This is an interesting made for TV movie. A group of Satanists use a dog to produce a litter of evil puppies with limited super natural powers and the power to control people. Richard Crenna's family adopts one of these puppies and the now he becomes the only man to stand between us and Satan's world domination.The movie was more of a psychological thriller/horror. There were some plot continuity problems. The maid accidentally sets fire to herself, then suddenly the movie jumps to one year later. The neighbor drowns in his pool and nothing was said until much later in the movie. Yvette Mimieux plays the sexy wife, who once possessed transforms from a prude to a hottie. She smokes cigarettes, loses buttons on her blouse and wants to go skinny dipping. And she will do anything to see he son advance in school. BUT MILES IS MY FRIEND!There were few special effects, and those were substandard even by 1978 norms. The movie also confuses Christianity with Egyptian symbols. For some reason the Egyptian pyramid with the all seeing eye has more power over the demon than a cross. The movie also stars Kim Richards (age 14) from "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hill."

Richard Crenna, Yvette Mimieux, and those Witch Mountain kids, Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann, star in this passable 1970s TV horror movie. They play the Barrys, a suburban family. Into their lives comes an adorable German Shepherd puppy whom they name Lucky. But what they don't know is that Lucky was one of a litter of ten pups that was contrived by Satan worshippers looking to create some canine minions of Old Scratch. The balance of the story (written by Steven and Elinor Karpf) shows what happens as most of the family falls under the evil influence of Lucky, while only Crenna manages to not be susceptible.I would have been five or six when this one would have originally aired. Had I seen it then, I might have thought it pretty creepy. Watching it for the first time tonight, I expected an unintentionally funny cheese fest. While this movie does have its laugh inducing moments, it actually takes itself fairly seriously much of the time, although some modern viewers may find it merely boring when the action doesn't involve the dog. It's laughable at the right times, but viewers may feel that it isn't laughable often enough. It does have the feel of 1970s TV at many a turn, complete with that music score by Artie Kane. The special effects are most assuredly far from being "special".My sympathies went out to Crenna and some of his co-stars for having to mouth some pricelessly inane dialogue. But give them credit, especially our hero Crenna. They give it as much gravitas as they can. The cast also includes Lou Frizzell as the neighbor, Ken Kercheval as the guidance counselor, and R.G. Armstrong and cult icon Martine Beswick in special guest appearances. Veteran actor Victor Jory gives the proceedings a little shot in the arm, late in the story. He plays an Ecuadorian shaman. The dogs are all great, as well.One good thing: the "it ain't over yet" type ending isn't as annoying as it has been in other horror films over the years.Six out of 10.

A dog found in a local kennel is mated with Satan and has a litter of puppies, one of which is given to a family who has just lost their previous dog to a hit & run. The puppy wants no time in making like Donald Trump and firing the Mexican housekeeper, how festive. Only the father suspects that this canine is more then he appears, the rest of the family loves the demonic pooch. So it's up to dad to say the day.This late 70's made for TV horror flick has little going for it except a misplaced feeling of nostalgia. When I saw this as a kid I found it to be a tense nail-biter, but revisiting it as an adult I now realize that it's merely lame,boring, and not really well-acted in the least bit.My Grade: D

Having been a fan of the delightfully decadent Martine Beswicke (née Beswick) for many years (ever since I first caught her in "Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde*), I've always wanted to see "Devil Dog" -- and it's odd that I would have missed it when it was first aired, because I would have been a hardcore TV-movie junkie at that young age. but miss it I did (must've been out trick- or-treating that night). I'm glad I waited-out the DVD (great print!) and finally got to see this TV-movie in pristine glory. Other Martine fans out there (you know who you are) will delight in the opening seven minutes or so. First, La Beswicke (in a spectacular set of high-heeled, ankle-strapped, f*ck-me pumps) along with a couple of her diabolical disciples stroll through a dog breeder's complex shopping for the right "Rosemary" to give birth to Satan's canine offspring. They're all dressed in black suits and drive a sinister, black station wagon (how cool is THAT!?!). There's a brief, but droll exchange with the breeder who wonders aloud what these big-ticket, officious types want with "Lady", a highly prized German Shepard puppy-machine he's used to pop out blue-ribbon winning litters in the past (only the best for the Prince of Darkness, you know...). Martine sets him straight in her characteristically exotic line delivery, "we're NOT adopting a CHILD, you know!..." Could this be a public service announcement for a PETA ad campaign? But I digress...Cut to a close up of what has to be one of the neatest Satanic portraits I've ever seen. The horned Master is rendered in shades of pea-soup green with a snake coiled around him. Could this be an episode of "Night Gallery"???Pull back to find the enormous painting (which I wish I HAD!) hanging above an altar in a barn where Ms. Beswicke, in red robes, is conducting a black mass. Pull back further to reveal a pentagram in a circle drawn in the ground, where "Lady" the pooch is leashed to a stake. Martine makes some invocations and tosses some "thing" into the space between her and the dog which explodes on contact with the ground (ooh! ahh! Special Effects!). The sparkler spooks the dog, naturally, and all you can feel is compassion for the canine (oh, poor doggy!). We get some great close-ups of Martine, who looks fabulous, btw, and deserves much credit for managing to recite all the dialog with a straight face. Nobody quite does "evil" like Ms. Beswicke; she really gets into the part and seems to relish it (atta girl!).Mention must be made of Martine's purple-clad coven, who manage to recite back all the mumbo-jumbo she's been saying (which indeed must have taken some bit of rehearsal). A windstorm begins, heralding the appearance of The Black Prince (or his dog, anyhow). We get another giggle-inducing moment when the camera cuts to one of Martine's minions who has chosen to attend the function in his sunglasses. The tension mounts. As credits announce the production, Martine swoops down from her altar and escorts her denizens outside the barn, leaving "Lady" tied to a stake in the middle of the pentagram (presumably to await impregnation). Soon a huge shadow of a dog passes over them all, and into the barn. Martine shuts the doors and throws a captivating smile (as her credit appears). What goes on inside is merely hinted at, but WE KNOW, don't we...!?!?!?!Later we learn it is the big, black station wagon that kills the Barry family dog which means they'll be in the market for a replacement (hasn't anyone heard of having more than one dog at a time? Oh well...). A terrific actor (Victor Jory?) portrays the devil-worshiper/grocer-on-wheels who just "happens" to show up outside the door of the Barry family and bestow on them the prize puppy of "Lady"s litter. He leers malevolently at Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann (the Barry family children) like a gleeful child molester turned loose in an orphanage, offering them first ripe, red apples (shades of Snow White!) and then a puppy from the litter of a rather worn-out looking "Lady" which he just happens to be carting around in the back of his awning-draped caravan. There are so many "warning" messages in this film! Don't sell dogs to satanists! Don't let your children near leering mobile grocers! Don't adopt puppies from leering mobile grocers who may be satanists!, etc. But it's the innocent, gullible Carter-era of the 1970s and none of these folks have a clue about what's going to happen to them...Other reviewers have focused on what comes next, so I'll spare you my interpretation, except to point out that the wallpaper in the Barry household (look at the dining room and the kitchen, for example) is far scarier than anything that "Lucky" the adopted spawn of Satan can conjure up. Rent (or purchase) at once for a night of fun with friends. Pair this up with Susan Lucci's dreadful demonic health-spa film, "Invitation To Hell" or possibly another canine car-wreck like "Won Ton Ton: The Dog That Saved Hollywood" (if you can even find a copy!). Keep the popcorn flowing!