Disney's new family comedy Snow Dogs is the story of a Miami dentist who inherits a team of sled dogs.

He ventures to Alaska to sell, trade or learn to drive these magnificent canines.

Snow Dogs, which stars Cuba Gooding Jr., James Coburn, Nichelle Nichols and M. Emmet Walsh, opens Jan. 18.

Those staggering vistas of mountains and seemingly endless stretches of snow may fool most viewers, but local movie fans will instantly recognize that, once again, Alberta is doubling for the far north.

Three years ago, Disney came to Canmore, the Kananaskis region and Banff to film the hockey comedy Mystery, Alaska.

They returned last spring to film many of the exterior scenes for Snow Dogs.

Alberta locations manager Mark Voyce worked with director Brian Levant to find the impressive areas.

"Most of the interior scenes for Snow Dogs were shot in Vancouver, but the Canmore and Kananaskis were used for exterior shots," says Voyce.

The town in Snow Dogs is located in approximately the same area just outside Canmore as the town in Mystery, Alaska, but it is a different set.

"The buildings were brought in from Vancouver to completely rebuild a town," says Voyce.

Gooding's dentist also inherits a cabin which Voyce says was also built just above Canmore, though the cameras make it seem far more remote and isolated.

The airport sequences were filmed in Calgary and WestJet is featured prominently.

"We received a great deal of co-operation from WestJet so I'm pleased the planes and name are featured."

All of the sled racing sequences were filmed in Kananaskis.

Once again, Voyce points out that "Disney was thrilled with the tremendous co-operation they received from Alberta Parks and Recreation."

In one farcical sequence, Gooding tumbles down a steep hillside into a lake after being thrown from his dog sled.

"That sequence was filmed with a stunt double at Nakiska and Grouse Mountain outside Vancouver."


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