Wordiezett So much average

Salubfoto It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

Verity Robins Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Kayden This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

Jerghal It's from the director of 'Watership Down' so that should give you an idea of what you're in for. If you want to let your kids know what a dark, horrible and hostile place the world can be: let them watch this film (or Watership down). If you want them to be ignorant, happy saps who think the world is a colorful place where nothing bad can happen and everything will turn out okay let them watch a Disney flick. But I guess it can't hurt to see both sides, that'll teach 'em realism instead of naive positivism right. I admire that they didn't water down the film just to reach a larger audience. Unfortunately this second movie is also the last one this direct ever made.

Howard Schumann It has been estimated that from ten to one hundred million animals are used annually for research purposes. In the U.S., any procedure can be performed on an animal if it can be successfully argued that it is scientifically justified. Whether medical and scientific discoveries of benefit to mankind outweigh animal cruelty and likely death is a debate that has been going on since testing and experimentation on living animals began in Greece in the fourth century BC and shows no signs of abating. This subject is the theme of Martin Rosen's animated film The Plague Dogs.Based on the novel by Richard Adams who also wrote "Watership Down," The Plague Dogs is a disturbing movie that pulls no punches and is heartbreakingly real in its depiction of the sad effects of animal experimentation. Whether or not children should see it is a decision that has to be made by each parent. Walt Disney, it is not. In the film, a black Labrador named Rowf (John Hurt) and a fox terrier Snitter (Christopher Benjamin), subjected to endless tests of endurance as well as undefined brain surgery, make a daring escape from an animal research facility in Coniston, but find the outside world less welcoming than they remember.With no specific destination in mind, the two wander through the English Lake District hoping to find a master that will take care of them (Snitter is racked with guilt, thinking he caused the death of his previous master in an accident). In this bleak environment depicted in dark colors, their search for food and shelter is aided only by a sly, opportunistic fox (The Tod) who teaches the dogs the ways of the wild, mostly for his own benefit. As more and more sheep are reported killed, the research center spreads the rumor that the dogs may be carriers of the Bubonic Plague and the farmers are now assisted by the Army to hunt them down. Snitter does not help their cause by being involved in a freak shooting accident that kills a passerby.Though the mood of The Plague Dogs is somber and the film is marred by heavy British accents that are barely audible, the film is strengthened by the loving relationship of the two dogs and we root for them to survive even though we know the odds are against them. While the dogs are puzzled by the actions of the "whitecoats," they do not succumb to thoughts of revenge. Trying not to think the worst of their whitecoat tormentors, Rowf asks "There must be some reason, mustn't there? It must do some sort of good," but the good is hard to find as the dogs must confront insurmountable obstacles to find a way to survive. Like many of us who are trying to keep our heads above water, their island is so close but so far away.

tomgillespie2002 After the success of Watership Down (1978), writer/producer/director Martin Rosen, tackled another of Richard Adams' novels. Thematically similar to Watership Down, The Plague Dogs tells the story of two dogs who escape from a animal testing laboratory in Coniston in the Lake District. Snitter (John Hurt), a Jack Russell, and Rowf (Christopher Benjamin), a black Labrodor, find themselves in the fells of North West England. There they encounter a fox, The Todd (James Bolam), who offers to help them become wild to survive the harsh outside that they are not accustomed to. The local farmers are alerted to their presence once sheep start turning up mutilated. This breeds panic amongst them. The suspicions build and accusations are directed at the local, clandestine laboratory. Whilst kept secret for some time, the horrifying news is delivered that the two escapees are carrying the bubonic plague.As I have previously stated, this is thematically similar to Watership Down. Humans are the instigators of the death of animals. Death is ever present within this film. Throughout our main characters are physically dying of hunger and exhaustion. Disney this is not. It is far removed from the cutesy animal characters of the Disney movies. These are animals at the height of existential crisis. Snitter has constant flashbacks (caused by a surgical slice on the head) of his past master, who he caused the death of in a road accident. Both characters are perpetually reminded and discuss 'The Blackness'.This is not high-adventure kiddie-fodder. This is animated cinema at its bleakest. It's an austere account of survival in an alien winter landscape. The colour palette of the film is limited. With the hills and valleys of Lancashire, et al, in the closing months of the year, it uses mostly greys, browns, and shades to illustrate the dreary desolate surroundings. There are some incredibly disturbing moments here. In the opening sequence, Rowf is being submerged in a deep tank of water; the 'experiment' not verbalised. Rowf seems to die, sinking to the bottom until he is scooped out and resuscitated. In a later scene, Snitter is called over with whistles from a farmer searching for the escapees. When Snitter jumps in excitement, he accidentally pulls the trigger on a shotgun which proceeds to blow into the mans face.This is grim, harrowing viewing. I remember seeing this film as a five year old. I (possibly luckily) do not recall my emotional response to it. As an adult, I see it as a continuation of the messages of human destruction as first proposed by Watership Down. I have noticed that the DVD versions available have cut 20 minutes of the film. I can not see where they could do this. I'm assuming that the sequences which show mutilated, bloody sheep will have been edited out. But, luckily, i saw the original 102 minute version. I can only imagine that at such a tender age in 1982, I could only have been traumatised by the experience. However, I could be wrong. There was quite a little fad for relatively bleak animated films during this period. Just look at The Secret of Nimh (also 1982). The continues also with the same beautifully rendered animation techniques as Rosens previous film. It depicts the countryside of England so well. Whilst the film is not so fondly remembered as Watership Down, The Plague Dogs still represents a piece of pure animation that does not shy away from confronting very disturbing and emotional issues. It also represents (whilst differently) a move from the view that animation is solely for kids. Like the more recent animated movies of Pixar, it has elements which speak to the adult viewer as well as the young. This may possibly be why it is forgotten. Or maybe it is just too bleak to contemplate after viewing just once. After all, I remember seeing the film at five; so it clearly had some impact on me.

velcrocandy This movie had been recommended to me because I had watched "Watership Down" years ago, and I found it very interesting and unlike any other animated movie. I was told that "The Plague Dogs" was similar in make, so I thought I would give it a try. This gave me the same eerie feel, but it kept me on my toes, almost like a suspense film. I have never seen a film so accurately display dog's behaviors AND personify them... Instead of just talking dogs, I felt as if I was just given a translation of what they would have really been saying if they COULD talk. This made the movie feel so real to me, I connected with the characters and this movie was simply a pleasure to look at. The realistic environments, the glistening coats of the dogs, even the water trickling down the stream was a relief from most modern animation.I am not one to cry when I watch movies. This movie made me sob and sob, in the beginning I cried, and in the end I cried. Like I said in my summary: it's definitely tough for dog lovers to watch!!! I would highly recommend this movie, however it is not for kids 16 and under. If you think you'd like to watch it with your family, the parental guidance on this site is incredibly helpful for this, and for any movie on here. 10/10 in my opinion!! What a great movie!!