Runtime: 89 minutes
Directed by: Worth Keeter
Starring: Earl Owensby, Bill Gribble, Robert Bloodworth, Kathy Hasty, Ed Lillard
From: E.O. Corporation
A movie destined to be discussed on the Video Archives Podcast?
I don’t know how someone on YouTube found a watchable widescreen print of this obscure picture-even if it’s 2-D rather than its original 3-D-but they did. Once I discovered a few days ago that an account which posts mainly films that even I hadn’t heard of had this as an upload, it was a must. No, it wasn’t due to any positive buzz or any status as a hidden gem. Rather, just recently I went down a random rabbit hole and read the Wikipedia page of 3-D movies made before 2005; esoteric, meaning it was right up my alley. Anyhow, this was mentioned as the first of a sextet of very low-budget third dimension pictures done by Earl Owensby, a producer and sometimes actor who had his own independent studio in North Carolina and made a number of pictures presumably for the drive-in circuit during the 70’s and 80’s. From what little I know he led quite a life but you can research that on your own if you so desire.
When I did a cursory search of if Rottweiler-the alternate title-could be found anywhere, it was only rough VHS rips; not even two weeks later discovering it on a channel I’ve viewed films on before… it was perfect. If only I could have enjoyed this more-in a bare-bones plot, the military for some reason creates killer rottweilers that can only be managed via remote control. An accident on transport releases a pack loose on a bucolic North Carolina town. If you expect to actually see them tear apart poor fools… you are BARKING up the wrong tree. There’s some blood but not too much gore except in the final minutes where the viewer finally gets to see people torn to shreds. Believe it or not, Fred Olen Ray was one of the people who did the effects. It does have to be said that a few dogs are shown getting their heads blown apart via gunshot… don’t watch this, Allison M.!
Time is spent on getting to know the good old boy sheriff (naturally, played by Owensby) and the wacky characters that inhabit the area. I was amused & bemused by all those folks, the time spent at the local bar-where mud-wrestling takes place-the copious amounts of local country music, the scenic beauty of the area, the guy who sounded exactly like Eastwood. Yet I know most horror fans will be disappointed by the lack of carnage until the finale, where Fred Olen Ray (!) was among the people that did the effects. Maybe Owensby was born a few decades too early and would have been best making something like this in the 50’s for the same circuit. As is, I’ll just be happy that Dogs of Hell wasn’t terrible.
While a minor footnote in the history of American filmmaking, I’d still love if someone (Vinegar Syndrome or one of what seems like 50 different partner labels) put out at least a few Owensby pictures out on Blu. Also, given what’s been discussed on the Video Archives Podcast so far I wouldn’t be surprised if QT and Roger Avary discussed this or another Owensby film during one of their episodes. I’d love to hear them both discuss such a fascinating character in conjunction w/ his output.
No comments:
Post a Comment