Thanks to trauma-picture over achiever WATERSHIP DOWN many kiddies learned the hard way that not every animated movie is appropriate for all ages and psyches. But what about PLAGUE DOGS which is based on a book by the same author, RICHARD ADAMS and directed by the same director, MARTIN ROSEN? It can't be as bad… just look at the theatrical poster that sports two adorable pooches frolicking with a happy helicopter! PLAGUE DOGS is sure to bring the fun, right? Well I hate to break it to you, but those doggies are not so much frolicking as they are running for their very lives. And that helicopter? It's filled with evil experimenting scientists who want to squash man's best friends as if they were bugs. Sure, the animation is gorgeous and the storytelling is intense and meaningful, but I really wouldn't recommend it to anyone unless they were seriously prepared to crawl through the most depressing of trenches or had an extra box of Kleenex they simply had to plow through. Of all the hope shattering scenes supplied within, one stands out as being extra horrific and I mean King Kong sitting on Santa Claus horrific. In it a pleasant looking hunter calls to one of the dogs, the cute small one named Snitter. Will the hunter be a new friend? Will he take Snitter home and feed him? The dog runs to him with high hopes and expectations, but as he leaps to give the traditional doggie slobber greeting, he accidently steps on the hunter's rifle's trigger and oops….SHOOTS HIM IN THE FACE! I don't know if you have ever shot someone in the face before but, take it from me, it can destroy a friendship! The poor doggie runs away confused and, I can say from experience, probably feeling a bit guilty as well. Don't worry, there are more horrible atrocities waiting for him and his doggie pal around the corner. If you have a dog I think you should sit him down and force him to watch this movie, not only will he become extra grateful for his pampered lifestyle but he also just might learn a little thing about gun safety. Check out the devastation HERE.
As if this wasn't bad enough, there's another Trauma-Scene later in the movie (the end of this scene is cut from many versions, including the one I saw). After a gunman dies falling off a mountain while trying to shoot the two dogs, the dogs (who are starving) walk over to the body, look at each other, then proceed to EAT THE CORPSE! It's mentioned in passing by a human later in the film, but supposedly this footage is indeed out there (or locked up, as it were).
ezwriter,
I've never seen this one but Watership down is one of my favorites. I think I'll pass if it requires a box of tissues! I'm still cursing Old Yeller (and the kindergarten teacher that showed it to us) for the "take him out back and shoot him" ending.
Oh wow–I read this book many years ago as part of Project Recover From Watership Down. I had no clue that a film version existed! It's an amazing novel and I can imagine that the movie is haunting. Richard Adams cuts right to the creamy nougat center of my heart every time.
As upsetting as Watership Down seemed, this film makes it look like Brave Little Toaster! Watership Down starts out pretty bleak, but as it progresses it gets better (i.e. happier). There are some bumps along the way, but ultimately it climaxes with a very satisfying & happy ending. Plague Dogs starts out it the worst place imaginable (an animal testing lab, make that an unsupervised, covert, and brutal animal testing lab!) and it just gets worse and worse until, well, you can pretty much guess the ending. Still a great film though. A kind (realistic, adult, harrowing and animated) that probably won't get made again for a generation.
Strangely enough, yesterday after I read of this Trauma-Scene, I was doing a little reading about my favorite band: Skinny Puppy. One of their songs is called Testure which is anti-animal testing/anti-vivisection. I could never figure out which movie they had sampled for the background voices of Testure…until now. It turns out it was Plague Dogs, and during live performances of the song, they would show clips of the movie along with Unnecessary Fuss (which sounds like the stuff of real nightmares). Anyway, I highly recommend Skinny Puppy (as Mickster well knows) to anyone who likes scary movies. They are the closest thing, musically, to a horror film. I've heard samples in their stuff over the years from The Exorcist, Evil Dead II, Legend of Hell House, Fearless Vampire Killers, and most importantly Water, Water Every Hare (the Bugs Bunny cartoon with the slow motion potion, the evil scientist, and Gossamer).
Thanks Prof!!! Here is the video for TESTURE…
(the plague dogs make a brief cameo)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A2-jtw3qAI
No to vivisection!
Yes to Skinny Puppy!
Now how is it I have never even HEARD of this book/movie??? My husband loves WATERSHIP DOWN so I'm sure he would love this too…..(Ten bucks says NETFLIX doesn't have it)!
I watched the trailer for this movie on Netflix last night and found it very sad. I don't know if I could handle watching it. @Professor V: You forgot about Halloween III! There are lots of sound clips from that movie too! Yes, I was unschooled in the greatness of Skinny Puppy before I met you.