Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

The Plague Dogs Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 28, 2019

Director Martin Rosen wanted to make animated films for a slightly older audience, eschewing the lure of creating cartoons for all ages, trying to craft something distinct for crowds craving a more sophisticated look at the storytelling art form. 1979’s “Watership Down” turned out be a hit for Rosen, with his gamble to craft a more severe tone for his adaptation of Richard Adams’s celebrated novel paying off, creating a legion of fans that remains to this day. Pressing his luck, Rosen returns to Adams for his follow-up, taking on the considerable challenge of bringing “The Plague Dogs,” his 1977 book, to the screen, and doing so with even more attention to the reality of dramatic entanglements for the main characters. If “Watership Down” was mildly unsettling, “The Plague Dogs” is likely to put many viewers into the fetal position, though Rosen manages such bleakness with wonderful artistry and voice talent, giving this summation of animal cruelty and survival need texture and soul as it deals with unthinkable horrors facing its cast of stressed animals.

At the Lawson Park Animal Research facility, Rowf (voiced by Christopher Benjamin) is struggling to stay alive, subjected to tests of endurance involving swimming that have drained his will to live. One night, while the “white coats” are away, Rowf is approached by Snitter (John Hurt), another dog with a special medical dressing on his head. Snitter is ready to make a break for it, encouraging Rowf to pursue freedom, with the pair eventually sneaking out into the open, each carrying a troubling history with human interactions. Trying to cross the English countryside, Rowf and Snitter are desperate for food, confronted by sheepdogs protecting their flock, and teaming with The Tod (James Bolam), a fox who works with the dogs to secure meals and enjoy the protection of a pack. At the facility, the scientists are desperate to reclaim the escapees, beginning a chase that finds the animals trying to avoid detection by any means necessary.

“The Plague Dogs” doesn’t shy away from the reality of life inside an animal testing facility, with Rosen showcasing the darkness of such an experience, with Rowf forced to swim for extended periods of time, only stopping to die -- a finality the scientists promptly prevent to keep the dog for future use. There are monkeys and mice in the building, and Snitter is part of the line-up, with a thin bandage covering an opening in his skull, disrupting his brain to such a degree, the dog has trouble separating reality from memory throughout the feature. The characters are not well at the start of “The Plague Dogs,” and Rosen doesn’t brighten their day, providing a clear understanding of abuses from labs such as this, inspiring the dogs to escape when handed a chance to do so.

This is not “The Incredible Journey,” as “The Plague Dogs” takes survival seriously, tracking Rowf and Snitter’s progression to an unknown destination, always looking for food and shelter while desperate to avoid the humans they’ve grown to distrust. Adams keeps the mission grim and very English, while some outside perspective is added by Tod, who joins the pair as they figure out what to do, becoming a trio for a brief amount of time. Violence isn’t explicit in “The Plague Dogs,” but it’s there, with a few humans offered shocking deaths. However, the community isn’t completely vilified by the screenplay, with Rosen creating a collection of voices from concerned bystanders to fill in perspective on the canine pursuit, which creates unwanted attention on Lawson Park. Law enforcement types soon join the hunt, tightening pressure on the dogs to find some type of safe haven they have no way of reaching.

“The Plague Dogs” is presented in two versions: the Theatrical Cut (85:16) and the Extended Cut (103:28).

The Plague Dogs Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Trying to please fans of "The Plague Dogs," Shout Factory manages to pull off something special for the Blu-ray release, offering the Extended Cut of the movie. To help fill in for what was edited, a U.K. film print has been obtained, blended into the 2K scan of the Theatrical Cut. The results aren't problematic, as the feature is a fairly dark creation to begin with, keeping jarring resolution dips out of the AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation. Detail stays consistently soft throughout, offering some texture from the original animation, retaining intended artistry, while the great outdoors remains dimensional throughout several environments. Hues are secure, handling the bleak palette of testing center interiors and more naturalistic visions of nature, including warmer sunsets. Character colors are equally defined, with a brighter orange for Tod. Delineation has some challenges, but most frame information is accessible, though some of Rowf's close-ups solidify. Source is in healthy shape, with a few scratches and chemical spots, along with scattered speckling.

The Plague Dogs Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD sound mix provides a clear understanding of elements, though some age and production limitations are detected. Dialogue exchanges are clear, which is necessary to keep up with accents and slang, which can be pretty heavy at times. Distinctions between human and animal conversations are also achieved. Scoring supports with reasonable heft and appealing instrumentation, and soundtrack selections are acceptable, setting the period mood. Atmospherics are engaging, detailing changes in weather and locations. Community efforts from man and animal are also captured without muddiness. A few pops are found along the way.

The Plague Dogs Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview (15:43, HD) with Martin Rosen examines how "The Plague Dogs" came to be, with the director of "Watership Down" eager to prove himself with more adult-oriented animation after scoring a minor hit. Attempting to craft a "serious picture about talking dogs," Rosen briefly touches on adaptation challenges, including deviating from the ending of author Richard Adams's book. Animation efforts are highlighted, bringing the bulk of the work to America, and Rosen claims a hazy memory about Brad Bird's participation, sharing regret that he fired the young artist, never hearing from him again. The helmer is candid about audience response to "The Plague Dogs," which played to empty theaters in the U.S., hurting Rosen's ego, while edits were made to ease concern from distributors, toning down harshness. Music is analyzed, and themes are discussed. Rosen remains proud of the movie, making it clear it was the feature he wanted to make all along.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included.

The Plague Dogs Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Plague Dogs" is artfully animated with a fine cinematic style, and voice work hits emotional beats with complete accuracy (Patrick Stewart is featured as a military official), with Rosen making sure quality is tended to before he descends into a depressive abyss concerning the fate of the main characters. This is not a film to passively enjoy. It hits hard, and does so with storytelling bravery, asking viewers to embark on an adventure with damaged, starving dogs. Tonally, Rosen is on a tightrope over Niagara Falls here, and the effort is laudable, but "The Plague Dogs" is strictly for those who know what they're getting into, allowing them time to appreciate what Rosen and the production pull off with care and attention to animated detail.