| Welcome to THE CINEHOUND FORUM: Dedicated to Bill Barounis (RIP). We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. Join our community! If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| WHITE DOG; Sam the Man Fuller! | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Jan 25 2009, 02:12 AM (308 Views) | |
| Stephen Gladwin | Jan 25 2009, 02:12 AM Post #1 |
|
Advanced Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
![]() Heh. Only Sam Fuller could pull this one off! He took a flaky concept (lily-white, naive young actress finds stray dog that is trained to attack black people and seeks a professional trainer to "reprogram" it) and massaged it into something not just credible, but quietly profound and without pretense. Favorite bit: Paul Winfield's character (the black anthropologist determined to reprogram the dog) extending his hand to the dog (in extreme close-up). A great image (a disembodied hand) that works two ways, both practically (his hand "testing" the waters of the dog's training to attack black skin) and a great metaphor for racial understanding (almost a tolerant "handshake"), an extension of the olive branch, if you will. Also, a snarling dog as a symbol of boiling racism is a masterstroke of simplicity and power. It really is a great film and its trademark Fuller imperfections and grittiness make it the salve to so much liberal "Hollywood hogwash" (I credit the Simpsons for that hogwash phrase!). I know Sam's previous career as a reporter (not to mention his WWII experience) showed him how people REALLY ARE, not how dried-out academics wish they were. This film certainly raises more questions than it answers, but that's how it should be. And like any Fuller flick, half the fun is the suspense of the content teetering on the edge of mawkish sentiment, of broad melodrama (check out the scene with Winfield in the church). But Sam's veteran directorial hand and the snappy editing always keep the schmaltz from dousing a scene. And let's not forget that great Ennio Morricone score. It's one of his best: haunting yet inquisitive and tentatively hopeful, with an impact that lingers, much like the film. Bravo Sam! And bravo Criterion for bringing this back from obscurity! |
![]() |
|
| horrorC.K. | Jan 25 2009, 09:39 AM Post #2 |
|
Superstar Member
|
Great flick indeed. Have it on tape for years now and everytime I watch it again I am overthrown by it. Soundtrack is awesome too. Best one Sam did in my ops. |
|
VHS-BETAMAX-VCC danogrumper's ebay sales Infinitedepression tapesales | |
![]() |
|
| Lars Jacobsson | Jan 25 2009, 05:34 PM Post #3 |
|
Superstar Member
|
I wouldn't say the best Sam Fuller, but it's in the top 3 alright. Sonderful film, loved it! I'm so getting the Criterion DVD later on... |
|
http://macisteandfriends.blogspot.com/ http://tilapia.dvdaf.com/owned | |
![]() |
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| « Previous Topic · DVD, VCD & Blu-Ray · Next Topic » |





![]](http://z1.ifrm.com/static/1/pip_r.png)




2:41 PM Jul 11