The Plague Dogs [DVD] [1982]

From the same creators of Watership Down, this is a dark, thought-provoking story of two dogs named Rowf (a labrador) and Snitter (a fox terrier) who are being used in invasive and inhumane animal testing research. The two dogs escape the laboratory, but their problems have only begun. They try to survive in the wild with a help of the "tod" (fox), but find themselves being hunted down by man after killing a sheep for food. The dogs are also said to be carrying to be carrying the plague.

The film could be found to be too preachy and biased about the animal testing debate as it only shows horrific and appalling abuse of the animals, but the original book goes into far more detail about the evils of it, as the film was intended to be more of an adventure story.

Overall, this is not a film for the kids. The PG rating appears harmless, but there is some truly shocking content here that's enough to upset even the hardest of adults. It is a very good film, not as great as Watership Down I found, but still good. Just don't pop it into your child's video player before bedtime.

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The DVD transfer truly does justice to the hyperreal hand-drawn animation. CGI-lovers may find some shots stiff and awkward, but I have yet to see CGI look so full-blooded. Everyone involved in this movie had advanced considerably from their other feature, Watership Down, which - although one of the finest animated features yet made -- seems a mere practice run for The Plague Dogs. There is a shot of the dogs wandering around some Stonehenge-like rocks that is one of the most starkly beautiful images I've seen in a movie, animated or otherwise. Many other images -- such as our first glimpse of Rowf, a black labrador subjected to repeated drowning tests -- burn permanently into the memory. This is also a rare instance of the movie improving on the book, which has an unconvincing deus ex machina happy ending. The movie's ending, although ambiguous, remains truer to the dark, despairing story it tells.

Unfortunately, the DVD is presented full-frame. Worse yet, this is the shorter 1984 version, not the complete 1982 version. Many of the missing scenes are inessential, but one vital shot - showing the remains of a dead human body the dogs have partially eaten -- remains censored. Anchor Bay have done a commendable job bringing this lost masterpiece back from the dead. Here's hoping they release a corrected, complete version soon. But even in truncated form, this is a movie no adventurous movie lover will want to miss. Almost everyone I've shown it to -- from animal rights activists to right-wing deer hunters -- has found it to be an overwhelming experience. By all means, see it, but have something light and happy on hand; you may want to cheer yourself up afterward.

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as a previous reviewer has noted, the ending - which is different from the novel's - is an improvement. in the novel, the two dogs come to their journey's end, chased into the sea by the army who have been sent to kill them, and are plucked from certain death by the most unlikely of deus ex machinae. in the film the ending is more ambiguous, and all the more poignant for it. if you don't shed a tear at this point you are made of stone.

this is a very brave, serious film. don't think you'll be two cute getting wise-cracking disney dogs. but it IS an important movie. i urge you to watch it. if nothing else it will make you think, and in these cynical days that's something worthwhile.

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