobile for a dog and you’ve got the plot of _Cars_. Or an action figure, and you’ve got _Toy Story._ It’s noteworthy that this was not the original storyline under the original director, who was fired after John Lasseter took over at Disney. Lasseter made this film a major project. Now it looks like _Toy Story._ Isn’t that interesting. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2008, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bolt-wasnt-there-a-movie-exactly-like-this-a-few-years-ago/472726/26 "2008-11-14T23:32:16Z")
But the original story for _Bolt_ was almost exactly like _Cars_. That was just a coincidence, because it was developed before Pixar merged with Disney, but it was unfortunate, and therefore an inevitable casualty. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bolt-wasnt-there-a-movie-exactly-like-this-a-few-years-ago/472726/27 "2008-11-15T00:12:57Z")
“Getting lost and making new friends while trying to get back home” is a simple and common plot so it’s not a crime to reuse it. Now if Lightning McQueen or Bolt had hooked up with a scarecrow, a tin man, and a lion - then I say it was plagiarism. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bolt-wasnt-there-a-movie-exactly-like-this-a-few-years-ago/472726/28 "2008-11-15T13:07:26Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > Actually, Miley is a thousand year old alien bent on our destruction. Tell the world! And yet they get Keanu to play Klaatu in the remake. (In this version, it looks like he is bent on our destruction- not just to give a warning.) ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bolt-wasnt-there-a-movie-exactly-like-this-a-few-years-ago/472726/29 "2008-11-15T13:47:15Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > From your experience, what do little dogs sound like when they talk to you? You seem to have a very clear idea of it. The thing is this. Hollywood uses voice actors to allow dogs and other animals to ‘speak’ in American movies. They do this because dogs and cats naturally speak Spanish. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bolt-wasnt-there-a-movie-exactly-like-this-a-few-years-ago/472726/30 "2008-11-15T17:55:19Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Are you seriously dissing a movie that has the following exchange? > > **Bolt:** There’s a guard. > **Hamster in a ball:** I’ll go snap his neck. > > That’s fucking awesome and almost makes want to throw down $9.50 for a theater showing of Bolt. Agreed. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bolt-wasnt-there-a-movie-exactly-like-this-a-few-years-ago/472726/31 "2008-11-15T17:56:23Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > The thing is this. Hollywood uses voice actors to allow dogs and other animals to ‘speak’ in American movies. They do this because dogs and cats naturally speak Spanish. And when they do, they usually ask for fast food, which was a happy coincidence for Taco Bell about a decade ago. ---
**Author:** ![ProudlyDefiant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47774/32.png) [@ProudlyDefiant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProudlyDefiant)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2008, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bolt-wasnt-there-a-movie-exactly-like-this-a-few-years-ago/472726/32 "2008-11-15T19:26:33Z")
I’m guessing the OP may be thinking of the direct to video sequel to the animated 101 Dalmatians, [101 Dalmatians 2: Patch’s London Adventure](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/101_Dalmatians_II:_Patch%27s_London_Adventure). If you remember the original 101 Dalmatians, the puppies were obsessed with the Thunderbolt TV show (which had the adorable Kanine Krunchies commercial). In the crappy sequel, one of the puppies meets the doggy star of the show, voiced by Barry Bostwick. Jason Alexander voices the corgi sidekick. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bolt-wasnt-there-a-movie-exactly-like-this-a-few-years-ago/472726.md?page=1)