Random 'Beethoven,' Silly Dog Movie, It's Actually Much, Much Darker Than You Think (13 items)

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  (#13) Dean Jones Played The Dad In The Animated Series

  That's right: Dean Jones, the guy who played the dog murderer in the original movie, voiced George Newton, the man who thwarted the dog shooter, in the Beethoven animated series.

  One could look at this as a nice bit of redemption for Jones who had exclusively played good guys before his role as Dr. Varnick. Perhaps, however, he was still corrupted by his method acting and was only posing as George Newton to get close to Beethoven so he could finish the job he started all those years earlier.
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  (#4) The Murderous Dr. Varnick Previously Played An Animal Lover

  Before Beethoven, Dean Jones (the guy who played the dog-killing vet) starred in a movie called The Shaggy D.A. In the movie, he had a magic ring that allowed him to transform into a dog, which apparently helped him perform his job as a... District Attorney. 

  The point is, he went from playing an actual dog to a dog murderer. Don't let anyone tell you Dean Jones doesn't have range.
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  (#5) A Dog Masticates Dr. Varnick's Testicles

  In the climactic battle, a terrier helps the Newtons in their fight against Dr. Varnick. The terrier comes running in, bites down, and latches onto the man's package in a children's movie before the family comes bursting in – sending a tray of needles hurtling through the air, peppering and incapacitating the villain, again, in a children's movie.
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  (#11) A Kid Almost Died

  There's a scene in Beethoven where the youngest Newton, Emily, almost drowns. The Newton children are being babysat by a woman named Devonia who fails spectacularly in her duties.

  While she's teaching the two older kids "Lady Marmalade," a song about prostitutes, the youngest child casually walks into the backyard and falls into the pool. She's saved by Beethoven who had to break out of his kennel to rescue her. There's like a 90% chance she could have died. 
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  (#10) There Were Seven Sequels, An Animated Series, And A Video Game

  Beethoven is all the proof anyone needs to understand the evils of commercialism. There were eight Beethoven movies, most of which were direct-to-video. Regardless, the movie studio milked those St. Bernards for all they were worth, at the expense of art.

  With the addition of an animated series and a video game, Beethoven ultimately boasted its own universe, and for a story that started with a dog murderer, that's messed up.
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  (#8) Mr. Newton Was 26 Years Older Than Mrs. Newton

  When Charles Grodin played George Newton, he was 56 years old. Bonnie Hunt played his wife, and she was 30. While there's nothing illegal about a man being married to a woman virtually half his age, there is something inherently gross about it.

  Of course, there's no indication in the movie that he's significantly older (other than his skin), but it's still an odd choice, especially considering their eldest child looks to be in her early teens – meaning 30-year-old Alice Newton could have been the first star of Teen Mom.

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