This “Special Edition” Blu-ray is currently available from Severin Films.
While Severin Films is typically known for releasing independent and international genre films from cult filmmakers, occasionally they also put out something a little different. A Dog Called… Vengeance aka El Perro aka The Dog does indeed have elements that would qualify it as something you might expect from the distributor… It’s a Spanish feature about a guard dog with a vicious temperament. Yet this one has a few added elements. For one, the movie is actually defined as a political thriller and, according to an extra on the disc, the film was a huge box office success in its homeland.
Now, it’s receiving the “Special Edition” Blu-ray treatment, and, for its debut in North America, the original camera negative has been scanned in 2K. This is a great transfer (presenting the feature in its proper 1.66:1 aspect ratio) that looks much sharper than you might expect. While a few dark interiors show some natural grain, much of the film takes place during the daytime and the locations look incredibly detailed. It’s a very impressive-looking disc and the movie itself is compelling as well.
So, what’s it all about? The plot takes place in an unnamed South American run by a dictator (with similarities to Francisco Franco). Aristides Ungria (Jason Miller, from The Exorcist) is a mathematician and prisoner at a camp located in the remote mountains. After befriending another figure, he is given valuable information to report to resistance members should he ever escape. Very soon while performing penal labor, something nasty happens to the man handcuffed to Ungria. The lead uses the opportunity to make a break for it. He’s pursued by a soldier and his very loyal German shepherd, King. While the protagonist manages to kill the man chasing him, the dog proves to be much more difficult. King is relentless as he attempts to hunt the protagonist down, wiping out many of the people and animals Ungria encounters along the way.
It’s fairly safe to assume that the dog is a stand-in for the fascist regime. No matter where the lead goes, no matter what he tries, and no matter how safe he might think he is, the deadly force is only moments behind him and ready to tear him apart. This is certainly true in the country scenes that feature several brutal encounters and close escapes. Even later, when Ungria does find some shelter in the city, it isn’t long before the bloodthirsty pooch reappears and continues the pursuit.
Yes, a significant portion of the feature is a chase, with little in the way of dialog. But it’s dynamically presented with several tense and frightening moments. The opening credits state that no animals were harmed in the making of the picture. Yet the editing and the way the action is filmed feels authentic and unsettling. The dog stand-ins during close-ups of characters fighting it look extremely convincing. It’s all very chilling to watch. There are also plenty of dog POV shots that work very well and add tension to the proceedings.
Admittedly, things do slow down a bit when the lead encounters other humans to deliver the important information, but overall, the movie is surprisingly effective and compelling. Violence in the film is presented in a realistically nasty and gruesome manner. What really helps the film is that lead Miller is an exceptional actor who can sell the drama and uncertainty of his situation with great ease. I was very impressed by this effort and wondered why I had never heard of the movie before.
The extras on the disc are excellent and informative as well. The first is an interview and appreciation of the movie with Angel Sala, who is the head of programming at the Sitges Film Festival. He talks about the controversial nature of the movie. It was made just as the country was returning to democracy and filmmaker Antoniio Isasi-Isasmendi was trying to push some boundaries and deal with his country’s past. Another issue for some viewers was the fact that Miller is naked for a portion of the movie. According to Sala, this was because during the shooting of a lake-set sequence, the actor was unable to get his clothes on as he was swimming and then running away from his pursuer. So, they simply continued shooting for a while with the performer nude. A love scene also raised eyebrows at the time.
Sala also notes the success of the picture, suggesting it was the year’s biggest hit in Spain. And the speaker discusses his own part in the 2004 Brian Yuzna film Rottweiler, which is based on the same book as this film. In their case, they turned the movie’s villain into a cybernetic dog.
There is a lengthy interview with Marisa Paredes, who appears in the film and was also the wife of the director. She talks about her relationship with the filmmaker and her part in the movie. She also notes that she had just given birth less than a year earlier. Large sections of the features were shot in Venezuela and she describes the pain of having to leave the baby for a period for the production (the baby would have been susceptible to diseases in the wilds of South America and thus couldn’t go with them).
And the daughter of director Isasi-Isasmendi and Paredes is also interviewed. She talks about her dad’s work and growing up with him. A funny recollection involves her being a child, looking up at a passing airliner in the sky and assuming that her dad was on it because his work took him away so frequently. Despite the frequent separation, their relationship was fine and she notes that it is quite unique to have a parent who has made films with a large following. Obviously, her memories of his productions come from a more personal place and are interesting to hear.
A Dog Called… Vengeance is an excellent thriller and, while it isn’t as well known in this part of the world, one can see why it was popular in Europe. The lead performance is great and the depictions of life under fascism and dog attacks are incredibly tense. If that wasn’t enough, Severin Films have provided a very good transfer with informative bonus features. This “Special Edition” Blu-ray comes highly recommended.