Finally a film that shows dogs for the drooling monstrous hellhounds that they are!

A film with a truly unique premise. A dog trained to attack black people is hit by a car driven by an aspiring actress. She takes him in and the dog even saves her from a burglar/rapist. But when the dog attacks her black co-star on the sets of a film and makes her boyfriend uncomfortable, the actress takes him to the owner of an animal training ranch. The owner of the ranch (a great Burl Ives) directs the actress to an animal trainer (Paul Winfield) who is black but agrees to cure the dog of its racism.I am surprised the makers couldn't find a better leading lady than Kristy McNichol. She was alright, but I am sure there were better actresses in the 1980s who would have been interested in working with Fuller. I liked the scene where Ives character takes a dig at Star Wars by throwing an arrow at the Star Wars robot target. Paul Winfield had great screen presence. The dog also looked sinister as hell with its sharp teeth and long tongue.Morricone's score is terrific. But it was best suited for one of those intense Italian movies of the 60s and 70s.The film had so much potential. But writer-director Samuel Fuller and co-writer Curtis Hanson messes up. Many of the scenes lacked weight. The plot developments were unimaginative.This is a film that seems to have garnered a cult following based on its unique premise, rather than what the writer-director actually realized.

Deemed too controversial by Paramount in 1982, Samuel Fuller's bare- knuckled study of the psychology of racism went virtually unseen for over two decades, playing sporadically at film festivals and private screenings until Criterion remastered and re-released it on DVD in 2008. Fuller was understandably devastated and perplexed by the decision, as it was incredibly well received in the countries that actually saw a limited released, but it was made in a time when serious and unblinking social commentary was favoured less than greased-up man-mountains wielding dual machine guns.From the very start, Fuller's movie is an exercise in resourceful simplicity, as young actress Julie Sawyer (Kristy McNichol) hits a white German Shepherd with her car, and takes the injured and seemingly innocent animal to the vets for a check-up. The dog's ferocity rears its head early on, as it takes down a rapist that breaks in Julie's house and restrains him until the police arrive. Its eagerness to attack is interpreted as protection of its owner, but when the hound starts savagely attacking black people, it soon becomes clear that this is no ordinary dog. Despite her boyfriend's pleas to put it down before it kills somebody, Julie believes that it can be cured of the affliction it was taught from a young age.The first third of the movie plays out like exploitation with the subtlest of satire running through the story, almost like the type of movie Larry Cohen used to make only without a flying serpent or mutant baby. The attacks are brutal and well-made despite its low budget, and the movie proceeds almost like a slasher (gnasher?) as the beast bares its teeth with its coat festooned with blood. The animal is truly terrifying, and makes for a chilling movie 'monster'. Yet you see a glimmer of redemption in those sad eyes, and Julie does too, taking it to animal trainer Carruthers (Burl Ives) who, like everybody else, warns her to kill the beast before it kills somebody. One of his workers, dog trainer Keys (Paul Winfield), recognises it as a 'white dog' - one conditioned from a pup to hate black people.It is a this point that White Dog becomes an enthralling and intelligent expose of racism, posing far more questions that it quite wisely fails to answer. The pure hatred bred into the animal rings true with humans; the kind of ignorant, confused and misdirected fury so prevalent in America. The film also asks whether or not this kind of conditioning is curable. Keys certainly tries, exposing more and more of his black skin to the dog as they gradually form a bond, but the German Shepherd remains unpredictable, managing one night to escape its confines and commit an act of pure savagery in the holiest of locations. The film highly suggests that you may remove the racism, but the hatred will remain, and it's a sobering thought. This is blunt, unflinching B-movie film-making that will have you on the edge of your seat as you watch, and reflect heavily on its themes afterwards.

This has to be one of the worst films ever made.Dumb concept poorly executed.Racist dog whose first attack is a white guy.The acting is simply horrible.It's directed like a TV movie and is is slow as mollasses.Aren't we sick of race baiting? It's sickening.I know this was made in the 80s, but come on folks.Stop the BS and get a life.Oh, and there's a reason Kristie hasn't done anything in 30 years -- she can act her way out of a paper bag.See the film if you want to prove how the media is crazy far left winged agenda driven.Otherwise, stay far away.