ЧУМНЫЕ ПСЫ | Почему мульт сняли с проката

Summary

The review delves into the dark and emotional world of *Plague Dogs*, an animated film directed by Martin Rosen, known for *Watership Down*. Despite its grim content and failed commercial reception, the film is praised for its artistic depth and hand-drawn animation. It explores themes of animal cruelty, survival, and the impact of vivisection through the journey of two escapee dogs, Rowf and Snitter. With a depressive tone and no clear hope for a better future, *Plague Dogs* offers a challenging, thought-provoking experience, far from a typical children's movie, yet highly recommended for fans of mature, author-driven animation.

Takeaways

• 😀 The film *Plague Dogs* (also known as *Desperate Dogs*) is directed by Martin Rosen, who also directed *Watership Down*.
• 😀 The film features a dark and oppressive atmosphere, with strong themes of animal cruelty, vivisection, and survival in a harsh world.
• 😀 The movie is primarily about two lab dogs, a Labrador named Rowf and a Fox Terrier named Snitter, who escape a laboratory and must navigate the dangers of the wild.
• 😀 The film's animation is praised for its hand-drawn artistry, with backgrounds featuring beautiful natural landscapes.
• 😀 The film's reception was mostly negative, and it was pulled from theaters after poor performance, unlike *Watership Down*, which had commercial success.
• 😀 A significant portion of the film's audience found it difficult to accept the film's intense content, including graphic violence and a bleak tone.
• 😀 *Plague Dogs* explores the idea of the dogs' desperate survival and their attempts to find a better life, which is ultimately unfulfilled.
• 😀 The dogs' personalities are distinct: Rowf is older and more reflective, while Snitter is younger, more energetic, and scarred from previous experiments.
• 😀 The film's finale is ambiguous, leaving the audience uncertain if the dogs ever reach safety or if their hope is merely a hallucination.
• 😀 *Plague Dogs* stands out as an emotionally intense animated film that focuses on adult themes, making it unsuitable for children despite being an animated movie.
• 😀 The film's harsh, realistic depiction of the dogs' experiences in both laboratory and wilderness settings serves to highlight the cruelty they endure and their struggle for freedom.

Q & A

What is the primary theme of the animated film *Plague Dogs*?

The primary theme of *Plague Dogs* is the grim and harsh realities of animal experimentation, survival, and the existential struggles of two dogs escaping a laboratory. The film explores themes of animal cruelty, the will to survive in a wild world, and the ambiguous nature of hope in a bleak environment.

How does the film depict animal cruelty and its impact on the characters?

The film depicts animal cruelty through the harrowing experiences of the two main characters, Rowf and Snitter, who are subjected to cruel experiments in a laboratory. This environment leaves deep emotional and psychological scars on the dogs, influencing their perceptions of humans and their struggle to survive in the wild.

What role does the visual style of the animation play in the film's impact?

The hand-drawn animation style significantly enhances the film's emotional depth, providing a timeless and visceral feel. The naturalistic landscapes and grim depictions of the dogs' journey help establish the bleak and oppressive atmosphere, contributing to the film's unsettling and psychological impact.

How does the tone of *Plague Dogs* differ from typical animated films?

Unlike typical animated films, especially those aimed at children, *Plague Dogs* has a dark and depressive tone. It emphasizes emotional depth and realism over light-heartedness, exploring difficult topics like animal suffering and the harsh realities of survival. The film's tone is grim, and it leaves little room for conventional happy endings.

What significance does the title *Plague Dogs* have in the context of the film?

The title *Plague Dogs* refers to the dogs being treated as outcasts and victims of human experimentation. In the context of the film, the term 'plague' symbolizes how society views the dogs as dangerous and diseased, even though the dogs are not actually infected with the plague. It highlights the stigma they face after escaping the laboratory.

What is the significance of the character Snitter's mental state in the film?

Snitter’s mental state is a crucial element of the film. His experiences in the laboratory, including brain experiments, lead to hallucinations and a distorted perception of reality. This mental instability adds to the psychological complexity of the film and underscores the lasting impact of the cruel experiments on the dogs.

How do the dogs' personalities contribute to the narrative of *Plague Dogs*?

Rowf and Snitter have contrasting personalities that complement each other throughout their journey. Rowf is older and more experienced, bringing wisdom and a sense of survival, while Snitter, the younger and more energetic dog, is driven by hope and optimism. Their dynamic highlights the challenges and survival instincts that both dogs must rely on to navigate a dangerous world.

What is the role of human characters in the film, and how are they portrayed?

Human characters in *Plague Dogs* are largely portrayed as antagonistic figures. They are either faceless scientists or hostile figures like hunters and law enforcement officers. The absence of human faces throughout the film emphasizes the dehumanization of the characters, focusing instead on the dogs’ struggle, and highlighting the indifference or cruelty of humans in the narrative.

How does the film depict the dogs' struggle to adapt to life in the wild?

The film shows the dogs’ struggle to adapt to the wild through their attempts to hunt, find food, and escape human threats. Their journey is fraught with danger as they encounter both natural obstacles and human hunters, forcing them to grow and rely on their instincts. Despite their efforts, the dogs face immense challenges in trying to live freely outside the laboratory.

What is the significance of the film's open ending?

The open ending of *Plague Dogs* leaves viewers uncertain about the fate of the characters. As the dogs struggle to reach an island, the ambiguity of whether the island is real or just a hallucination adds to the overall sense of despair and uncertainty. The ending reflects the broader themes of the film: survival is uncertain, and hope may be fleeting or illusory.