One of the longstanding sub-genres of horror films includes the film about deadly dogs.This subgenre traced back to the 1939 adaptation"The Hounds of the Baskervilles" Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and the subgenre continued to grow in ferocity over the years and decades, until the legendary horror scribe Stephen King breathed new frenzied life into it withCujo in 1983.
Years later, the killer dog subgenre continued to proliferate. Some films in this sub-genre are downright awful, while others do succeed in emphasizing the visceral fear of the spoiled pet dog.
From The Hound of the Baskervilles to Cujo, here are the 10 scariest killer dog movies ever made.
10 Devil Dog: Hellhound (1978)
Underrated director Curtis Harrington made some decent horror movies in his time. One such title includes the 1978 TV movie Devil's Hound: Hellhound», in which a rabid German Shepard goes on a killing spree after being possessed by Satan.
When Mike (Richard Crenna) realizes that his new dog is behaving strangely, he learns that the beast is an immortal satanic minion with a penchant for human blood and the ability to control people's minds. The craziness of the plot is offset by the intense dog attacks and the genuine fear it inspires in both the characters and the audience.
9. Man's Best Friend (1993)
The perfect complement toCujo is a horror movie"Man's Best Friend", in which animal cruelty is criticized in the name of scientific research. When Lori (Ellie Sheedy) adopts a medically abused Tibetan mastiff named Max, he brutally kills a mugger who attacks her that night.
As Lori and Max grow closer, she gradually realizes that he has been genetically altered by predatory DNA and is prone to hyper-violent attacks as a result. With a terrifying mixture of gruesome violence combined with genuine sympathy for the murderous Max, the film is both frightening and enchanting.
8. Pack (1977)
Not to be confused with the 2015 Killer Dog movie of the same name. 70s version "Pack" is one of the most violent PG-rated horror films in history. The film follows vacationers at the Seal Island resort, where they are accosted by a ferocious pack of abandoned dogs that turn into man-eating beasts.
Well-shot movie star Joe Don Baker as Jerry, a family man who must protect his family from a deadly dog attack. Like"Man's Best Friend" the film makes viewers both fear and sympathize with the abandoned and mistreated killer dogs.
7. Cujo (1983)
According to IMDb, the filmCujo more famous than the others, but in the bottom half of the best killer dog movies. Based on the best-selling novel by Stephen King, the film traces the super-powerful fall into insanity experienced by the cuddly St. Bernard after being infected with rabies.
Cujo has earned a reputation as one of the worst pets spoiled by horror films. Beyond the visceral horror of Cujo's bloody attacks, the film has a lasting emotional impact through the hopeful relationship between Donna (Dee Wallace) and her desperate attempt to keep her five-year-old son Tad (Danny Pintauro) away from him. favorite childhood pet.
6. Good Boy (2020)
This is technically a feature-length episode of the Hulu horror anthology.Into The Dark, Good Boy takes a refreshing comedic approach to his deadly dog story. Judy Greer plays Maggie, a journalist who is advised to get an emotional support dog after failing at work.
When Maggie soon finds out that her cute little terrier is starting to terribly grind everyone around her, she is encouraged and begins to overcome her anxiety. Combining edgy humor and heartbreaking horror, The Good Boy is a light and fresh horror film with a lot of suspense.
5. Trap (1973)
James Brolin stars in the TV movie "Trap", in which he plays a man who is robbed and beaten unconscious in a department store after hours. When he wakes up, he realizes that he is locked in a store alone with six voracious hunting dogs.
Written and directed by Frank De Felitta, the most interesting part of the movie is seeing Chuck (Brolin) methodically take down the dogs, one after the other, in many different ways. Also, the sheer horror of being outnumbered six to one by cannibal Dobermans is a real nightmare.
4. Baxter (1989)
Baxter is a little-known French horror comedy about a vicious bull terrier who will stop at nothing to be adopted by a new owner. After being handed over to an elderly woman by a family member, Baxter plans a sinister way to get rid of her.
After this, Baxter is given to the woman's neighbor, but he soon becomes dissatisfied and becomes violently enraged. Director Jerome Boivin deftly handled caustic humor and caustic violence to create a hilarious, dark and unpredictable comedy about killer dogs that every fan of the subgenre should see.
3. White God (2014)
Brand the Hungarian filmWhite God" just a film about killer dogs would be a disservice to the brilliant vision of director Cornel Mundruzko. The whimsical fantasy drama follows the journey of Hagen, a Shar Pei/Labrador hybrid who starts out as a watchdog for a 13-year-old girl named Lili (Zofia Psotta).
When Lily's dog kicks Hagen out on the street, he allies himself with several hundred nomadic dogs while a ruthless criminal sends him to a life of violent crime. Hagen's performance alone is worth the price of entry into this tale of boundless friendship that can't be missed.
2. White Dog (1982)
aforementionedwhite god originally calledwhite dog, but was renamed out of respect for Samuel Fuller, director of the 1982 original. Lean, mean, and as ruthless as can be, he tells the story of a white German Shepherd who was trained to only kill blacks.
When black trainer Keyes (Paul Winfield) adopts a dog, he is tasked with deprogramming and retraining the killer dog. The task is much more difficult than he first thinks as the dog continues to maim and kill. But over time, Keys was able to get to the animal and cure it. Sharp social commentary and horrifying violence make the film a winner.
1. Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)
While the 1959 horror remake is a worthy contender, the original film "Hound of the Baskervilles» remains the first and best killer dog movie, according to IMDb.
Also worth noting is the 1981 film The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson: The Hound of the Baskervilles. For many, it was he who became the first film about a killer dog.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's groundbreaking story centers on the famous Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) and Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) as they investigate a terrifying hellhound. An eerie, fog-soaked atmosphere, top-notch performances, and a truly gripping mystery make this a killer dog movie without a doubt.
