455 White Dog

[dx23]

White Dog



Samuel Fuller’s throat-grabbing exposé on American racism was misunderstood and withheld from release when it was made in the early eighties; today, the notorious film is lauded for its daring metaphor and gripping pulp filmmaking. Kristy McNichol stars as a young actress who adopts a lost German shepherd, only to discover through a series of horrifying incidents that the dog has been trained to attack black people, and Paul Winfield plays the animal trainer who tries to cure him. A snarling, uncompromising vision, White Dog is a tragic portrait of the evil done by that most corruptible of animals: the human being.

Special Features

- New, restored high-definition digital transfer of the uncut version, approved by producer Jon Davison
- New video interviews with producer Davison, co-writer Curtis Hanson, and Sam Fuller’s widow, Christa Lang-Fuller
- An interview with dog trainer Karl Lewis-Miller
- Rare photos from the film’s production
- PLUS: A booklet featuring new essays by critics J. Hoberman and Armond White, plus a rare 1982 interview in which Fuller interviews the canine star of the film

Criterionforum.org user rating averages

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[oldsheperd]

According to the latest Eclipse thread, Samuel Fuller's White Dog is coming to DVD via Criterion.

August Eclipse Newsletter

Yes!!! Finally Kristy McNichol gets the Criterion treatment!

[CSM126]

Yes!!! Finally Kristy McNichol gets the Criterion treatment!

And R2-D2! Technically... Burl Ives throws a dart at him, anyway.

[Mr Sausage]

ahem

[Matt]

ahem

But we'll need a thread for it eventually, so we might as well let this one run.

[Mr Sausage]

ahem

But we'll need a thread for it eventually, so we might as well let this one run.

Fair enough--although I'm surprised we don't already have one. Maybe it was closed too.

[dx23]

I'm surprised we don't already have one. Maybe it was closed too.

We had one on the DVD section but it was closed. The original poster put news of an upcoming releases, which turned out to be a bootleg released by TLA.

[arsonfilms]

I'm surprised we don't already have one. Maybe it was closed too.

We had one on the DVD section but it was closed. The original poster put news of an upcoming releases, which turned out to be a bootleg released by TLA.

Wow, hang on, lets not go accusing people of bootlegging. First, appearing on tlavideo.com isn't at all the same as being released by TLA. Besides, Amazon lists exactly the same (legitimate) release by Televista, which will be released in two weeks. I would venture a guess that Criterion actually licensed from Televista, and will release their edition 6-9 months from now, when sales of the first DVD have tapered off.

[dx23]

Wow, hang on, lets not go accusing people of bootlegging. First, appearing on tlavideo.com isn't at all the same as being released by TLA. Besides, Amazon lists exactly the same (legitimate) release by Televista, which will be released in two weeks. I would venture a guess that Criterion actually licensed from Televista, and will release their edition 6-9 months from now, when sales of the first DVD have tapered off.

Televista is another name for Jef Films and Substance, which is the biggest bootlegging company out there. They make their dvds with old vhs transfers and release them without permission of the film rights owners. Just because it is on Amazon.com it doesn't mean that it's an official, legitimate release. You're right though on my confusion of TLA releasing the film. It was my mistake. Still, that version, which is no longer available, is a boot.

[Jeff]

Paramount still owns the rights. Any Region 1 version not released by Paramount or Criterion is absolutely an illegal unauthorized bootleg.

[domino harvey]

I think the most important thing to remember right now is how hilarious it is that these bootleggers (who pay to press actual DVDs mind you, not DVD-Rs or something) are now going to be stuck with a gross of copies of a title that they'll never be able to sell now that Criterion is so quickly releasing the film. Same lols that were had earlier this year when NYFA released a boot DVD of Calcutta a month before the Eclipse set.

[Jeff]

Anyone who feels like giving the TeleVista a shot, keep in mind that it will be a 1.33 dub of a VHS release.

[DDillaman]

Saw it tonight in LA at the Silent Movie Theatre. The author of a book on Sam Fuller was there and said it would most likely be a December release from Criterion.

[Michael]

WOW. Never heard of White Dog. Could be the contender for the best surprise of the year. From the look of it, it could be a good companion to the stunning Baxter.

Kristy McNichol in the Criterion Collection! Very NICE. Little Darlings for next year?

[Barmy]

Fuller's best film.

[DDillaman]

Hmmm. Judging from the snickers in the audience last night, I expect this one to receive a more divided reception than I'd have expected going in. I had a spirited discussion with my friends on the way home, who thought it was terrible, and I can't really defend a lot of the acting and some of the dialogue writing, for instance. I did think it was a marvel in many ways, with a few wonderfully audacious scenes, but I still prefer SHOCK CORRIDOR or HOUSE OF BAMBOO.

[gabeconroy]

I was also at the screening last night and agree with DDillaman's assessment about the film dividing people. My impression was that part of the crowd found pleasure in condescendingly laughing at the film, while the rest enjoyed it. Clearly the 80's fashions and Fuller's dialogue were the largest sources of amusement. While I understand the former causing laughter, I am not sure what people expected in the latter. Sure a couple of the insert shots and the shots/reverse shots involving the dog were over the top, but it was pretty classic Fuller. And by classic Fuller, I me both ridiculous and often moving/effective. Although I wouldn't say I like it more than Pickup on South Street or The Naked Kiss, it is a fine film. A testament to its craftsmanship was the hush that held the audience, even those who were snickering, as a number of the attacks were about to take place.

Spoiler

I am thinking particularly of the tease after the dog escapes and an African America kid nearly comes into the dog's line of sight.

DDillaman, did you stay at all to talk to Lisa Dombrowski?

[DDillaman]

DDillaman, did you stay at all to talk to Lisa Dombrowski?

Sadly, no; my friends were quite keen to escape. Did you get to talk to her?

I do think it's important that at key sequences, such as the one you mention (and another near the end at our protagonist's home) the audience fell silent. At those points, it's clear that the film, despite any faults, is completely effective; the extent to which that outweighs the other parts of the film, apparently, varies from person to person dramatically.

[gabeconroy]

I did have a chance to talk to her, albeit shortly. I mainly thanked her and asked a few questions involving Morricone's working relationship with Fuller, which she said was respectful from both sides. The one question I wish I had brought up was about the status of the Dead Pigeon on Beethovenstreet dvd, but she was already answering more questions about White Dog. She was very friendly and receptive to the varying levels of questions being lobbed at her. I am looking forward to her contribution to the forthcoming Criterion disc and would second the recommendation someone gave in another thread to her book.

[Street Dude]

Hello all! Long time reader here and first time poster.

Even though I was out of town, I will never forgive myself for missing a theatrical screening of White Dog. The Music Box, the greatest theatre in Chicago, screened White Dog for a few days last summer.

Getting to the point of this post: Is it likely that White Dog will receive another theatrical run? Perhaps leading up to Criterion's release, or after the DVD release? Is it likely that Janus will distribute it? What factors determine if Janus distributes prints?

Anyone else on this forum from Chicago?

[planetjake]

I am.

How do uncomfortable, noisy seats, an incomprehensibly tiny, uncomfortable second house and an inconsistent screening selection translate into "greatest theatre in Chicago"? Somehow I just can't justify that title for a theatre that screens Rocky IV more regularly than something like White Dog. For me there is much more to theatre-going than smelly, vintage decor.

I digress. Rarely in Chicago do film releases coincide with DVD releases. I would say your best bet would be to keep your eye on the Gene Siskel film Center (truly the best theatre) and hope for a Fuller retrospective (though some pretty great Fuller has already played there this year as a part of Jonathan Rosenbaum's cinema class).

[Street Dude]

The Gene Siskel film center is my second favorite theatre- it's new, plush, clean AND they show great art-house flixx. The Music Box is my favorite because they show great new films- new art house, foreign, doc, horror and they show campy films. When we're lucky, we get prime art-house, but that department has been dry so far in 2008.

I can tolerate the seats, although they are squeaky and there is no leg room. But come on, the theatre is KING-SIZE and seeing great films in the big theatre can be a mystical experience. The horror marathons are big fun, too.

I do agree that their schedule is inconsistent- I wish they were showing more "essential art-house" flixx, but instead they give us more Rocky Horror Picture Show and Rocky IV. The small theatre sucks and is not worth the money.

But right now they're showing Up the Yangtze and My Winnipeg. They ran Mister Lonely and the new Herzog doc opens there this FRI. All great films- have you seen any of them?

[planetjake]

Yes I've seen them all.

No they are not all great films.

I'm sick of being bitchy.

More about White Dog.

Less about Chicago's laughably nonexistent film culture.

[Street Dude]

Yeah, more about white dog.

CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT.

WATCH CANE TOADS

[Via_Chicago]

Yes I've seen them all.

No they are not all great films.

I'm sick of being bitchy.

More about White Dog.

Less about Chicago's laughably nonexistent film culture.

Doc Films screened ten of Fuller's feature films just this past winter: The Steel Helmet, Underworld U.S.A., Park Row, Shock Corridor, Forty Guns, The Naked Kiss, Verboten!, Pickup on South Street, The Crimson Kimono, and of course, White Dog.

Also, Chicago is home to the wonderful Bank of America Cinema (formerly known as LaSalle Bank Cinema), which screens repertory American classics (and little-known classics), although mostly in 16mm prints (the true charm is the place itself and its magical clientele).

Outside of New York and Los Angeles, Chicago is probably the best city for classic revival and avant-garde cinema in the country.

Sorry for taking this way off-topic. White Dog is wonderful though.