Interview taken from the Shout! Factory release of The Plague Dogs. 0:00 Introduction 2:39 Staying True to the Book 4:17 The Animators 6:22 And Nobody Came 10:44 The Two Cuts 12:24 The Music 13:32 Final Thoughts
I literally cried for 25 minutes after i watched it, just couldn't stop. I can't ever watch it again, but i'm glad i did. I think it's an extremely important film and it just goes to show, if people can't watch it and be okay with animal experimentation, we shouldn't be doing it.
Plague dogs show the world as it is. Show humans as they really are. Show animals suffering because of them. Its a major major movie. One of my favorites, in fact. Dont know if Martin Rosen read the comments, but in case he does, thank you for making that. I m not even going to try telling you how much it changed and affected me.
It’s sad the film bombed and hearing the disappointment in his voice. It’s understandable, it’s not something most people would typically wanna watch, much less in that age, but I think it deserves to be watched at least once as well as remembered. I remember finally getting the DVD and watching it, and even knowing what was gonna happen beforehand, it really changed me. It’s such a unique, beautiful film with so much effort put into it and it’s impressive how concepts like this were being pushed back then. In animation no less! We need films like this especially in the animation department to show it can be more than just happy colorful stuff. (not that there’s anything wrong with that, we need those just as well, just that we also need dark but realistic films like this to balance things out in an age where - like I said, especially in animation - everything seems to be overly happy, whimsical and colorful where it gets tiresome after a while) It was ahead of it’s time, and I have nothing but respect for the people who made it happen As much as I wish Rowf and Snitter got their happy ending I think this was more impactful than them just suddenly finding an owner and everything being all fine and dandy, and I really admire the movie for staying true to the book’s original ending when they could’ve easily made it happy for more potential viewers
Personally i want to say that they did make it, mainly because throughout the whole movie rolf/ralph is not really enthusiastic or open minded, when they are in the ocean practically drowning Rolf reassures the other dog that there is an island there is no reason for rolf to keep swimming if he knew there wasn't an island, the false hope wouldnt have a point if in the end they would die. There would no point for them to keep swimming. I mean in the credits we can see an island in the distance yes it looks very far, but in the beginning of the film we are told that if a dog has been rescued once he will keep swimming for a very long time. The other dog (forgot his name) has hallucinations and through out the film they are very prominent at the end it would be some sort of plot twist where the second dog actually sees an island. Overall Beautiful film that you can kind of make your own ending
I feel the same way, those last words dont sound like last words and the whole point of the tests Rowf was put through in the tank was to show that hope can extend you beyond your usual limits. I disagree with people who say the retconned ending was worse I've read the book and it's simply unfinished with the cop out bad end. without that last chapter several characters arcs aren't completed. Even as they were in the water one of the soldiers said to Snitter's owner that they were caught in a tide and as long as they could tread water it would eventually carry them back to shore.@@whosdplxy
have you read the book? the last chapter isn't out of place like people say the book just ends abruptly and ambiguously without it. it's necessary to complete several character's story arcs
He sounds like a really nice guy. Thank you for being brave,Mr Rosen,and for creating two masterpieces-one of which is undoubtedly one of the best films ever made
Martin this film makes the hair stand up on the back if my neck, thank you so much for your beautiful and harrowing work, sometimes I feel if I keep swimming, for just long enough I will reach that distant, hazy island also.🐺
I like this film. It's not an easy watch, but that's partly the point, I reckon. I really like the look of it. The muted colours, the great scenery. I especially enjoy the flashing pictures of Snitters mental images, very visceral. I recommend this film to other people, but warn them it's not for the faint of heart. I just started reading the book. I find that films leads me to books as much as the other way around. Thanks for sharing this interview!
I saw this movie a couple of months ago and I spent most of the movie crying, literally. The movie is simply a work of art. Without a doubt one of my favorite animated movies.
I agree that the film is very true to the book, even with minor differences. I'm glad Rosen chose to use the original ending. I wish there is a remake for this amazing book.
I heard somewhere that Richard Adams wanted to go with the ending of the dogs drowning in the sea but the press didn't allow it so they forced him to change it.
nobody forced him but it was a change for the better. the original ending doesn't seem so bad here because the movie completely omitted the scenes fleshing out the human characters but as it was the story was just unfinished and kind of a cop out. the final chapter actually concludes the arcs of several characters and makes it feel like a complete story. Even before the final chapter was added there was build up to what happened including the reveal that Snitter's master had actually survived and it was his evil sister who resented him being a batchelor happy with a dog for some reason lied to the reporters about his death so they wouldn't go to him in the hospital and get the real story. Digby Driver the journalist(who was turned into a woman here and was barely a character in this adaption) who caused this mess sort of has a change of heart and a redemption arc as he learns the true story of what happens to Snitter so he and the owner head out to try and save them. when they arrive the dogs had already entered the ocean but the commanding officer who watched them swim off commented that they were caught in a tide and if they could just tread water(Rowf's specialty thanks to the cruel experiment) they could eventually be carried to shore regardless. The dialog added here of Rowf saying "I can see the Island, stay with me I'll get you there" was added in the movie and created much of the emotion of the scene, it wasn't present in the book and had you read it as originally presented you'd agree it was a garbage and ambiguous ending. The editors and people who read the first draft were right to give this constructive criticism. Martin Rosen obviously missed some things and misunderstood the book because there was more hints implying they could have made it than any evidence suggesting they actually died.
"The animators are the actors..." - I like that. I wonder if the woman who accosted him at the theater was truly angry about what he "did to those dogs" , who were obviously only fictional characters, or if she might have reacted in such a way because the film testifies to us (and to her) of human cruelty. She might have felt guilt, and if so, then the film succeeds. If a viewer were to come away from a film like this with a feeling of apathy, I would consider it a from of failure for the film.
10:00 the fact that everyone has EXTREME emotions for it is an example that it did do it’s job. It traumatized a generation, and it made someone FEEL a dreadful emotion. If a movie doesn’t do that, then it’s not doing it stop right.
@@lowserver2 Basically it’s a story about how a Large Bear supposedly has mystical powers and how the people in the Belkin Empire see it as a religious figure.
I like the ending so much more than the book. The publishers clearly pushed for the ham-fisted rescue ending. It' was great, leaving the viewer asking if they made it to the island.
I watched this the day after boxing day when I was a child! It gave me chills but I loved it, now all my children have watched this and watership down, these sorts of films teach children important lessons. about society and death and soften the impact of first pet and family members dying.
A lot of people misunderstand the ending. They are already dead by the time they make it out into the sea. They got shot in the surf by the soldiers on beach and died. Thats why you hear two bullets and then the fog comes and makes the helicopter and soldiers disappear when there was no fog before. The ending is the two struggling to leave to the afterlife, with rowf encouraging his friend theres an island and a better place. The two got shot and died, they did not dodge the bullets.
no this is just based off conjecture with nothing to really back it up. the shots you heard missed and there's no reasons the soldiers would still be chasing and firing at them were that the case. they were fleshed out better in the book and it was clear their CO didn't want them shot
I love this story. I don't think that a tragedy has ever been portrayed better in any medium to this day, and I am sorry but compared to the book, the movie did it better.
Possibly the biggest issue with the film's direction is a bit what he mentions around the 6:50 mark. The film doesn't celebrate little victories for the pair and the audience has no hope to grasp onto. The jumps from scene to scenario probably should have had an uplift to them so that when disappointment comes, it doesn't keep driving down on the viewer. A little bit of hope allows for a refresh with each section. Yes, I'm sure of it now. The dogs could have been killed on screen and it still would have been fine if only the film gave them some serious hope. The film could have been emotionally powerful and depressing without being an emotional slog through the journey.
finally someone else whose read the book. the movie was misery porn, the book was more balanced with minor victories for them. I think Martin Rosen completely misunderstood that it's actually a story about how far hope can carry you. I'm suprised genuinely that he believes the dogs drowned in the ending when his adaption added the line "no I see it, keep going I'll get you there". the last words in the movie sure don't sound like last words.
I didn't enjoy the book much back when I read it, and though the film adaptation was actually much better - which is very rare to say, with all due respect to Richard Adams. That being said, I thought that Watership Down was better as a book, although the film was well done.
he took the constructive criticism of his editors and added a final chapter in which they were rescued. a lot of people who haven't read it say it's a cheap cop out but in reality several characters arcs are unfinished without it and what was originally there barely counted as an ending. The movie took the most pessimistic interpretation of an ambiguous ending and added lines of dialogue like "Yes I can see the Island keep going I'll get you there" to actually make it a profound scene but as the original ending stood it was a garbage cop out he was right to be criticized for. The plot was already leaning towards an attempt to rescue them with the reveal Snitter's master wasn't actually dead and his attempt to rescue them so basically the editors didn't so much tell him the change the ending but told him to fucking finish his damn book.
His who I was cast in a mini series based on the plague dogs Idris Elba as Rowf Matt Berry as Snitter Tom Hiddleston as Tod Gary Oldman and Nick Frost as the Whitecoats
It’s hard to find, but the uncut version is amazing. I’m Australian and we got a release with both the original and theatrical cut of the movie. But my favourite change is the ending. The music doesn’t start playing in the uncut version until AFTER the credits start to roll. The scene hits so much harder with just the sound of water and the dogs final words. Have a look at it here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-a8RwH8BUaU4.html (poor quality)
Gonna be honest; though I really really want to love the book and film when I look at them from a neutral perspective they are rather boring. They accomplish their goal, but not much really happens in The Plague Dogs. I don't need intense action, but this book/film really needed a punched-up 3rd act where the dogs are closely pursued and almost killed before they reach the coast. As it is you kind of get bored by the repetitiveness of the dogs/the Tod scavenging.
@@walitytoking72 if it WAS, i'd be more open for it, but i'd seriously doubt they'd just leave it entirely intact tbh. I guess what i'm trying to say is that in an ideal scenario it'd be great but realistically it'd turn out awful.
