The Plague Dogs Movie Review

"The Plague Dogs" is a film based on the Richard Adams book of the same name, that was directed by Martin Rosen and released back in 1982. Adams and Rosen previously worked together to make the animated film version of "Watership Down," which was based on another of Adams' novels. And for those who know what "Watership Down" is, you should have an idea of what to expect in this movie. However, if you are unaware of "Watership Down," you must know that "The Plague Dogs" is an animated film that is bleak and depressing, but also very well done and has one hell of a tale to tell. 

"The Plague Dogs" tackles different subject matter, ranging from vivisection and animal testing, to mental illness, survival, as well as a hard look at the concept of freedom. The movie tells the story of Rowf, a large black mutt (played by Christopher Benjamin) who is kept in an animal testing facility, and is constantly subjected to tests involving being drowned in a large pool of water over, and over, and over again. Because of this, he has developed a loathing and distrust of humans, as well as a deep fear of water. His friend Snitter (played by John Hurt) is a sweet and well-meaning fox terrier who, unlike Rowf, has known the love of humans as he once had a "Master". However, after a tragic accident involving his owner, he ended up in the custody of a animal testing laboratory and has undergone experiments and surgeries on his brain. Due to the experiments, he has visions of prior memories that interact with his present, as well as other psychological and neurological issues as a result of the testing. One night, the dogs break free from the lab and try to live off of the land as wild animals in the English countryside. This proves to be much harder than they originally thought, however, as neither dog is very good at hunting or foraging for food.  Along the way they are joined by The Tod (James Bolam), a fox who is willing to teach them how to be proper wild animals, while at the same time using their naivety to his own advantage. Eventually, local farmers start noticing that their sheep are being savagely killed and eaten, and start trying to hunt the dogs down. However, they soon catch wind that the animals have come from a nearby testing facility and there is a slight chance they have been exposed to, and are carrying the Black Plague. This leads to an all out 'dog-hunt' by the farmers, the scientists from the lab, as well as the British military. By the end of the film, the dogs try and escape being captured by fleeing to the sea and trying to swim to safety, but their outcome is very ambiguous. 

The film itself received modest success in theaters and would later have a small release on VHS; only 8,000 copies of the tape were made. The film can be found on DVD, though in the United States, we only have access to a edited version of the original film. The theatrical release originally ran for 103 minutes, so all we get today is around 86 minutes. Many of the scenes scrapped from the theatrical film were simply to cut down run time. However, there is a scene that was taken from the book and transplanted in the movie that never made it to American audiences because it was so shocking. However, if you reside in Australia or the UK you can easily purchase an uncut version of the film. The original theatrical film has also been uploaded to sites like YouTube, that are well worth looking into; especially if you want to see the full film as it was originally intended.

Our heroes try to avoid being caputured. [found on Google Images]

The movie itself is well animated; it was all done by hand without any aide from computers or rotoscoping. That doesn't sound like much, but once you see how the characters move and interact, it is clearly impressive too see the amount of detail the animators put into this film. Also, the background art successfully adds to the dreary tone of the story without detracting from the action of the film's characters. Both are well balanced to make a solid animated film. 

The acting in this film is also note-worthy. Benjamin and Hurt really give great performances as their characters, as they make you really connect and feel for the dogs' plights. Also, The Tod (my favorite character) adds a bit of levity to this otherwise heavy story. Also, The Tod speaks in a Georgie accent, which is really fun to hear. Speaking of Geordie accents, a lot of the accents in this film are accurate for the areas of the UK the film takes place in. If your not familiar with any other British accents aside from RP (Recieved Pronouciation) you're either in for a treat or bound to be a little confused by what's being said.

Also, as an animal rights activist, I am really moved by how accurately they depict the horrors of animal testing and vivisection but also they are able to display all of the effects of such terrible tests on animals without jumping down the viewers' throats about it or pointing out the obvious. Conveying such powerful fear and pain through the characters' experiences makes a deeper and more lasting impact that continues to haunt the audience after the film is over.

While the the atrocities of animal testing are explored in the movie, as well as the concept of survival, I feel like the underlying theme in this story is all about freedom, and what really makes one free. All through the first act of the film Snitter and Rowf just want to escape the lab 

(rightfully so) so they can achieve freedom outside in the world. But once they're there, their freedom is questionable as they are slaves to circumstance. Eventually, the heroes of the story 

are left without any option for survival, and have to make a decision that could either lead to momentary freedom in the world, or the ultimate freedom that could be experienced in death. Of course, this is just what I see in the film. Another beautiful quality of this film is the creators really leave the audience to draw their own conclusions and parallels which is always the sign of a well thought-out story. 

Having said all that, this film; while it is animated, is NOT for children, and may even be a little hard for some adults to handle. If you've ever seen the animated version of "Watership Down" you will know that neither Richard Adams or Martin Rosen pull any punches when it comes to grim reality. If you have trouble seeing animals being tested upon and harmed, this film is gonna be hard to swallow. Also, if you have a sensitivity to animated blood and violence, this movie may also be a little outside of your realm of comfort. As you may have noticed, I have added very few images to this review. This is partially because of the graphic nature of some of the images I could find, but it's also to not spoil the wonderful art of this film. I will say that if you choose to brave it, and are willing to give the film a chance, it is rewarding and well worth it. Though the film is very sad, it is very meaningful and really amazing to watch. It is a film that leaves a lasting impression on the audience and delivers a well thought-out story that is worth hearing/seeing.