A Boy and His Dog

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Horrorphile - September 2008

A Boy and His Dog

September 9th 2008 01:19

Based on a novella by Harlan Ellison and directed by actor-cum-director L.Q. Jones, A Boy and His Dog (1975) is one of numerous self-styled quirky sf films of the same period; along with THX-1138, Silent Running and Dark Star it presents a future narrative that is streaked with nihilistic satire, tinged with poetic melancholy and laced with dark humour: I’d love to say the future’s so bright I gotta wear shades, but in this projected reality humankind has become a rather pathetic existence.

It is 2024, some years after World War IV (which lasted five days) reduced most of the civilized world to a wasteland. Vic (Don Johnson) is a solo, drifting across the desert landscape scavenging for food and hoping to get laid. His trusted side-kick is his dog Blood (Hollywood canine actor Tiger from The Brady Bunch, voiced by actor/musician Tim McIntire), who has a nose for the female kind and for trying to keep Vic out of trouble, which comes in the form of marauding rover packs of hungry, violent thugs.

Don Johnson as Vic and Tiger as Blood

Vic and Blood have the ability to communicate telepathically. Vic complains and Blood placates. Vic is 18-years-old, but is emotionally stunted like a juvenile, whereas Blood is “street-wise” and witty. They have a tenuous agreement where Vic finds them both food and Blood sniffs out a female for Vic to have sex with (it seems most women must have died during the nuclear war). Blood calls Vic “Albert” (an intellectual literary reference which Vic is ignorant of) to tease him.

Susanne Benton as Quilla June

After a close encounter with a rover pack Vic and Blood settle down for an evening of vintage porn and exploitation movies at a makeshift desert community cinema, but they’ve been watched and tracked by unknowns who have plans for Vic. They set the “cheese” to trap the mouse.

Quilla - the cheese - as spied by a hungry Vic

Blood picks up the scent of a woman (disguised as a man) and Vic follows her where he spies her getting undressed. She appears incredibly sensuous and comely, Vic must have her. But there’s more to Quilla June (Susanne Benton) than meets the eye. She is on a mission. Vic thinks he’s in control, but he is being seduced for a sinister purpose. Quilla “escapes” and Vic leaves an injured Blood to follow Quilla downunder to Topeka, a subterranean realm where all the conservative rich folk went after the nuclear apocalypse.

Vic and Blood find the entrance to downunder where Quilla has returned

It is there in this bizarre ritualized existence where America has reclaimed its rural innocence and brave new world madness; a mock Prohibition-era township complete with perpetual uniformed parades, farm and fair attire, good old-fashioned virtues and strict punishment for those who break any of the enforced laws. This backward community sees themselves as progressive, and is run by an authoritarian Committee, lead by Lou Craddock (Jason Robards), who want Vic for his semen, since no babies are being fathered by the underground dwellers.

Mortality rate is high in underground Topeka ...

Quilla has her own uprising planned and she wants Vic to assist her. Vic, however, is really only out to save his own ass, and perhaps that of Quilla (for personal use). So they get the hell outta dodge, only to find Blood on his last legs on the surface. Quilla is keen to get as far away from the entrance to Topeka as possible, Blood looks plaintively at Vic. Vic wonders briefly as to the best decision and makes it. "Well, I'd say she certainly had marvellous judgement, Albert, if not particularly good taste," quips Blood as the boy and his dog trot off into another desert dawn.

... But the subterranean folk are poked-faced to it all

A Boy and His Dog is a certainly a low-budget independent production, but it makes use of its desert locale and underground settings with a solid eye for composition. Don Johnson looks and acts too old and cynical to be a naïve 18-year-old, which compounds his misogynistic, unsympathetic character. Jason Robards is excellent as the jaded pseudo-religious leader. Susanne Benton is suitably alluring, but her manipulative character is ethically confused. Tim McIntire’s voicing of Blood provides the most empathetic character. However, one must keep in mind that the original novella’s subtext is about the contradiction and contrast between adolescence and adulthood.

A Boy and His Dog Alvy Moore, Helene Winston and Jason Robards

The Committee: Dr. Moore (Alvy Moore), Mez (Helene Winston) and Lou (Jason Robards)

Director George Miller must have been influenced by A Boy and His Dog for Mad Max (1979), if not more so for the sequel The Road Warrior (1981); the apocalyptic desert action and attire, the scavenging and morally bankrupt attitude. It is the inherent misogynistic behaviour of Vic along with the “dated” world-view of the Topeka community which seals the movie irretrievably in the narrow-minded past. But certainly with some plot textual tweaking and character re-envisioning A Boy and His Dog could make for a curious remake. Strangely, the whole time I watched Jason Robards I could see George Clooney playing the role.

A Boy and His Dog killer android and victim

One of Quilla's uprising is quashed by the Committee muscle

Despite its moral trappings and essentially ludicrous conceit of the telepathy between Vic and Blood, A Boy and His Dog is a darkly-comic allegorical treat for sf-apocalypse fans looking for something a little more pungent and unorthodox. The ending - which comes as a genuine surprise - is the bittersweet icing on the misanthropic cake.

A Boy and His Dog Don Johnson, Susanne Benton and Tiger

Vic and Quilla find Blood dying of hunger ... What does a boy do?

Here's the original, and fittingly bizarre, trailer:

And here's the self-important re-issue trailer from a few years later:

A Boy and His Dog DVD is courtesy of Umbrella Entertainment, many thanks!

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

12 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by JohnDoe

September 9th 2008 02:09

Film & TV on DVD

Wow Buddy, a real blast from the past.

I saw A Boy and his Dog as a wee lad and when i was at that young and impressionable age this seemed very edgy. I recall being fascinated with the ideas in the film and it certainly seemed adult.

Thanks for the reminder, I didn't even know it was on DVD, may have to borrow your copy.

Comment by Lara M

September 9th 2008 04:54

Love Speaks
Food Slate

That is quite bizarre <lol> From the trailer to the portrayal of that symbiotic relationship!

I must say though the title is slightly misleading...sounds like a film that's rated 'G' than 'R'

Comment by Cibbuano

September 9th 2008 05:31

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Fat Cult
Techbreak

I've heard excellent things about this movie... sci-fi fans seem to mention it out of the woodwork...

Comment by Bryn

September 9th 2008 05:33

Horrorphile

JD, it's always nice to surprise you

Lara, the title is, of course, tongue in cheek, as their relationship and antics are far from a young boy's own adventure ... At movie's end, it becomes quite fitting.

Comment by Damo

September 9th 2008 07:35

Now that is a blast from my film buffing days.
Valhalla in about 1984. I remember seeing this and thinking that it was a cheap but funny rip off of Mad Max 2.
Yet since I find now that it predates it I am blown away.

Good film and certainly a must see.

"Break out another robot from storage and see if you get that silly grin off his face."

Classic.

Comment by Bryn

September 9th 2008 08:25

Horrorphile

Damo, haha, yeah, great quote from Robards! Despite its flaws, it holds up surprising well. Glad you agree.

Comment by Cibbuano

September 9th 2008 22:07

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Fat Cult
Techbreak

that cheesecake shot is delightful. I keep returning to this post to check it out!

Comment by Bryn

September 9th 2008 23:56

Horrorphile

Cibby, yes, it's gold isn't it ... I had to put that one in ... the scene itself is quite delicious of course, Susanne Benton had quite the stunning hourglass figure! There's even a hint of 70s bush, if you're partial, as I am, ahem!

Comment by Cibbuano

September 10th 2008 04:57

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Fat Cult
Techbreak

Bryn, I'm more than partial - I'm a deranged fan of those glorious 70s figures! When women had bodies that seemed like they were made out of flesh, hair and bone, instead of the plastic, Photoshopped mannequins we have succumbed to in modern cinema...

Comment by Bryn

September 10th 2008 05:59

Horrorphile

Cibby, hear! hear!

I remember growing up in the 70s and Raquel Welch was considered the sexiest woman in the world. Oh yeah. She was all woman.

Comment by Cibbuano

September 10th 2008 23:04

Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak

Bryn, I grew up in the 80s, which is why I'm partial to 80s sex comedies, but 70s flicks would come on TV, and I'd be all over that. Raquel Welch in caveman furs? Yeah, yeah!

I think a 'sexiest actresses of the 70s' post is about due - but, avoiding all the mainstream names. Go B-movie or weird!

Comment by Bryn

September 12th 2008 00:56

Horrorphile

I might just have to do that ... Good call. I can already think of a few ...

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