Review: The Plague Dogs - 1982

INTRODUCTION

Oh...boy. This is one film I was excited to get. But I'm not disappointed. I'm just fascinated.

The Plague Dogs is a 1982 animated adventure drama that tells the tale of two dogs that have escaped from a laboratory, and as they try to survive in the wild, they become the target of a hunt because they are perceived to be carrying the bubonic plague, creating two parallel narratives that overlap and intertwine. What fun! And for everyone's information, I am reviewing the ORIGINAL CUT. The 100-minute version that no one seems to want to watch.

THE PROS

First off, this film was directed by Martin Rosen. He was the same man behind the 1978 landmark animated feature Watership Down. These two features share much in common. Rosen at the helm when it came to direction, screenwriting, and producing. Both were based off of the work of the fantastic late author Richard Adams. And both feature the legendary late actor, Sir John Hurt. And with that, the acting is fantastic. Christopher Benjamin provides the perfect voice of the tormented Rowf. He's hardened, but not unlikable. John Hurt is absolutely fabulous as the even more troubled Snitter, providing the tragic madness that he contends with with just the right amount of genial cheer that comes with the hope he has for finding a good home. Also to mention is the voice of James Bolam, who provides the sneaky Geordie tones to the character of the Tod. And on a side note, Nigel Hawthorne and Patrick Stewart play parts in the film as well and are rather recognizable for, well, obvious reasons. As far as the script is concerned, Rosen, as per usual, is exceptionally faithful to the source material.  However, he is willing to take large liberties with things such as the finale, which in the book, was a bit more cheery, and more importantly, certain. The score was composed and conducted by Patrick Gleeson, best known as the musician for the "master synthesizer" for Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 war drama Apocalypse Now, and performed in part by the Kronos Quartet. The score, while lacking in thematic strength, is ultimately haunting with its 80s horror tones and riveting string work. But there is a very ambient theme that is meditative and ultimately does contribute to the atmosphere. The animation, handled by the same team from Watership Down led by animation director Tony Guy, is also spot on. It keeps the style of the previous production, and is frighteningly realistic for having not been rotoscoped. The backgrounds are moody and depressing, which helps craft an eerie setting. The violence in the picture is handled both respectfully and realistically, and the character work is also fairly realistic as well, while maintaining a certain sense of fantasy.

THE CONS
The only problem that comes with the original cut is the editing. My God, the editing. Now I can't be too hard on editor Richard Harkness, as this was his first film period. But the fact that he keeps fading to black like a conked-out madman is honestly what I found most distracting. It wasn't even a psychological thing, it was just that every time a scene ended, fade to black. Even if it was a scene lasting a gob-smacking 10 seconds. Also, a bit of confusion comes with the doctors' dialogue being placed on top of sequences of the dogs traveling. It works great artistically, juxtaposing narratives are a real kicker, but for those not expecting it (and who have honest problems with garden variety English accents), this will throw off many. So while close attention should be paid when watching, but it will be worth it.

FINAL VERDICT
Overall, The Plague Dogs is a wonderfully dark, moody, and intriguing take on Richard Adams' fascinating novel. With great acting, a faithful adaptation, dark backgrounds and score, and surprisingly realistic character work, this film will haunt you to no end if you are easily attached to the plight of these two dogs, and will impress animation fans by its mood. And once more, the only problem is the editing and the fact that you must be a careful watcher to follow the well-woven arcs. I honestly would recommend this film to fans of alternative animation, the original Adams novel of the same name, and those who seek an interesting exercise in bleakness. And on a side note, I was inspired by both the book and the film to write a piano suite based on this story. So if you're interested, click on this link. See you next time.