Review #141: 'The Plague Dogs' (1982)

After the success of Watership Down (1978), writer/producer/director Martin Rosen, tackled another of Richard Adams' novels. Thematically similar to Watership Down, The Plague Dogs tells the story of two dogs who escape from a animal testing laboratory in Coniston in the Lake District. Snitter (John Hurt), a Jack Russell, and Rowf (Christopher Benjamin), a black Labrodor, find themselves in the fells of North West England. There they encounter a fox, The Todd (James Bolam), who offers to help them become wild to survive the harsh outside that they are not accustomed to. The local farmers are alerted to their presence once sheep start turning up mutilated. This breeds panic amongst them. The suspicions build and accusations are directed at the local, clandestine laboratory. Whilst kept secret for some time, the horrifying news is delivered that the two escapees are carrying the bubonic plague.

As I have previously stated, this is thematically similar to Watership Down. Humans are the instigators of the death of animals. Death is ever present within this film. Throughout our main characters are physically dying of hunger and exhaustion. Disney this is not. It is far removed from the cutesy animal characters of the Disney movies. These are animals at the height of existential crisis. Snitter has constant flashbacks (caused by a surgical slice on the head) of his past master, who he caused the death of in a road accident. Both characters are perpetually reminded and discuss 'The Blackness'.

This is not high-adventure kiddie-fodder. This is animated cinema at its bleakest. It's an austere account of survival in an alien winter landscape. The colour palette of the film is limited. With the hills and valleys of Lancashire, et al, in the closing months of the year, it uses mostly greys, browns, and shades to illustrate the dreary desolate surroundings. There are some incredibly disturbing moments here. In the opening sequence, Rowf is being submerged in a deep tank of water; the 'experiment' not verbalised. Rowf seems to die, sinking to the bottom until he is scooped out and resuscitated. In a later scene, Snitter is called over with whistles from a farmer searching for the escapees. When Snitter jumps in excitement, he accidentally pulls the trigger on a shotgun which proceeds to blow into the mans face.

This is grim, harrowing viewing. I remember seeing this film as a five year old. I (possibly luckily) do not recall my emotional response to it. As an adult, I see it as a continuation of the messages of human destruction as first proposed by Watership Down. I have noticed that the DVD versions available have cut 20 minutes of the film. I can not see where they could do this. I'm assuming that the sequences which show mutilated, bloody sheep will have been edited out. But, luckily, i saw the original 102 minute version. I can only imagine that at such a tender age in 1982, I could only have been traumatised by the experience. However, I could be wrong. There was quite a little fad for relatively bleak animated films during this period. Just look at The Secret of Nimh (also 1982). The continues also with the same beautifully rendered animation techniques as Rosens previous film. It depicts the countryside of England so well. Whilst the film is not so fondly remembered as Watership Down, The Plague Dogs still represents a piece of pure animation that does not shy away from confronting very disturbing and emotional issues. It also represents (whilst differently) a move from the view that animation is solely for kids. Like the more recent animated movies of Pixar, it has elements which speak to the adult viewer as well as the young. This may possibly be why it is forgotten. Or maybe it is just too bleak to contemplate after viewing just once. After all, I remember seeing the film at five; so it clearly had some impact on me.


Directed by: Martin Rosen
Voices: John Hurt, Christopher Benjamin, James Bolam, Nigel Hawthorne
Country: USA/UK

Rating: ***

Marc Ivamy