'Dogs' (1976) - Burt Brinckerhoff.

The frequently hirsute 1970s proved to be an equally fecund year for murderously mutated, killer critter features, not the least of them being, William Girdler’s grisly ‘Grizzly’, and arguably one of the finest examples of the bugged-out creature feature being, John ‘Bud’ Cardo’s seriously Shatnered ‘Kingdom the Spiders’ (1977) but as the years roll inexorably onward I keep on rabidly returning to director, Burt Brinckerhoff’s barkingly bonkers, far from dog-eared, possibly a little ‘ruff’ killer canine creepshow ‘Dogs’ (1976).

The bucolic inertia of a small Californian town is violently disturbed by the apparently random, unprecedentedly vicious attacks upon local herd animals. These anomalous events coming to the attention of dispirited, beer-swilling college professor, Harlan Thompson (David McCallum) whose initial examinations proved inconclusive until the aggrieved rancher is torn to shreds. Harlan's rather grim hypothesis suggests that organised pack animals are the perpetrators. The disturbing reality being that previously amicable domestic dogs are inexplicably turning on their terrified owners with an uncommon brutality!

What could have translated into another quickly digested TV movie-of-the-week is given extra bite with the enigmatic presence of film and TV icon McCallum. The more than capable director, Brinckerhoff engenders a palpitatingly genuine sense of oppressive feral threat as the dog’s maniacal attacks become increasingly more savage. The relentlessly expanding pack of distempered animals laying bloody siege to the entire town is genuinely unnerving. The ravening pack ominously circling the university, wherein stalwart defenders, Michael Fitzgerald (George Wyner) and the permanently boozy Thompson desperately try to fend off these ambulatory, uncommonly toothsome horrors! 

Brinckerhoff's ‘Dogs’ certainly isn’t going to win any rosettes for being the most visually groomed of its bellicose B-Horror breed. Perhaps lacking the refined, self-deprecating wit of, John Sayles-scripted cult classic ‘Piranha’, yet the film’s mongrel strength resides almost exclusively in its terse, B-movie brutality, and a pedigree performance from, David McCallum. While unsophisticated, Dogs is frequently effective, this brutal Canine shocker is attached to a savage set of femur-fracturing fangs!

Little Fluffy and his furry friends suddenly got a rare taste for raw meat, and it doesn’t get any fresher than you!

"The only thing scarier than Cujo is a thousand more of 'em!" - Mahnfahrt Panzerflesh.