Animais em Fúria

Eco-horror was one of the notable genres of 1970s cinema. William Girdler's "Day of the Animals" is a prime example. It depicts ozone depletion causing all wildlife above 5,000 feet to turn against humans. Of course, the best scene is Leslie Nielsen - still a few years away from his career in comedy* - wrestling a grizzly. This is a movie that, ridiculous as it is, must have been really fun to film. The animals really look like some mean mothers.

Yes, it's one of the many silly exploitation flicks of the era. Totally enjoyable, I might add. Unfortunately, the director got killed in a helicopter crash in the Philippines less than a year after the release. Too bad.

Also starring Christopher George, Lynda Day George, Richard Jaeckel, Andrew Stevens (Stella Stevens's son) and Michael Ansara (Barbara Eden's former husband).

*As late as 1987, Nielsen co-starred in the dead serious "Nuts".

This is a highly amusing 70s "when the Ozone Layer depletes and Animals Attack!" disaster flick that should appeal to anyone who likes these kinds of movies. It has a fun cast featuring the incomparable Ruth Roman, the slightly-daft-but-that's-why-we-love-her Lynda Day George, Andrew Stevens when he was still somewhat humpy, and Leslie Neilsen in a straight-faced role like you've never seen him before...and never want to see him again. You've got all the expected plot elements here: the group disagreeing and splitting up, the one dude who gets fed up and goes bonkers, slo-mo death shots, and lots of faux animal action! Highlights include jumping rats and Nielsen dancing with a grizzly.

This is a real cool B movie that delivers the goods !!! William Girdler also made the very entertaining GRIZZLY in 1976. The cast do a good job and the direction is solid. Leslie Nielsen put in a good strong performance as an unhinged kinda guy and once again , poor Susan Backlinie does sterling stuntwork as the victim of wolves and vultures (the vulture attack sequence is the highlight of the movie and splendidly done. The score by Lalo Schifrin is creepy and atmospheric and adds a neat touch to the overall "feel" of the film. I am lucky enough to own the original Warners UK video release and would love to get hold of the R1 DVD.

I actually liked this movie even though it was slow at certain times. It was on the same level as grizzly as being a good movie to own. I just found out that it was on DVD, so I will definitely buy it eventually. I love killer animal movies and this one gives me a good show. My rating *** out of *****.

Day of the Animals: 4/10: Filmed in glare-o-vision (either to emulate a world without ozone or to give me a headache) Day of the Animals ask what if all the animals went crazy and decided to work together to kill B-movie actors. Hmm.

Unlike most nature gone wild movies that focus on one deadly animal (snakes, spiders, small dogs wearing the cutest rat outfits.) Day of the Animals, like its predecessor Frogs, throws every living creature at the cast. (Though in Day of the Animals defense unlike Frogs it at least sticks to animals, no one gets killed by the Spanish moss.)

It doesn't work. It really doesn't work. The animal attacks are laughable. Rats and snakes on fishing lines are thrown at actors. A shirtless Leslie Nielson who gets attacked by a bear rug in a scene right out of that killer carpet movie The Creeping Terror. And, most laughably, the so called attacking dogs. Whom are downright lovable complete with wagging tails. (I've seen Benji look fiercer than those German shepherds whom looked every bit like they were chasing a miniature chuck wagon.)

As for the acting, well you get a shirtless Leslie Nielson hamming it up (years before he did Airplane and "went" into comedy) and Jon Cedar channeling a third rate William Shatner singing Barry Manilow (you won't be able to get that Mandy tune out of your head.)

The film in fact has plenty of cannon fodder (even that old comedic and anti-Semitic stand-by the overprotective Jewish mother played by Ruth Roman like she was directed by Leni Riefenstahl). It even has the Poseidon Adventure scene when one pig-headed group splits off from the other.

Day of the Animals also has the worst DVD transfer ever. A third rate pan and scan picture and no chapters or even a title screen. And unlike its companion piece Grizzly it needed a good transfer. After all it's filmed in glare-o-vision.