For 10 years, Mal's dog sniffed out the silver screen

Duncan, known to many Virginian-Pilot readers simply as the movie critic dog, is dead.

My 25-pound Scottish terrier drew national and international attention after an article in The Pilot revealed his outspoken reactions to movies.

At age 10, he died of a heart attack at a local clinic after going into shock following a blood check.

Duncan, registered as Duncan McCloud Highlander II, "reviewed" most of his movies on my big-screen home TV, but he occasionally attended private theatrical screenings at AMC Lynnhaven 18 cinema in Virginia Beach and the Naro Expanded Cinema in Norfolk. It was at a screening of "Chicken Run" that the audience noticed his varied and logical reactions.

A review of "Chicken Run" that included the Scottie's take brought calls from three national TV networks: the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and Nickelodeon. Nickelodeon wanted to use him in a proposed doggie movie critic show - using two paws up or four barks as "rating" devices. Explaining that Duncan was not a performing dog, we declined the offer.

A film crew from Colorado planned to come to Virginia Beach for shots of Duncan on the Boardwalk and in the theater as part of a one-hour study of the Scottish terrier breed that would have also featured Barney, then the White House terrier. A legal dispute between the producers, who wanted to use the film "Cats & Dogs," and Warner Bros. derailed their plans.

Duncan was also invited to the Toronto International Film Festival to be the "official doggie critic" for the 2000 premiere of the film "Best in Show" - a comedy about dog-show competition. The festival, and the film's producers, wanted him to wear a white bow tie and work the red carpet for the premiere. Bureaucratic problems with Canadian immigration prevented the appearance.

News of his death brought tributes pouring in to Norfolk from other film critics. Jamie Portman, the dean of Canadian critics, wrote from Ottawa: "There is no more remarkable voice in the critical fraternity than Duncan."

He added that "Duncan was particularly impressed with stop-motion and Claymation filmmaking."

Bert Osborne, critic for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, wrote: "We have lost a treasured critical colleague in Duncan, whose reactions and on-target judgments were uncannily logical and outspoken. He was a curiosity."

Duncan did not watch TV and films often, which may have added to his focus. His "method" was to line up three toys in front of the screen, including his favorite, a thing called "Bug-Eye." He would then look intently at the screen. His disapproval would result in violent shaking of one of the toys. Approval was more benign, such as excited yips and barks. Reactions - including growls, quizzical looks and even backing away from the TV to sit by me for support - varied with every film.

He would watch the entire three hours of "Lawrence of Arabia" in search of the next appearance by the camels.

And only after several years of observation did I realize he had a particular dislike for the actress Shirley MacLaine. He could spot her even when the sound was muted. Growls were prevalent.

Duncan is survived by his lifetime live-in Scottie companion, Meghan; his many canine friends at Virginia Beach dog parks; and his movie-reviewing colleagues.

The Naro is considering a memorial screening of "Chicken Run" as a tribute.

Donations in his memory can be made to the Virginia Beach SPCA, 3040 Holland Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23453.

Mal Vincent, (757) 446-2347, mal.vincent@pilotonline.com