danielemerson This is a damn good attempt to make a feature film out of my favourite Richard Adams book.The problem with the book is that some of the digressions into politics and journalism are just a bit too long and self-indulgent, which disrupts the flow of the story. I'd certainly have edited down Digby Driver's part to something still vital to the plot, but more concise and direct.This animated adaptation cuts out the worst excesses of those digressions, but cuts too much else as well, in my opinion. The character-establishing story of Snitter's former master and his sister is virtually excised, for instance. The ending stops short of the original, leaving it ambiguous and darker. In addition, some of the animation makes the animals' movements look a little unnatural. Like 'Watership Down', they have employed a starry British cast of voice actors, and this is a great strength of this film. Overall, recommended, but be aware that, while parts of the original story are best discarded for narrative flow, some lost elements should have been left in.I don't imagine anyone will be attempting a new version of 'The Plague Dogs' any time soon, so this more-than-worthy effort is a good primer for anyone wanting to read the book itself. Plus, for those who are distressed by the final act, the book has a much happier ending.

Donald F Usually I don't like films like this. Plague Dogs feels long, slow, drab, and arguably melodramatic. Its not excellent in character, and it doesn't seem to have a particular message. But The Plague Dogs works for me. And it has to come down to the animation.The animation looks good for the time, but more importantly, its barren, and uses faded colors - light blues, greens, and grays. The artists make modern England look like its in post-apocalypse. Yeah, there are humans around, but, from these dog's perspective, its a scary, lonely place.Plague Dogs is near hopeless, and honestly has some of the more screwed up scenes I've seen in animation. There's not much else to say about it. If you're in the right mood, its an emotional experience. Can't say I love it, but it stuck with me longer than most movies.

Howard Schumann It has been estimated that from ten to one hundred million animals are used annually for research purposes. In the U.S., any procedure can be performed on an animal if it can be successfully argued that it is scientifically justified. Whether medical and scientific discoveries of benefit to mankind outweigh animal cruelty and likely death is a debate that has been going on since testing and experimentation on living animals began in Greece in the fourth century BC and shows no signs of abating. This subject is the theme of Martin Rosen's animated film The Plague Dogs.Based on the novel by Richard Adams who also wrote "Watership Down," The Plague Dogs is a disturbing movie that pulls no punches and is heartbreakingly real in its depiction of the sad effects of animal experimentation. Whether or not children should see it is a decision that has to be made by each parent. Walt Disney, it is not. In the film, a black Labrador named Rowf (John Hurt) and a fox terrier Snitter (Christopher Benjamin), subjected to endless tests of endurance as well as undefined brain surgery, make a daring escape from an animal research facility in Coniston, but find the outside world less welcoming than they remember.With no specific destination in mind, the two wander through the English Lake District hoping to find a master that will take care of them (Snitter is racked with guilt, thinking he caused the death of his previous master in an accident). In this bleak environment depicted in dark colors, their search for food and shelter is aided only by a sly, opportunistic fox (The Tod) who teaches the dogs the ways of the wild, mostly for his own benefit. As more and more sheep are reported killed, the research center spreads the rumor that the dogs may be carriers of the Bubonic Plague and the farmers are now assisted by the Army to hunt them down. Snitter does not help their cause by being involved in a freak shooting accident that kills a passerby.Though the mood of The Plague Dogs is somber and the film is marred by heavy British accents that are barely audible, the film is strengthened by the loving relationship of the two dogs and we root for them to survive even though we know the odds are against them. While the dogs are puzzled by the actions of the "whitecoats," they do not succumb to thoughts of revenge. Trying not to think the worst of their whitecoat tormentors, Rowf asks "There must be some reason, mustn't there? It must do some sort of good," but the good is hard to find as the dogs must confront insurmountable obstacles to find a way to survive. Like many of us who are trying to keep our heads above water, their island is so close but so far away.

Criticman12 The 80's was a dark time for animation because animated films soon started to become more serious. One of them was the 1982 animated film, "The Plague Dogs". Based on the Richard Adams book by the same name.I really love this movie. The animation was great because the character model's look real and the backgrounds were nicely drawn. the character's were interesting including The Todd and the humans. What I like about the human's is there role in the movie, instead of being cowardly villains, they are scientists that do experiments on animals and they won't stop until they capture the two runaway dogs."The Plague Dogs", is a movie definitely worth watching if you're looking for a good animated film to watch. But this movie is NOT for kids.