PLAGUE DOGS

Fuck me.

This might be the saddest, darkest film I've ever seen. From the people who made Watership Down (which I still haven't gotten around to), an animated British film from the 80's about two horribly abused dogs that escape from a military test center and make their way through the English countryside while their former captors hunt them down.

The animation is haunting and beautiful, at times terrifying. There are images in this film that you will never get out of your head.

Not a kid's film either. It's not an adult cartoon, in that its not filled with T&A or gratuitous violence (though it does get very violent at times). But had I seen this movie when I was a kid it would have wrecked me for months, rather than just for a weeks like I assume it will now.

This also has amazing character development, and goes in places you just do not expect, no matter how much you steel yourself going in. The two main characters are amongst the most sympathetic hero's ever put to film, especially if your a dog person ( I work with dogs, so yeah...fuck me...).

It's on Netflix instant, and I highly recommend it, and even though its actually depressing, and not just melancholy, its also deeply riveting and probably the most intelligent animated film I've ever seen (and I'm not trying to diminish animated films--but even the transcendent ones are rarely this mature).

PS. The opening credit's song sets the tone for this film as good as any I can think of before or since.

Upon re-watching, I actually think the ending isn't quite as downbeat or even ambiguous as it seems at first. The first time you watch it, the fact that everything is so bleak and doesn't end on a happy note, kind of colors the way you look at it (at least it did for me). But seeing it again, the island does show up as the credits roll, and the song is a pretty happy one. Although it doesn't resolve what happens to them, really, I think it heavily suggests they at least make it to land.

At least, I really, really need to believe that.

Also, the final voice overs of the humans in that scene seems to suggest that b/c of all the bad publicity, they're closing down the research facility.

You're a bad man.

And yeah, love the Todd. It's great because you totally expect him to betray them, but he never does. He just helps them every step of the way, and eventually his goodness is rewarded with death. It's like The Wire, but animated and with talking animals.

ETA: I've heard the book actually has an all-out happy ending.

By the way, I'd love to read some of those articles. There's a real lack of coverage for this film out there.