Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Pets Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 25, 2018

The cover art for 1973’s “Pets” displays the lead actress, Candace Rialson, with a dog collar around her neck, chained up inside a cage while a malevolent hand grips a bullwhip behind her, as though punishment was about to commence. It’s a provocative image, and one that’s mirrored briefly in the picture’s opening. However, the movie isn’t that precise in its repellent exploitation interests, saving all the human bondage material for the last reel. The journey there is slightly sunnier, with co-writer/director Raphael Nussbaum creating an odyssey of innocence corrupted for “Pets,” which plays like a folk song about a troubled girl and all the predators she encounters along the way. There’s definitely unsavory business to tend to in the feature, but the marketing oversells the viewing experience, which is much more melodramatic than it seems, helping to make it an interesting effort.

Bonnie (Candace Rialson) is struggling under the control of her brother, Tom (Mike Cartel), desperate to get away from her abusive sibling. Finally managing to escape, Bonnie wanders around Los Angeles, soon picked up by Pat (Teri Guzman), a prostitute whose aggressive ways to make a buck results in the kidnapping of rich guy Dan (Brett Parker), leaving Bonnie to clean up the violent mess. Help arrives in the form of artist Geraldine (Joan Blackman), who’s searching for a proper muse to inspire her creative endeavors, falling in lust with Bonnie, offering her a place to stay in exchange for modeling duties. Also creeping into view is Ron (Matt Green), a common thief who challenges Geraldine’s control over Bonnie, and Vincent (Ed Bishop), an art gallery owner who grows obsessed with the new model in town.

“Pets” is an episodic picture that tracks Bonnie’s travels around Los Angeles. She’s broke and homeless, with only thin pieces of fabric covering her, making her exquisite prey for local predators, with many making the possession of the young woman a top priority. It starts with Tom, who’s trying to keep Bonnie in his car as they cross the city late one night, but she manages to run off, soon teaming with Pat to make lecherous Dan pay for his interest in providing the women with a ride, training a gun on the nervous man, with the first act of “Pets” examining the hostage situation. With Pat away to collect money from Dan’s home, Bonnie remains with prisoner in the middle of the woods, teasing the man with a weapon and her ripe sexuality.

Bonnie’s external appeal is major element of “Pets,” with her beauty and skimpy attire acting as a siren’s song for numerous characters, including Geraldine, a lesbian who welcomes the runaway into her home for a faintly maternal relationship. Such obsessive ways trigger dramatic emphasis in the material, finding Bonnie rejecting control as Geraldine tries to tighten her grip, eventually teasing time with Ron, a knife-wielding intruder, and Vincent, a creepy millionaire, to drive her faux guardian and lover crazy. There’s a babe in the woods tone to the material, but truthfully, Bonnie is a proper goon, and it’s highly amusing to watch her engage with easily avoidable danger, giving Nussbaum some broad manipulations to manage in lieu of overt violence and hardcore sex. Also welcome are amazingly professional performances from most of the cast, who try to inject some feeling into the effort, giving nonsense appealing texture.

Pets Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Pets" offers a rough-looking viewing experience, with the source material heavily damaged at times, finding the opening pre-title sequence and main titles hit particularly hard with missing frames and red splotches. Reel changes are rough, emulsion scratches are bright, and a red flash-like effect arrives in the final reel. For those sensitive to damage, this is not the disc for you. Those who enjoy a little roughness to go along with their grindhouse entertainment won't mind the brittle appearance of the AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation. Clarity is best during daylight hours, finding detail quite good with costuming and locations, which offer a dimensional look at street travel and beach life. Facial textures are present. Colors are deep and fresh, delivering compelling hues on period style and neon signage. Skintones are natural, retaining golden tans as well. Grain is fine and filmic. Delineation is adequate, but evening sequences run a bit softer and redder, complicating frame information.

Pets Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix delivers a compelling listening event without significant disruption. Save for a few scratchy passages, dialogue exchanges are natural, preserving aggressive attitudes and clunky line readings. Soundtrack maintains consistency, with a warmer acoustical mood set, while scoring is simplistic but supportive.

Pets Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview (15:30, SD) with Mike Cartel discusses his various jobs on the set of "Pets," working as a production assistant and as an actor, portraying Bonnie's abusive brother. Cartel inspects the troubled production, which had difficulties securing a proper director before producer Raphael Nussbaum stepped in to finish the job, and the actor shares bits of the helmer's personal history and on-set attitude. Cartel offers memories of his fight scene with three much larger actors, and reflects on co-stars Candace Rialson (who was very nervous about her first speaking role), Joan Blackman (who demanded professionalism on the set, but rarely received it), and Ed Bishop, with Cartel in possession of a saucy anecdote about the older man he refuses to share on-camera. Cartel also shares optimism about the Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray after viewing a particularly bad VHS copy years ago.

• Alternate Title Sequence (:18, HD) swaps out the title "Pets" for the more misleading "One Night Stand."

• Still Gallery (2:35) collects numerous German lobby cards (which freely display nudity) and international posters.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:43, HD) is included.

Pets Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Keeping up with the times, "Pets" isn't exactly kind to a few animal characters, showcases era-specific homophobia (Geraldine is dismissed by all, but remains a proud lesbian), and presents a villain whose driving passion is hatred of gender equality. The dog collars eventually come out, but "Pets" is far more involving following Bonnie in and out of difficulties with strange, possessive people. As exploitation, it's tedious. As a soap opera, the film finds its most secure footing.