White Dog (1982)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Spencer S

  
  White Dog was a film that was both lovingly devote to the relationship between a girl and her dog, and a bitter resignation towards racism in the world. The film is one giant metaphor for racism, portrayed in guise as an unnamed white dog. The dog is discovered by a young actress in… More
  White Dog was a film that was both lovingly devote to the relationship between a girl and her dog, and a bitter resignation towards racism in the world. The film is one giant metaphor for racism, portrayed in guise as an unnamed white dog. The dog is discovered by a young actress in the Hollywood Hills (McNichol) who takes him in as her own. Sadly she discovers that he has been trained as an attack dog, and he begins viciously ripping apart people left and right. It isn't until the dog is taken to a trainer that he is revealed to be a "white dog" or a dog trained to attack black people on sight. The dog is retrained by black man Keys, as he tries to drive the hatred out of the animal and reprogram him for the outside world. At first I believed it was a cautionary if not horrific tale of an animal, subjugated to abuse and retrained to be a happy, helpful animal. That in itself made the film heartbreaking, wrenching and bereft of hope, because it was a story about an animal and its fate. The film is also a mixed metaphor about the role of racism, and how to end it within our lives and in individuals wishing to change. The role of the dog is either to suggest that racism itself can never be cured, or the hatred that racism invokes will never die, and that hatred will be turned upon someone else time and again. I don't readily agree to that assumption, but I understood the artful way the director took it upon himself to make this film a statement, one that was criticized at the time for being errantly racist, and finding the black characters to be stereotypical. The film wasn't released in the United States thanks to boycotting and a lack of support from moderate black advocates. Still, it was given a great critical base, and thankfully the Criterion Collection released it on DVD in 2008. The film isn't racist, the characters are not stereotypical or biased individuals, the acting isn't too corny, and I found the ending and the ensuing story to be more about the dog than anything. When that dog reveals itself to be a monstrous creation, I feel just as badly for those who have been attacked and warranted abuse because of its existence than I do for the dog itself, who doesn't know better. When the dog is with McNichol's character that white German Shepherd is sweet and lovable, and it is the abuse that sparks anger, as well as the bile forming fact that it's all to ensure racism lives. A thought provoking and stylized film that lasts in your mind long after you have seen it.

• Randy T

  
  What Sam Fuller lacks in finance and technology he <i>almost</i> makes up for in style and intent. <i>White Dog</i> is 5 star social commentary on a 2 star budget.

• Graham J

  
  Sam Fuller's late masterpiece and in my opinion his best film. Looking at it on Blu-Ray, this film feels incredibly fresh.

• Cynthia S

  
  A lost gem?? uh, I think not. As good as the storyline might be, I couldn't get past the poor acting (made for TV quality, circa 1980), and the ridiculous dialogue. I was very dissapointed.

• Stella D

  
  fuller's famous 'lost' film was pulled from circulation in the u.s. by cowardly studio heads who feared a boycott. the film makes a powerful statement about racism altho some of the acting is cheesy. a 'white' dog is a dog that's been trained to attack… More
  fuller's famous 'lost' film was pulled from circulation in the u.s. by cowardly studio heads who feared a boycott. the film makes a powerful statement about racism altho some of the acting is cheesy. a 'white' dog is a dog that's been trained to attack and kill black people, a tradition going back to slavery days. the film first makes us sympathize with the stray dog, who soon turns vicious, showing just how close and familiar racism can be. a patient wild animal trainer, played by paul winfield, takes on the job of de-progamming the dog, with mixed results. i admit it; i cried

• Drew S

  
  The least you can say for it is that it presents its ideas in a more interesting fashion than Crash. Who could resist the allure of this film's premise? A dog that attacks black people? It's just bizarre enough to get the mind racing. Why confine an idea like racism to… More
  The least you can say for it is that it presents its ideas in a more interesting fashion than Crash. Who could resist the allure of this film's premise? A dog that attacks black people? It's just bizarre enough to get the mind racing. Why confine an idea like racism to humans, when you could demonstrate the effects that racism has on the rest of the world? Sam Fuller's final product is odd, offering a coherent message with a surprising grasp of racism and fusing it with something of a campy, entertaining thriller. It's a fantastic, if somewhat offbeat, example of a popcorn movie with a message. White Dog is nowhere near perfect, though. A lot of the directorial choices are hasty: plot moments such as Julie bringing her dog to a film set, or the police showing up in a matter of seconds after a call, simply don't add up. The movie is overscored - I know everyone loves Enrio Morricone but I'm not feeling it here - and rife with all sorts of jarring shots. Arbitrary zoom-ins on Kristy McNichol's substitute teacher mullet and the like. He fares better with his performers. McNichol herself had potential, but doesn't seem to do much with this role, choosing to remain on the same level of moderate investment through the entire movie. She is good in her one climactic scene in the final five minutes, but she seems unwilling to offer anything else. Paul Winfield is stirring, and even with a very limited character he still manages to draw us into his reasoning for trying to reform the dog. It was also great hearing Burl Ives, whose voice I will forever remember as the narrator snowman from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, talking about his friend's jugular getting ripped out. In the end, despite its unevenness, it is a fascinating product. It's a shame that it was pigeonholed as a "racist movie" before it even got a chance to be released, because it is anything but racist. The admittedly real possibility of exploitation is tempered by a sensible, mature outlook on the issues it faces. Recommended.

• Pierluigi P

  
  Proficient filmmaker Sam Fuller achieves an startling Hitchcockian thriller about the poisonous sentiment of racism. A canine is the seemingly peaceful being that encapsulates all the hate, prejudice and animosity among humans. A heartbreaking parable told with impeccable and… More
  Proficient filmmaker Sam Fuller achieves an startling Hitchcockian thriller about the poisonous sentiment of racism. A canine is the seemingly peaceful being that encapsulates all the hate, prejudice and animosity among humans. A heartbreaking parable told with impeccable and hard-hitting style.

• Tim S

  
  Give me a break. I know this is supposed to be a social commentary film by Fuller, but most of it is laughable. And I am not talking about the racial stuff being funny, but I mean stuff like a fucking dog jumping through a window to catch a rapist and lines from Paul Winfield that… More
  Give me a break. I know this is supposed to be a social commentary film by Fuller, but most of it is laughable. And I am not talking about the racial stuff being funny, but I mean stuff like a fucking dog jumping through a window to catch a rapist and lines from Paul Winfield that made it actually an enjoyable viewing. I know it's supposed to be a comment and that the French just love everything that comes out of Samuel Fuller, but at times it seemed more Ed Wood than anything. Kristy McNichol is hot, but even the dog is overacting in this film. Like I said, watch it like you watch Carpenter films and you will enjoy it.

• Adam M

  
  3 people become intent on 'breaking' a dog trained to attack black people, as though they would be defeating human hate. It's overpowering; great music by Ennio Morricone and extreme close-ups like Leone, slow-motion sequences like DePalma's.

• Walter M

  
  [font=Century Gothic]Directed by Samuel Fuller, "White Dog" starts with Julie(Kristy McNichol), a struggling actress, hitting a stray white German Shepherd with her car. She takes him to a veterinarian and cares for him. In return, the dog successfully defends her against a… More
  [font=Century Gothic]Directed by Samuel Fuller, "White Dog" starts with Julie(Kristy McNichol), a struggling actress, hitting a stray white German Shepherd with her car. She takes him to a veterinarian and cares for him. In return, the dog successfully defends her against a would-be rapist. But despite his loyalty, he is an attack dog, one who was specifically trained to attack people who are black.[/font] [font=Century Gothic]Once mistakenly considered racist, "White Dog" is anything but. It is actually a chilling and powerful indictment of racism and its malignant effects. By using the white dog as a symbol, the movie is able to ask such potent questions as: what does make a person racist and can a bigot's thinking be changed? In short, is there any hope?[/font]

• Stephen E

  
  Samuel Fuller's metaphorical and racially-charged drama doesn't try to disguise its message with symbolism: it comes right out and says it, baring teeth as razor-sharp as its titular character. The only problem is that Fuller over-exaggerated much of the dramatic moments… More
  Samuel Fuller's metaphorical and racially-charged drama doesn't try to disguise its message with symbolism: it comes right out and says it, baring teeth as razor-sharp as its titular character. The only problem is that Fuller over-exaggerated much of the dramatic moments when it was entirely unnecessary. And it began to feel repetitive after a while. I understood what Fuller was getting at, but didn't like the way he presented it (i.e. extended use of slo-mo, closeups, m.o.s.) In the end, the whole thing felt almost "soap operish". It's disappointing to see such a good idea go to waste.

• Stephen E

  
  Samuel Fuller's metaphorical and racially-charged drama doesn't try to disguise its message with symbolism: it comes right out and says it, baring teeth as razor-sharp as its titular character. The only problem is that Fuller over-exaggerated much of the dramatic moments… More
  Samuel Fuller's metaphorical and racially-charged drama doesn't try to disguise its message with symbolism: it comes right out and says it, baring teeth as razor-sharp as its titular character. The only problem is that Fuller over-exaggerated much of the dramatic moments when it was entirely unnecessary. And it began to feel repetitive after a while. I understood what Fuller was getting at, but didn't like the way he presented it (i.e. extended use of slo-mo, closeups, m.o.s.) In the end, the whole thing felt almost "soap operish". It's disappointing to see such a good idea go to waste.

• James B

  
  I'd like to thank Criterion again for bringing an underseen gem to the masses via DVD! This racially-charged thriller features another classic Morricone soundtrack!

• Patrick D

  
  If a movie is so effective that it's going to make me, an animal lover, afraid of a cute dog, it's not something to sneeze at. Essentially this film is horror. It definitely uses aspects of a monster movie to make you feel what it wants you to feel. This monster though was… More
  If a movie is so effective that it's going to make me, an animal lover, afraid of a cute dog, it's not something to sneeze at. Essentially this film is horror. It definitely uses aspects of a monster movie to make you feel what it wants you to feel. This monster though was brought about by some pretty realistic horrors, that are very possible and I'm sure are still alive somewhat today. So take a monster movie, add a touch of Ahab and the White Whale, a giant comment on racism in society then multiply it by Samuel Fuller's brilliant direction with his pulp and noir-ish tendencies and you've got one hell of a flick. Maybe it caught me in the right mood, but this film is amazing and won't be easy to shake off.

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