Plague Dogs finally available uncensored

[O2Destroyer]

I have to assume that almost anyone on this forum is a fan of animated films.

One of my favorites, Plague Dogs (by the same company and author who did Watership Down) has gradually moved over the past couple years from complete obscurity to complete availability. It is at long last available in a region 1 version for all you U-S-A-ers (hah, now I can actually have a version to loan out!), but more importantly, Australia (BlueSky video) has put out a version that is unedited. While in most animation, editing is rarely an issue, in this case over 15 minutes were cut from the film, and most importantly, the last few lines of the film were cut.

I've actually never seen the unedited version, but I have read about it at length and am glad that we can finally have an opportunity to see it without resorting to bootlegs.




Although the film doesn't have the budget of something like a Disney film, the animation itself is quite fantastic with a much more mature style than disney. Of course the film is completely heart-breaking, which is why I suppose I like it.

[Danny]

..

[Mark]

will never watch "Grave of Fireflies" for the same reason.

Don't worry, you're not missing anything.

I bought the film on DVD after hearing all the hype and because I had already started collecting the Studio Ghibli release titles.

I picked up GotF along with Pom Poko (another Takahata film), and didn't really find either to be anything special.

[O2Destroyer]

Ahh.. I was hesitantly interested right up to the last line of your post. I have never, and will never understand people's desire to spend time and money on things that have that affect.

May do something to explain are differing opinions on Mononoke as well, which ultimately isn't a happy film. Of course, a lot of Tezuka (especially Phoenix) is that way too. Very few happy endings.

[DrFrag]

I rate my selections on how much they make me care about the characters, rather than the happiness of the piece. Although I think I would have trouble watching Grave of the Fireflies again, I think that one crosses from sad into depressing. It's impressive enough to be worth watching once, I think.

I look forward to watching Watership Down (which I STILL haven't seen) and Plague Dogs.

[Latu]

I once rented Grave of the Fireflies, but never got to see it.

[O2Destroyer]

I once rented Grave of the Fireflies, but never got to see it.

I really like 'Grave', but agree that this one is just too damn depressing. Plague Dogs is somewhere near that I suppose, but its message is so different. Dealing with personal freedom (even in the face of death) and the extent of friendship, Plague Dogs is ultimately something very different. Grave seems obvious enough--war hurts everyone, especially children. A brutal, heart-wrenching film that should probably be seen once by everyone, but can it ever really be watched 'for pleasure'? Plague Dogs is very different, maybe uplifting, but crushing at the same time. I suppose that is hard to explain, but should make a difficult film for some people and definitely isn't for children.

[Danny]

..

[jeffbert]

Even more reason not to see something like this. The more you care the more it hurts.
...
Ok, so sure major characters die, but you do not "care" becaue, well quite frankly.. their dying is PART of why the movie is fun.

That is why I both liked and Disliked the remake of the blob. If only it did not eat that kid, it would have been a great comedy. While it may have been more natural for the viewers to empathize with the victims, the way it made the viewers anticipate the demise of the victims, & then, wham! exactly as expected, or nearly so. Only toward the end, did I care about the victims. & I think it was because the anticipation was not as much of a factor. Perhaps the suddeness made me care. I would have cared about the kid either way, I am certain, but the deaths of the adults, even the beautiful women were just plain funny.
Maybe I am one of only a few ex-Farsidians who laugh at this type of thing? Now everybody thinks I am weird.

[O2Destroyer]

My copy showed up quite promptly today! It does seem that a few people out there are set in making my desires become reality. The unedited version of this film is even stronger than the edited form (although the edited form is enormously powerful.) Backgrounds and characters are expanded. It is quite amazing to see how even some of the best animation (an incredible overhead shot that swivels part way through) was cut from the film for what the sole sake (apparently) of bringing it down to 80 minutes. Most critically however is how the edited form takes a breath after the final scene of the film, adding poignancy to the heavy and thoughtful ending, while the edited form actually pushes the first few notes of the song that plays over the end credits out before the main characters have finished speaking their final lines (and in fact, the final line of the film is omitted.)

Strangely enough, the unedited version has not been restored (I doubt Big Sky video is a company of much money), but their copy of the original film is not in horid shape, nor is their digitation or senseless wear. Although the color is diminished from the restored (but edited) version, I found myself quickly adjusting to the lessened video. The effect was basically one of watching a preserved copy of a film right off the projector--in other words, nothign to complain about; not the sort of treatment many crappy dvd companies have given more obscure works.

As to the whole 'depressing film' business, while I sympathize with Danny, I also feel that sad films with characters we love and care about are only that much stronger. Unlike Grave of Fireflies, Plague Dogs has a message far deeper than 'war is bad', but rather focuses on the personal evolution of the main characters, their friendship, and perhaps the meaning (and value) of freedom.

This remains my favorite animated film of all time.