Dogs (1976)

March 6, 2012 12:54 AM

Dogs (1976) is a film about academics being attacked by a pack of angry dogs. I know you don't have time for the whole film, but could you at least watch the trailer?

Look. Here's a shorter trailer. Just watch it, OK? It won't be on the Final.

posted by twoleftfeet (59 comments total)

You just couldn't have a horror movie in the '70s without a shower scene thrown in so that we could scope out some wet boobs.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 12:57 AM on March 6, 2012

without a shower scene thrown in

To guarantee the coveted R-rating. In America, blood and violence won't always get you there.

That "party" scene in the beginning had a real Caddyshack "dance of the living dead" feel. Now I know why dogs eat their owners.
posted by three blind mice at 1:33 AM on March 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

You just couldn't have a horror movie in the '70s without a shower scene thrown in so that we could scope out some wet boobs.

This is why the '70s were the greatest decade for movies
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:37 AM on March 6, 2012 [3 favorites]

Metafilter: You have no evidence it was done by dogs.
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:44 AM on March 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

I spent a night in West Virginia state campground cowering in a tent with my family and completely terrified mutt while a pack of feral dogs terrorized the whole campground. In the morning a park ranger came to our tent and told us that he would shoot our dog if we let her make that kind of ruckus again. We promptly packed up and left the state and have never been back. It would have been around this time.

How the hell is Dr. Chase from House in that movie?
posted by srboisvert at 2:47 AM on March 6, 2012 [2 favorites]

Dogs is a film about academics being attacked by a pack of angry dogs.

Ok, this poses a huge dilemma. Who am I supposed to be rooting for here?
posted by karathrace at 3:07 AM on March 6, 2012 [14 favorites]

That was paid for by the United Cat Coalition, no doubt. You can still hear the mewing of the cat in the background, the happy purr of the director, as the character of man's best friend is maligned. It is amazing how a few dog actors were so desperate back then that they would takea on such a racially motivated piece. I understand though, not every dog could be Benji - and he had to start somewere...
posted by Nanukthedog at 3:09 AM on March 6, 2012 [3 favorites]

I wonder if this was riding on Cujo's success ...
posted by GallonOfAlan at 3:20 AM on March 6, 2012

Of all art forms, the filmic is, some say, the highest.
posted by thelonius at 3:36 AM on March 6, 2012

No way, this reminds me too much of my actual job from the description alone. Eeek.
posted by spitbull at 3:43 AM on March 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

I would like to see the voiceover from the trailer combined with footage of adorable puppies.
posted by dortmunder at 3:46 AM on March 6, 2012

"It could happen again"? Was there a sequel?
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the kennel...
posted by Flashman at 3:49 AM on March 6, 2012

I wonder if any of this ended up in Doggiewoggiez! Poochiewoochiez!?


I've seen the thing, and I could never tell you. I confess I was altered beyond my ability to deal with what was happening to my face.
posted by louche mustachio at 4:19 AM on March 6, 2012

This appears to have the same flaw as many sequences involving 'vicious' dogs, which is the dogs are *clearly* having a blast and are romping around happily because they're doing the thing they were trained to do. Dubbing in vicious dog growl/snarl sounds helps a bit with the illusion, but, really, those are happy dogs, not angry dogs.
posted by rmd1023 at 4:20 AM on March 6, 2012 [7 favorites]

Of COURSE they're happy - they are mauling academics!
posted by thelonius at 4:25 AM on March 6, 2012 [6 favorites]

As an academic AND a dog-owner, this is my personal nightmare.
posted by Saxon Kane at 4:33 AM on March 6, 2012 [3 favorites]

David McCallum! That's Illya Kuryakin from The Man from UNCLE.

If he can deal with THRUSH he should be able to handle DOGS.
posted by Herodios at 4:34 AM on March 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

academics being attacked by a pack of angry dogs

The writers originally considered using bankers instead of academics. It was quickly dismissed because, of course, not even a dog would eat that.
posted by Skeptic at 4:34 AM on March 6, 2012 [3 favorites]

academics being attacked by a pack of angry dogs

Could get nasty, without Liam Neeson to punch them.
posted by raygirvan at 4:59 AM on March 6, 2012

Of COURSE they're happy - they are mauling academics!

I hear they are remaking this movie, featuring David Horowitz, state legislatorss, and the posters at rateyourprofessor.com.
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:09 AM on March 6, 2012 [3 favorites]

Needs more egghead.
posted by El Sabor Asiatico at 5:53 AM on March 6, 2012

It sure ain't Frogs!
posted by Smart Dalek at 5:57 AM on March 6, 2012 [2 favorites]

Long stretches of people standing around talking, peppered with the occasional ludicrous action scene? I think that trailer is the template for "The Walking Dead."
posted by jbickers at 6:01 AM on March 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

If you watch it with the sound off it just looks like some nice pups are running to play with you.
posted by entropone at 6:03 AM on March 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

Another great 70's dog movie... ZOLTAN: HOUND OF DRACULA
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 6:19 AM on March 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

If you watch it with the sound off it just looks like some nice pups are running to play with you.

Which is what I did since I'm at work. I'm choosing to believe it's just that - pups looking for someone to throw them a nice stick. Or shotgun.

One of my favorite moments in film is the scene in the Argento film Inferno where one of the characters is "attacked" by cats in the basement. If you watch the attack frame by frame you can clearly see someone is tossing the cats at the person, to the point that several of them are attacking butt first. It's excellent.
posted by librarianamy at 6:20 AM on March 6, 2012 [3 favorites]

i turned down the audio and used this as the soundtrack instead. much better.
posted by fuzzypantalones at 6:22 AM on March 6, 2012

To guarantee the coveted R-rating. In America, blood and violence won't always get you there.

I think the shower scene in this one is just meant as a Psycho parody — the director carefully avoids nudity, and according to the MPAA's film ratings search engine, the producers actually wanted a PG and went so far as to appeal the R rating when they got it.
posted by Joey Bagels at 6:25 AM on March 6, 2012

When the trailer says, flat and ominous, THEY'LL BE HERE SOON, and on screen is this big pack of happy, bouncing, fluffy dogs, I'm all like OMG YOU PROMISE.
posted by theatro at 6:46 AM on March 6, 2012 [2 favorites]

Who's a vicious killer? Who's a vicious killer? Are you? Oooooh, yes you are!

Aaaah, I was kidding! Aaaah, you are a vicious....

*gurgle*
posted by GenjiandProust at 6:51 AM on March 6, 2012 [7 favorites]

Those are the happiest, friendliest looking dogs ever.
posted by ellF at 6:52 AM on March 6, 2012

You know...people say that the weed now is like a zillion times stronger than the weed in the '70s. I believe this film, and it's various analogs, successfully argue the other side. I am convinced the entire population of America was high for about 10 years. It's the only thing that can possibly explain the movies, the clothes and the hair.
posted by dejah420 at 6:59 AM on March 6, 2012

Nothing beat Night of the Lepus.

Trailer -- No lepii
Clips -- Cotains lepii (and ketchup).

A small Arizona town battles thousands of mutated carnivorous killer bunny rabbits.
Domestic -- i.e. pet store, not wild -- rabbits were filmed against miniature models. Actors dressed in rabbit costumes were employed for some scenes.

The director and production team weres more familiar with westerns than science fiction. The film features western stars Stuart Whitman and Rory Calhoun, as well DeForest Kelley and Janet Leigh.

Based on the novel Year of the Angry Rabbits, MGM renamed the film to the more obscure latin form and initially avoided the word 'rabbits' or any images of rabbits in advertising. . . then blew their own gaff by issuing rabbit's foot themed promotional materials before release.

Vincent Canby: "Fails due to the fact that the rabbits, despite attempts to make them appear huge and scary, still look like Easter bunnies."

 
posted by Herodios at 7:06 AM on March 6, 2012 [2 favorites]

If you're still on the fence about whether to see Dogs, an Amazon reviewer has two thumbs way up:
posted by lukemeister at 7:07 AM on March 6, 2012

Yeah, there's lots of previouslies about Night of the Lepus, but it had to be mentioned here, especially since Frogs already came up. Despite a ludicrous ad campaign, Frogs wasn't all that bad.
posted by Herodios at 7:17 AM on March 6, 2012

Anyone spoil me as to how much squashed/hurt frogs there is in Frogs? Would like to get it for a friend who love (unmutilated) frogs.
posted by Iteki at 7:27 AM on March 6, 2012

"NOOOOOOOOO! MY DEGREE ISN'T THESIS BAAAAAAAAAAAA....!"
posted by jimmythefish at 7:30 AM on March 6, 2012 [2 favorites]

If you watch it with the sound off it just looks like some nice pups are running to play with you.

Ha ha, that's exactly what I did and it was hilarious. The scenes of running dogs should have closed captions saying "Yaaaaaaaaaaaay! I love running! Wooooooooooo! Play with meeeeeeeeeee!"
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 7:37 AM on March 6, 2012 [2 favorites]

I wonder if this was riding on Cujo's success ...

If so, the filmmakers show a remarkable amount of foresight in releasing it five years before the book Cujo and seven years before the film adaptation.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:44 AM on March 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

Anyone spoil me as to how much squashed/hurt frogs there is in Frogs?

None, really. It's more 'revenge of nature' than 'attack of the killer frogs.'
posted by Herodios at 7:51 AM on March 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

So...not an MLA revenge fantasy, then?
posted by thomas j wise at 7:59 AM on March 6, 2012

Is this the flick where the fat dude breaks off from everyone else to eat sweet rolls and gets killed by dogs as a result?

This thing gave me crazy nightmares in 1979 if it is.
posted by Senor Cardgage at 8:23 AM on March 6, 2012

Dogs indeed.
posted by Liquidwolf at 8:25 AM on March 6, 2012

Pff. My grandmother can attack academics. Call me when they can rob banks.
posted by Naberius at 8:30 AM on March 6, 2012

What, no love for Sam Fuller's "WHITE DOG" (1982)?
posted by hermitosis at 8:32 AM on March 6, 2012

Another ridiculous dog-based horror movie: Monster Dog (1984), also known as Leviatán, The Bite and Los Perros de la Muerte. Featuring not only a music video by Alice Cooper, but the acting talents of Alice. I can't remember if there was a shower scene, but if so, it wasn't enough to redeem the film.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:51 AM on March 6, 2012

So...not an MLA revenge fantasy, then?

Monstrous Lagomorph Association?
 
posted by Herodios at 9:09 AM on March 6, 2012

Oh I'm watching the whole thing!
posted by fightoplankton at 9:15 AM on March 6, 2012

academics Snobs being attacked by a pack of angry dogs.

It's Super Tuesday, know your dog-whistles!
posted by vhsiv at 9:20 AM on March 6, 2012 [2 favorites]

I was traumatized in my youth by UHF showings of Devil Dog: Hound of Hell, which had both a telekinetic evil German Shepherd and Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann, who had a telekinetic history themselves, so it may well be the damn kids instead of the dog—monsters of the (k)id, as it were.

Dog horror movies never work for me, though, because dogs are nice. Mind you, I tended to stay away from the lawnmower whenever the dog was around, just in case.
posted by sonascope at 9:21 AM on March 6, 2012

Or you could just visit Greece.

Dog horror movies never work for me, though, because dogs are nice

Exactly. It's pretty laughable to see crowds of people trampling each other to get away from ... dogs! Birds made sense because birds are freaky and evil. Rats make sense because they are dirty and ruthless. Dogs and cats? No.
posted by mrgrimm at 9:42 AM on March 6, 2012

For some reason, my phone refuses to play beyond the first bit of the trailer, so all I've gotten is "Dogs...they're coming...they're coming your way."

I still love it.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 10:51 AM on March 6, 2012

This movie scared the bejesus out of me when I was a kid. It didn't help I lived in a neighborhood of roaming, free range dogs and that I had to walk home in the dark from a friends house after watching the movie.
posted by UseyurBrain at 5:10 PM on March 6, 2012 [1 favorite]

Some of those dogs are frothing at the mouth. Have they gotten into the Santorum cake?
posted by anothermug at 5:47 PM on March 6, 2012

Calling Rifftrax!
posted by dhens at 11:15 PM on March 6, 2012

Iteki, I agree with Herodios about Frogs: despite the implications of the title, it's not actually about a rampage of frogs. Instead, the sound of the frogs serves as a kind of signal that something bad is about to happen. I remember really liking it; it had a swampy southern-gothic creepy feeling I enjoy.
posted by theatro at 8:08 AM on March 7, 2012 [1 favorite]

the sound of the frogs serves as a kind of signal that something bad is about to happen.

Yeah, the frogs are neither antagonist nor protagonist, they're more a kind of gree-ek-ek-ek-eks chorus.
 
posted by Herodios at 8:53 AM on March 7, 2012 [1 favorite]

"Dogs...they're coming...they're coming your way."


Yeah, that guy could use a lozenge.
 
posted by Herodios at 8:55 AM on March 7, 2012

I'm not that concerned about the little old lady getting licked to death by the friendly doggies, but I'm really hurting for poor David McCallum. Whose idea was it to give him that god-awful Toni Tennille hair and face moss?
posted by WorkingMyWayHome at 9:53 PM on March 7, 2012