The Plague Dogs

Don't even think about showing this one to the kiddies. It's about two abused lab animals that escape only to find that the experiments that have been conducted on them leave them unfit to survive in the wild. Their desperate flight for survival leads them through a series of cruelties, heaped upon their lives already made wretched by torturous and seemingly unnecessary experimentation, that culminate in one of the most moving moments in the history of animation.

I've always thought that animation could be more than an after-market money-machine vehicle for creating cloyingly sweet garbage for which actors can earn voice-over money without having to be too closely associated with the work. And yes, that's what I think most animated features are.

But not this one.

Animation is a way of depicting what cannot be shown in live action films. In this case, we explore the tragedy of animal abuse in a way that will never let you forget what a crime it really is. Plague Dogs is insightful, brutally honest, and unflinchingly direct in exposing the gruesome truth about animal research. This is one of the greatest animated films ever made. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Richard Adams's novel 'The Plague Dogs' always stood in the shadow of his superior masterpiece - the classic 'Watership Down'. The same goes for the animated films, both of them directed by Martin Rosen. The animated version of The Plague Dogs, released four years after the acclaimed Watership Down, never quite achieved the kind of success its predecessor had; not because it wasn't as good, but because of pretty much the same reasons for the novel's limited success. While Watership Down hid violence and severe social-political criticism behind a disguise of a children's tale, The Plague Dogs is much more in-your-face, much less subtle, and makes no attempts to hide itself behind pretty words. The Plague Dogs is a tragic tale that is mercilessly critical toward modern society, taking a strict stand on the subject of cruelty to animals. The idea of an animated film strictly for adults was as difficult to swallow twenty years ago as the idea of a novel for adults told from an animal's point of view. Therefore, movie-goers didn't quite know what to make of the film; it didn't seem right for an adult to go watch an animated film about animals - and a parent who takes his little child to this film would face an even bigger problem of explaining to them why the bad people do such horrible things to the poor dogs.

Fortunately, today we know that animation isn't just for kids, and we can fully appreciate this masterpiece. The story is that of two laboratory dogs, voiced brilliantly by John Hurt and Christopher Benjamin, who escape from their cages and from the lab seeking the freedom of the outside world, and finding out that surviving in the wilderness isn't as easy as that. The scientists have reason to believe that the dogs contacted a bubonic plague virus during their escape, and so the two must run for their lives and fight for survival. Most of the film is from the dogs' point of view (they are later joined by a fox, voiced by James Bolam, who helps them survive in the wild, not without his own reasons). On the other hand we also hear the humans' conversations, yet we never see a human being's face; Rosen doesn't allow us to sympathize or identify with any of the human characters. The animals are clearly the more humane here, and that's the basis of what Rosen and Adams say here.

Be warned - don't let the animation fool you, this is not an easy watch. The violence in The Plague Dogs is more explicit than in most live action films, and the message it bears about human beings as a whole is difficult to swallow. John Hurt's performance as Snitter, alternately funny and sad, dominates the film, and it makes for one of the most beautiful and round animated characters ever seen on film. The story, especially that of Snitter's, is incredibly sad and touching, and is more powerful emotionally than any other animated feature I've seen. A highly recommended film, and not just for animation enthusiasts.

As the plot synopsis has been covered in sufficient detail by many previous comments, I instead offer this comment as a humble plea to film and animation enthusiasts, such that they may actively seek out this criminally underrated and genuinely affecting animated drama. My hope would be that sufficient renewed interest in this successor to "Watership Down" might provide the impetus for a well-deserved North American reissue of the film in it's uncut version.(An uncut, 99 minute Region 4 PAL disc is now available online through import sites, while the only available Region 1 NTSC versions are of the 82 minute edit). The voicing of the two principle characters, the Smooth Terrier "Snitter" and the noble Labrador "Rowf", is nothing short of brilliant, with John Hurt providing an especially poignant turn as Snitter, whose brain has been tampered with at the research facility, thereby confusing his perception of objective/ subjective realities. There is a powerful message and some timely social commentary to be had here, though the film wisely refrains from overt didacticism and sentimentality. As fate would have it, the film will now stand as one of the last animated features to have been entirely hand colored (to great effect, I might add). At once powerful, haunting and emotionally draining, this film is surely not to be forgotten once viewed (example: many previous comments having mentioned the author retaining vivid recollections of the film from childhoods far removed). I implore you, please seek out a copy (cut or uncut) and view it with those closest to you. Discuss it with your friends, your children and fellow film enthusiasts. Let's not allow this masterwork to languish and slip into further obscurity.

"I'm inside my head now. And it's where I should be... I can't come out. If I do, I'll go mad again" - Snitter

The Plague Dogs is not your kids film, as a matter of fact, I couldn't see a kid wanting to see this at all. But this isn't a bad thing, this movie isn't even trying to be a kids film to start with, the film holds you and does not let go. This tale of two dogs's adventues to try and stay alive and stay out of the testing center they were in at the beginning and while many wouldn't agree with me, this film ends the only way it could (though you have to read the book to understand it).

Much like Watership Down, the things they had to cut out are minor, but there are times you'll scratch your head wondering why they said that, but I can tell you, if you want to know, READ THE BOOK!!!

This is one of the finest flicks ever made, simple as that

P.S. one of the soldiers is voiced by Patrick Stewart, not brought up on the earlier screens

This is easily one of my favorite animated films of all time. The characters are so much more real than those in the majority of the live action films produced recently. The animation is very well done with great English scenery and a style that doesn't allow for any cutesy cartoonish effects. The music is appropriate (unlike ahem.. Watership Down). Finally, the message of the movie is clear without being oppressive or melodramatic. The character of the Tod in particular seems to be the penultimate representation of a fox.

This is in no sense a children's film, but a mature child of ten or eleven could certainly appreciate it. I don't want to sound corny, but the film can be viewed as a metaphor for a human life. The movie is a kind of cycle from water to water, the dogs try to make sense of a world they can never totally understand, they're constantly searching for some kind of mythical human affection, I could ramble on...

This film, unlike Watership Down, actually improves on the book by refining and/or removing many of the more tedious sections which dealt with people and politics. The final scene of the movie is as powerful an image as I have seen in any film. Any movie that gives the audience something to think about is fine by me. The Plague Dogs does this and tells a good story to boot.