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US Channing Tatum is used to sharing himself with the public. As one of the most recogni]able stars in +olly wood, it¶s not a foreign e[ perience for him to be probed for answers on every aspect of his personal life. But for ³:ar Dogs,´ a new HBO documentary about veterans and the bonds they share with the furry friends with whom they have served, Tatum and his fellow producers put in front of the camera a group of people who aren¶t used to be ing an open book.
³I¶m a person that has to talk about my life and share my life all the time with people,´ Tatum told CNN. ³I just can¶t imagine what it¶s like for these guys who e[perience these things and are not only not used to talking about it, but they¶re not supposed to talk about it.´
The documentary is a tear jerker to say the least. It tells the stories of three men who formed special connections with the brave dogs with which they were paired while serving the country overseas. Among those featured in the documentary is one man who tries to reunite with his dog who he has not seen since the man was injured in action. At the time of filming, the dog is living with the family of a police officer, and they are re luctant to give the dog back to her partner. Another man featured in the film talks about the devastat ing loss of his heroic . dur ing a treacherous mission. Another speaks of his dog¶s role in his post war life both the man and his dog continue to carry an emotional and physical toll from their time serving.
The documentary, which Ta tum produced with longtime producing partner 5eid Caro lin, was meant to shine a light on two very different — and, also, strangely similar — types of veterans.
Tatum, who describes himself as a ³massive dog person,´ was moved when he first heard about the unique story of the men and ³e[traordi nary´ animals who serve to gether. Seeing those ties first hand was also an eye opening e[perience, Tatum said.
³The dogs were so much gen tler >than I e[pected@ and not just these machines, killing machines. They were very, very intelligent and highly evolved creatures,´ he said. ³The connection and bond they had with their handlers just showed how much they weren¶t just some animal. They were a being that had thoughts and feelings and a consciousness.´
(CNN.COM)