Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This woefully underappreciated animated film was created by the team behind the wonderful Watership Down. The story concerns a pair of dogs, Rowf and Snitter, who escape from an animal-testing lab in the wilds of England and their attempts to survive in a cold and hostile world. Rowf and Snitter traverse the wilds and encounter both a fox named The Tod who trains them in the ways of being wild and humans who are either afraid of them or try to hunt them. The film is excellently animated and touches on themes of friendship, bravery, and animal rights. The ending is very moving and always makes me shed a tear or two.
Many talented people lent their skills to this movie. Martin Rosen, also the creator of Watership Down, led a team which took almost two years to painstakingly craft this masterpiece. Among the actors who gave vocal performances for The Plague Dogs are John Hurt, Nigel Hawthorne, and Patrick Stewart as an army major. I was even surprised to see Brad Bird's (creator of The Iron Giant and The Incredibles) name in the credits as an animator!
Unfortunately, while the film itself is great, this DVD leaves a little bit to be desired. The movie is presented in its North American edited length of 85 minutes. There is apparently a longer 99-minute cut available on DVD from Australia, but only in PAL video format. The film itself looks in pretty good condition for being almost 25 years old. Other than Scene Selection and Interactive Menus (as if those even count), the DVD is devoid of any special features. Another feature lacking on the DVD that I do miss from my old VHS copy is closed captions or subtitles. I have a little difficulty making out some of the difficult British Isles accents, especially from The Tod and the sheepherding dogs.
I highly recommend that fans of adult, drama-oriented animation (and Watership Down fans in particular) check this one out. Despite its barebones DVD presentation, it's a great, powerful film that deserves to be seen. I give the film 5 stars but subtract 1 star for the lackluster DVD presentation.
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Determined to escape the confines of an evil laboratory, two dogs make a flight for freedom into the rugged hills.Panicked by the cries of other animals on their way out, they accidentally break a vial used by plague researchers, and when news gets out that the two could be infected, the human world launches the deadliest hunt.Pursued at every turn, the dogs are forced to retreat further and further until their time runs out and they must make the ultimate decision – and take their chance with fate.
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