Review of White Dog (1982) by David B — 22 Aug 2009

The final film from Sam Fuller is probably the purest example of "pulp" filmmaking in a modern motion picture. The storytelling is direct and carries impact, and even deftly flirts with the horror genre. The symbolism is on its sleeve. Still, the message on the evils of racism is given added heft by the ambiguity and downright frightening implications of its conclusions. If stripped of its more gruesome aspects, another filmmaker could've given us an "Afterschool Special" level morality tale, and the presence of some of its stars Kristy MacNicol, Jameson "A.J. Simon" Parker, et al would've done little to dissuade us. Instead Fuller takes the racial question as a given, and goes after a more intriguing target, the destructive nature and downright futility of good intentions.

Almost mind-bogglingly, I recall this film being attacked as racist in its day. Obviously some critics and studio executives couldn't properly interpret the feelings of disquiet this film intentionally brings out, and attacked the director. In effect, this potentially robbed us of another Sam Fuller movie. Luckily, White Dog is a film well worth his legacy.