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The Plague Dogs

1982·Movie
1h 43min·NR
IMDb7.7Rotten Tomatoes70%89%

Where to watch

PhiloThe RokuKanopyFandorPluto TV

Links go to licensed services. Data from JustWatch and TMDB.

The Plague Dogs fingerprint

Relentless energy, strong craft, light on feelings.

Energy

Nerve-racking and brutally violent

Fast from start to finish.

  • Tension9
  • Violence9
  • Scare8

Heart

Deeply moving and melancholic

  • Pathos9
  • Melancholy8
  • Catharsis7

Humor

Some dark humor

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Dark Humor7
  • Satire & Parody3
  • Wit & Wordplay2

World

Society, the mind, and everyday modern life

  • World Immersion7
  • Dialogue Centrality7
  • Rewatchability6

Craft

Solid, not remarkable

  • Intrigue8
  • Direction7
  • Acting7

Style

Functional look and sound

  • Cinematography7
  • Editing7
  • Sound Centrality7

Who it's for

AdultsFriends NightSolo WatchThought-Provoking

Skip it if

You need an uplifting moodGraphic violence bothers youYou scare easily

Find more like it

Scary moviesPsychological moviesMelancholic movies

Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every movie. Select a row to see all of them.

About

Escape to a different world...and share the adventure of a lifetime.

Two dogs, Rowf and Snitter, struggle to survive in the countryside after escaping from an animal research laboratory. They're pursued by search parties and then the military after rumours spread that they could be carrying the bubonic plague.
Animated Animal DramaAnimal CrueltyPsychological ThrillerSocial CommentaryBleak Survival StoryCanine PerspectiveMisinformationBritish Countryside

Crew

Directed by:
Martin Rosen
Written by:
Martin Rosen, Richard Adams
Produced by:
Martin Rosen, Jake Eberts
Composed by:
Alan Price, Mark Berger, John Nutt

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about The Plague Dogs

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Plague Dogs legally?

PhiloThe RokuKanopyFandorPluto TVShout! Factory TVPlexCineverse

The Plague Dogs is included with a subscription to Philo and Fandor in the United States. You can watch it free with ads on Kanopy, Pluto TV, and Shout! Factory TV. You can also rent or buy it from Apple TV, Apple TV Store, and Fandango At Home. All links in Where to Watch go to these licensed services.

Is The Plague Dogs worth watching?

75
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly. It's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 76/100 (IMDb 7.7 and Rotten Tomatoes 70%). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is The Plague Dogs rated?

NRViolenceDisturbing imagerySuicide themes

It's rated NR in the United States. Content advisories: violence, disturbing imagery, and suicide themes.

How long is The Plague Dogs?

1 h 43 min

The Plague Dogs runs 1 h 43 min.

Is The Plague Dogs based on a true story?

No. It's adapted from a novel.

Do critics and audiences agree on The Plague Dogs?

Critics70
Audiences83

Not quite. Audiences rate The Plague Dogs higher (83) than critics (70). It's more of a crowd-pleaser than a critics' pick.

Was The Plague Dogs a box office hit?

Budget$6 million
Box office$423,281

No. It cost about $6 million to make and earned $423,281 worldwide, 7% of its budget.

What language is The Plague Dogs in?

English

It was made in English. Produced in United Kingdom.

In how many countries can I watch The Plague Dogs?

7AUCAGBGGIENZUS

GoodWatch finds legal streaming, rental, or purchase options for The Plague Dogs in 7 countries. Pick any of them in Where to Watch to see the local services.

What tropes does The Plague Dogs use?

Disproportionate RetributionOop NorthCovers Always LieSoundtrack DissonanceEveryone Has StandardsFun with AcronymsWaif ProphetPet the DogHallucinationsAnd There Was Much RejoicingNo One Gets Left BehindArt Shiftand 71 more

TV Tropes lists 83 storytelling tropes for The Plague Dogs, including Disproportionate Retribution, Oop North, Covers Always Lie.