Reel Dogs in Art Week 2

Modern dog movies are generally associated with a young audience. Benji and Lassie are deliberately marketed toward children. Even when an adult story is adapted into a dog movie, it’s often kept to a PG rating—such as Marley & Me (2008).

Yet movie dogs can be so much more. From the silver screen Hollywood dog heroes like Luke, Strongheart, Rin-Tin-Tin, and Asta, to the animal horror trend of the 1970s and 1980s, to canine sidekicks in modern comedy and drama, Reel Dogs are truly for all ages and all audiences.

One of the most recognizable icons of the movie dog world for grown-ups is Cujo. This vivid portrait by Christopher-Manuel captures the lovable Saint Bernard turned killer who still chills audiences today. Based on the Stephen King novel, Cujo was released in 1983 after animal horror films had already been through their Hollywood heyday with movies like Jaws (1975), Grizzly (1976), and The Pack (1977).

Some films keep their PG rating without ever really being child’s play: White Fang (1991) is the Walt Disney adaptation of Jack London’s famed wolf-dog novel. This illustration by Inarah shows White Fang (played by the extraordinary Jed) in one of many fights throughout the movie that are brought about by human brutality.

Recently, a German Shepherd Dog once more captured the hearts of adult movie goers in I Am Legend (2007). Samantha (played by Abbey) is captured here by Emlis as "Sam" copilots for her best friend (Will Smith) in this post-apocalyptic drama.

These artists bring vividly to life the fact that dog movies take many forms and tell many stories. Dogs appear in every genre, from horror to sci-fi, and play every imaginable role—from background ambiance to killer to hero to talking alien from outer space. Like life itself, the movies just wouldn’t be the same without them.

The artwork above is published here by kind permission of the artists; Christopher-Manuel, Inarah, and Emlis of deviantART.

Watch for more Reel Dogs art next week!

Silent Screen Sunday - Tracked (1928)

Ranger was one of the many German Shepherd Dogs who tried, not very successfully, to compete with Rin-Tin-Tin and Strongheart in the 1920s. Luckily, Grapevine Video released Tracked on DVD several years ago so this one of Ranger's dozen-odd films is available to the public.

Tracked is profiled in Wonder Dogs: 101 German Shepherd Dog Films.

Produced by Robertson-Cole Pictures Corporation

Daily Reel - The Billion Dollar Hobo (1977)

Charles Eisenmann was best known for his work with London and the TV series The Littlest Hobo, but the Eisenmann educated German Shepherds did far more than one film and show. Among them, The Billion Dollar Hobo.

Eisenmann’s Toro was supposed to play top dog opposite Tim Conway in this fanciful comedy. When Toro needed surgery shortly before filming was to commence, Bo, a far less experienced dog who, for reasons unknown, had never barked in his life, got the part.

At the beginning of the film Bo is assigned by his human to supervise the bumbling Vernon Praiseworthy (Conway) as he rides the rails and tries to prove he's worthy of a large inheritance. Bo soon discovers his new charge is even more thick-headed than most humans, but he perseveres in rescuing Praiseworthy from himself and puts in a stellar performance at the same time.

Besides the handsome Bo, The Billion Dollar Hobo has the added distinction of being one of the very few films to costar a Shar Pei.

This movie is profiled in detail in Wonder Dogs: 101 German Shepherd Dog Films.

Produced by International Picture Show Company

Daily Reel - Devil Dog: Hound of Hell (1978)

In this made-for-TV horror film, director Curtis Harrington hoped to cast a Rottweiler in the starring role. Animal trainer Moe DiSesso read the script and advised him against it: only a German Shepherd Dog, DiSesso said, would have the trained skills needed to pull off the character of "Lucky."

Harrington was smart to listen to the trainer and cast a GSD with a devastating stare and perfect focus for the role of the canine demon sent by Satan to terrorize a typical American family. The canine character is possibly unique in this sub-genre of horror films—he never bites or even tries to attack anyone, but uses telepathy to force his victims to harm themselves.

This movie is profiled in detail in Wonder Dogs: 101 German Shepherd Dog Films (see top right sidebar).

Produced by Zeitman-Landers-Roberts Productions

Silent Screen Sunday - The Silent Call (1921)

Strongheart, first German Shepherd movie star

The Silent Call, based on the novel The Cross Pull by Hal George Evarts, helped to launch the career of Hollywood's original German Shepherd Dog movie star: Etzel von Oeringen, better known as Strongheart.

The Silent Call is believed to be lost, though the novel is now in public domain and easy to find. Only one Strongheart film is commercially available; The Return of Boston Blackie (1927)—his last movie before his premature death.

Both of these movies are profiled in detail in Wonder Dogs: 101 German Shepherd Dog Films (see top right sidebar).

Produced by H.O. Davis

Daily Reel - Bad Moon (1996)

Based on the horror novel Thor by Wayne Smith, Bad Moon follows the secret battle of Thor, a suburban family pet, and his fight against a deadly werewolf. The novel is written from Thor’s point of view and most of the film keeps closely in touch with their star, played by Primo.

Primo, a handsome and athletic German Shepherd Dog, appeared in many films (including Dogboys) and TV shows (including The Call of the Wild) throughout his successful career, but nowhere do his talents shine brighter than in Bad Moon. His powerful performance and superb portrayal of Thor makes this otherwise lackluster horror film without many redeeming points worth watching.

This movie is profiled in detail in Wonder Dogs: 101 German Shepherd Dog Films (see top right sidebar).

Produced by Morgan Creek Productions

Silent Screen Sunday - Where the North Begins (1923)

Where the North Begins was Rin-Tin-Tin’s first starring role after a few screen appearances and winning attention around Hollywood as a high-jumper. The talented German Shepherd Dog had been brought home from France as a puppy at the end of World War One by Lee Duncan, who trained him with the goal of getting him into motion pictures. This first major role proved Rin-Tin-Tin had what it took to star in his own films, captivate thousands of fans, and save the struggling Warner Bros. studio from bankruptcy.

In Where the North Begins Rin-Tin-Tin plays a dog raised by wolves in the Canadian north. When he encounters a man for the first time since his puppyhood, his bloodthirsty upbringing is tested against buried instincts to befriend and protect humans. When the wolves attack (all “wolves” in silent films are savage man-eaters) nature wins over nurture and Rin-Tin-Tin fights back, gaining the affection of a human and finding himself thrust into a man-made world more brutal than anything he has known in the wild.

This movie is profiled in detail in Wonder Dogs: 101 German Shepherd Dog Films (link in top right sidebar). 

Produced by Warner Bros.

Reel Artists of the 1970s

Until more recent years, many reel dogs were displayed on their film posters by talented painters rather than photographers and Photoshop artists. Here are some highlights of canine movie poster art from the 1970s. (Links to all these films on DVD below.)

Before Cujo, before Beethoven, there was George! (1972). Artwork from the one-sheet poster.

The Daring Dobermans (1973) pioneered a new and still seldom used concept: the movie canine anti-hero. It spawned a trilogy following the exploits of Doberman Pinscher crime-specialists and is finally available on DVD after many years of being very hard to find.

Artistic interpretation of canine stars in Euro-Westerns were typically melodramatic, as demonstrated on the Italian three-sheet for Zanna bianca alla riscossa a.k.a. White Fang to the Rescue (1974).

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976) was Paramount's spoof take on Rin-Tin-Tin's studio saving box office draw for Warner Bros. in the 1920s. Artwork from the half-sheet poster.

The family's Labrador Retriever stands ahead of his people on the Mountain Family Robinson (1979) poster.

C.H.O.M.P.S. (1979) isn't about a real dog at all, but a robotic security system. On this insert poser, the robo-dog can be seen smashing through a brick wall with a lit stick of dynamite in its mouth.