Stories About Kids and Pets Always are Touchy and Demand a Certain Take on Demonic Possession.
After All it Goes Straight to the Heart, By-Passing the Brain and Requires, almost Demands a "Be Careful Where You Tread" Approach.
In "Devil Dog" a Made-For-TV Movie from the 70's, Cult Director Curtis Harrington,
Adopts a "This is TV" and the Censors are Looking Over Your Shoulder, especially in a "Horror" Movie, with an Ax, to Mutilate Anything They See Fit,
Watching for any Violation of "Standards and Practices" that Might Offend, what will Hinder or Hurt Sales.
The "TV Movie"...it's what Plays Between the Really Important Thing Called Messages.
Those Things that Many may Object as Horrific Displays of Lies, and Half-Truths, that Manipulate Audiences Anyway They Can.
Mind-Control for Sale!
Anyway, Upfront, All the Violence, and Sex are Off Screen, Behind Closed Doors.
The Killings, and the Wife Seducing the School-Counselor to Stop His Investigation of Her Son.
Everything, and that Means Everything is Off-Screen.
So, Harrington is Forced to Create Imaginative Shots and Sounds, Combined with Editing, to Make it Watchable, Scary, and Suspenseful Enough for the Audience. He Mostly Succeeds.
Brought Home by Outstanding, Demanding Performances from Richard Crenna and Yvette Mimieux. The Kids and the Dog(s) are OK too.
About Average, or Slightly Above for a Made-for-TV and Harrington Delivers and Directs the Material, in a Way that is Average for Him, but Nothing Special for His Resume.
The "Devil Dog" Looks Monstrous and Evil in 1 Scene, but Not so Much in Others.
Worth a Watch.
After All it Goes Straight to the Heart, By-Passing the Brain and Requires, almost Demands a "Be Careful Where You Tread" Approach.
In "Devil Dog" a Made-For-TV Movie from the 70's, Cult Director Curtis Harrington,
Adopts a "This is TV" and the Censors are Looking Over Your Shoulder, especially in a "Horror" Movie, with an Ax, to Mutilate Anything They See Fit,
Watching for any Violation of "Standards and Practices" that Might Offend, what will Hinder or Hurt Sales.
The "TV Movie"...it's what Plays Between the Really Important Thing Called Messages.
Those Things that Many may Object as Horrific Displays of Lies, and Half-Truths, that Manipulate Audiences Anyway They Can.
Mind-Control for Sale!
Anyway, Upfront, All the Violence, and Sex are Off Screen, Behind Closed Doors.
The Killings, and the Wife Seducing the School-Counselor to Stop His Investigation of Her Son.
Everything, and that Means Everything is Off-Screen.
So, Harrington is Forced to Create Imaginative Shots and Sounds, Combined with Editing, to Make it Watchable, Scary, and Suspenseful Enough for the Audience. He Mostly Succeeds.
Brought Home by Outstanding, Demanding Performances from Richard Crenna and Yvette Mimieux. The Kids and the Dog(s) are OK too.
About Average, or Slightly Above for a Made-for-TV and Harrington Delivers and Directs the Material, in a Way that is Average for Him, but Nothing Special for His Resume.
The "Devil Dog" Looks Monstrous and Evil in 1 Scene, but Not so Much in Others.
Worth a Watch.