Sunday 5 July 2009

Dogs / German Shepherds

A common trope in Italian horror seems to be the Alsatian or German Shepherd which cannot be trusted and has a negative role in the narrative (e.g. Suspiria, The Cat with the Eyes of Jade, The Beyond).

What other films can you think of that refute this? And which confirm it?

8 comments:

© Deliria said...

There is a very strong scene in PATRICK VIVE ANCORA where a bunch of German shepherds kill a woman. In THE OTHER HELL, the caretaker is attacked by his own shepherds. I'm pretty sure all of these dogs were trained by the same guy, who had a contract with De Paolis studios.

K H Brown said...

Good examples. They're also heard in the sound mix of The Cat with the Eyes of Jade, and described as a cruel breed.

Didn't know about the De Paolis guy - cheers.

Stephen Grimes said...

Ricardo Freda's CACCIA ALL'UOMO goes the other way with the German shepherd playing a positive role throughout alongside his master Umberto Orsini.

© Deliria said...

Gotcha! That was my answer for your GIALLO joke :)

Nowtas said...

Neither an Italian production nor a giallo, but the inimitable Claudio Fragasso is italian and he directed the horror film Monster Dog - which supports your suggestion.

Abuelo Igor said...

But "Monster dog" was no German shepherd... it was no other than Alice Cooper as a sort of werewolf!

The Bloody Pit of Horror said...

Sergio Martino's All the Colors of the Dark and Argento's Tenebre both also feature dog attack scenes and I'm pretty sure they're German Shepherds.

Richard of DM said...

All the Colors of the Dark did have German Shepherds menacing Edwige Fenech. Tenebre was all about that crazy fence-jumping Doberman.