Croc-blanc

I watched this movie since i figured out it was directed by one of my favorite directors, Lucio Fulci. And i know there are people who call this a family or kids flick, i can assure you that it's non of the above. It's filled with mean spirited characters and actual animal cruelty, they could've easily rated it R because of the visceous animal fights. An dog obvisousily appears to be "dead" after it fought a bear, i just say what i saw myself. And a dog gets poked at with sticks while it's locked up in a cage, yeah real family entertainment. The story itself looks like an adventure movie because of the relation between an american native child and his dog, but i'm pretty sure the dog had to be replaced a few times if you know what i mean. The story is placed in a western like background, probably in the 1800's, and yes the actors do a great job and some of them are likable. And if they kept it like that the movie could have receive a PG rating which it did get, how idiotic do you have to be to rate a movie filled with cruelty PG. I do understand those were different times, but still, judge for yourself.

This adventure movie is set in 1896 , on the Klondike region of Yukon, Canada . It has the wolf-dog named White Fang befriends an Indian boy and his father (Daniel Martin , A fistful of dollars) . Later on , the dog teams up a journalist (Franco Nero, Djanjo) along with an adventurer (Raimond Harmstorf) who arrive in the small gold town named Dawson City . There they find a priest (Fernando Rey, French Connection) , his daughter , a gorgeous saloon-girl (Carole Andre, Sandokan) and the nun Sister Evengelina (Virna Lisi, How to murder your wife) . The reporter and his faithful mate , the wolf-dog , attempt to stop the evildoer , an ambitious , snarling businessman (John Steiner, Tepepa) and hoodlum (Rik Battaglia) . They're deceiving by faking manner to the prospectors who are working in the Alaskan gold mines and to profit from them .

It's a tepid and light-hearted adventure about known and classic novel by Jack London . Lumpy blend of adventures , action , villainy , though needlessly violent and aimed to young people . The talent of diverse and wasting casting is redeemed in part for the spectacular outdoors filmed on Austrian landscapes . Weak screenplay written by Peter Werbeck or Harry Allan Towers who produced in similar premise : 'Jack London's Call of the wild (directed by Ken Annakin and starred by Charlton Heston) . Atmospheric and evocative musical score by Carlo Rustichelli . The film is rated PG-13 (Parents guide) , because containing some violent scenes about killing , a cruel fighting between bear and dog and brutal biting . The motion picture is regularly directed by Lucio Fulci , a famous expert in gore and splatter (N.Y ripper , House outside cemetery , City of the Living dead) . Followed by an inferior sequel ¨The return of White Fang¨ (Fulci , 1974) with similar characters and actors . Other adaptations about Jack London's classic are : ¨White Fang(1991¨ by Randal Kleiser with Ethan Kawke as young prospector and Klaus Maria Brandauer and ¨The return of White Fang(1994¨ by Ken Olin with Scott Bairstow and once again Ethan Hawke .

This is a follow-up to "The Call of the Wild" the year before with Charlton Heston, but there is no Charlton Heston here and also very little left of Jack London. "Beauty Smith" of the novel is a base, vulgar ooh rough hoodlum who turns Indians into alcoholics making money of it, while here he is transformed into a grotesque parody of a sophisticated gentleman inhumanly profiting on ordinary people's credulousness and greed for gold, not hesitating to deliberately ruin them all to then walk on to infest another town with corruption. The greatest scene here is the final conversion of the priest Fernando Rey, while of course the star of the film is the dog. Virna Lisi and the Indian boy are two other characters that Jack London never could have dreamed of including in an exaggerated melodrama like this, and on the whole, Italians should not meddle with Jack London. You recognize Raimund Harmstorf from "The Call of the Wild" as Charlton Heston's best friend and companion, while here he is resurrected (which Charlton Heston is not) to make another glorious partner to Franco Nero instead. It's too rough for a family entertainment, there is too little left of Jack London, the script is almost loaded with only clichés, the direction is awkward and almost pathetic, and not even Carlo Rustichelli's music is enough to save the film, although his melody theme is what you might remember from this film.

This movie makes an adult go back to childhood. Honesty, love or respect for animals, and justice of course is what Lucio Fulci wants to emphasize in this great movie. Yes, it contains some violent scenes but unfortunately, violence is part of our lives and children must know it to try and avoid it in the future.

Great performances from all the actors. John Steiner performs perfectly the bloody villain. Franco Nero is wonderful as always and White Fang is adorable, the dog that everybody would like to have.

Based on the Jack London story, White Fang was well done. The main drawback is its violence. Lots of fighting and killing, including graphic scenes of shooting, stabbing and animals fighting. My young children (5 and 7) were upset by this. It is surprising that the video had a PG rating.

Otherwise, acting was good, cinematography was excellent. English-language dubbing was a bit slipshod and noticeable.