what was the town that the movie "where the red fern grows" took place?

Answer 1

Tahlequah Oklahoma

Answer 2

Hi Skyla,

I hope this helps you I haven't read it yet but i'm sure it has what your looking for so enjoy:
Where the Red Fern Grows
Directors: Lyman Dayton, Sam Pillsbury

Cast: Cast: Joseph Ashton (Billy Coleman), Dave Matthews (Will Coleman), Renee Faia (Jenny Coleman), Mac Davis (Hod Bellington), Kris Kristofferson (Older Billy Coleman), Ned Beatty (Sherriff Abe McConnell), Dabney Coleman (Grandpa), Gary Anson (Bully Wendell), Orvel Baldridge (Mr. Pritchard), Robert Bauman (Hunter #2), Andrew Dickson (Rainie Pritchard), Stuart Dickison (Rubin Pritchard)

Running Time: 85 Minutes / Rating: PG
1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, 1.33:1 Reformatted Fullscreen
Dolby Digital 5.1 (English); Subtitles: English; Closed Captioned

Release Date: December 21, 2004
Single-sided, dual-layered disc (DVD-9); Suggested Retail Price: $29.99
White Keepcase



Where the Red Fern Grows, an all-new adaptation of Wilson Rawls' widely-read 1961 novel, makes its home video debut after a five-year-long journey filled with production woes. Filming began in Tahlequah, Oklahoma in the fall of 1999, independently-financed and free of studio attachments. By November, once shooting was near completion, Red Fern's modest budget was non-existent, hundreds of thousands of dollars were owed, and the Screen Actors Guild ordered its unpaid cast to walk away. The remainder of filming took place in the summer of 2002, with a new director and production company. All finished but still plagued by financial and legal troubles, this independent film managed to make only a few festival screenings to strong response. Having been picked up by Disney for home video distribution, only now does it get a chance to be widely seen.

Budget problems and hitting video store shelves instead of theaters are two ominous signs of a troubled film. So it's both surprising and quite satisfying that Where the Red Fern Grows is this good and seamless of a final product. Whether it's the strength of the source material or a case of the filmmakers' skill in front of the camera overshadowing ineptitude in the financing and distribution, Red Fern is solid and shows no signs whatsoever of a trouble production.

On that note, let's focus on the story the film tells. The opening minutes show the protagonist now an old man (Kris Kristofferson, who serves as narrator throughout) whose street-side encounter with a dog brings him back to Oklahoma's Cherokee County in the middle of the 1930s, the setting for the rest of the film.



As a young boy, Billy Coleman (Joseph Ashton) was persistent. Possessing an unnaturally strong desire to have a dog, he heeds the words of his grandfather (Dabney Coleman), a general store owner who encourages him to "meet God halfway." For Billy this entails working on a variety jobs for an indeterminate time. The tiresome labor pays off; Billy has raised enough money, and as soon as he does, he's off to Grandpa to order a couple of Redbone hounds.

When the dogs arrive in the somewhat distant town of Tahlequah, rather than wait for a ride, Billy goes off and gets them. Billy names the Redbone hounds Dan and Ann, and it doesn't take long for the pups to become his two best friends, depicted in a well-done and not formulaic montage.

Billy's persistence again shows up as he trains Old Dan and Little Ann to be not just hunters, but the finest coon dogs around town. The trio's reputation starts to spread as Billy's hounds chase down more raccoons than anyone else in the community. Several more things happen which revealing in detail would take away power from the film. There's that elusive "ghost coon" and a hunting competition that may help Billy's family in their financial struggles (an underlying context throughout). Nonetheless, a film review synopsis lacks the potency of these events and makes them sound less important than they seem to a pre-teen boy in his simple world to which you are drawn.

Where the Red Fern Grows does not have a meaningful message we can apply to society or life-changing importance. Instead, it succeeds by being heartfelt, captivating, and filled with positive values. On the surface, it sounds simplistic and I suppose that this 85-minute filming probably loses or compresses some elements from the text. But it plays so wonderfully that you don't view with the same critical eye or cynicism with which you might approach other family films.



This is an intimate, skillful family film, which sweeps you up in its little setting and makes you care deeply for its characters. It is not heavy-handed, and it doesn't dwell on telling you about the special relationship boys and dogs share. Instead, it shows this very engaging story. The film will resonate more with those who have had a close animal friend, but like Old Yeller, its magnetic drama is in tune with something inside all of humanity, regardless of experiences.

The apt cast serves Red Fern well. Joseph Ashton does a commendable job of carrying the film in his lead role. Dave Matthews proves to be a natural talent, giving a fine understated performance as Billy's father. An aged-looking Dabney Coleman brings the right amount of grandfatherly warmth and wisdom. Renee Faia feels sincere and thoughtful as the caring mother with dreams of her own.

I should confess I haven't read the book, so I can't speak on how faithful an adaptation this is, aside from the safe guess that certain elements have been compressed or removed for time. Still, I do think those who have enjoyed it in novel form should be pleased with this film adaptation on its own merits, and those who are unacquainted can easily appreciate it as well.

Where the Red Fern Grows was previously adapted for the big screen in 1974, also as an independent film. That one was directed by Disney regular Norman Tokar (his only non-Disney work of the decade) and produced by Lyman Dayton. Dayton retained the rights to a remake, and while financing this version himself proved unwise, his duties as director (for the majority of filming, anyway) display sensibilities.

Some may assume this new version of Where the Red Fern Grows is simply a Disney film, and the marriage between the studio's live action ideals and this worthwhile adaptation of literature seems very appropriate. Others may simply not care about the film's storied independent production. Regardless of it all, this final product is worthy of praise. It is good to know that it should reach a wide audience on Disney DVD.

I hope you enjoyed that.


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Answer 3

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072402/locations