THE PACK


US, 1977, 95 minutes, Colour.
Joe Don Baker, Hope Alexander -Willis, Richard B. Shull, R.G. Armstrong, Bebe Besch.
Directed by Robert Clouse.

The Pack is a product of the mid-1970s. In the wake of Jaws, there was a huge trend in animal disaster films ranging from Grizzly to The Manitou and films like this. A pack of dogs terrorises tourists on a vacation island – and it is a message film against people discarding their pets.

Joe Don Baker was a strong lead at this particular time (the Walking Tall films). The film was directed by Robert Clouse. After making the private eye thriller, Darker Than Amber in 1970, with Rod Taylor, he teamed up with Bruce Lee for Enter the Dragon. He made a number of martial arts films, Black Belt Jones, Golden Needles, The Ultimate Warrior, Game of Death. In 1980 he teamed with Jackie Chan for The Big Brawl. He also directed a number of programs for the Disney channel.

1. Audience interest in animal disaster films? The appeal of animal menace and terror? The analogy with horror films, fear? Fear fantasies and coping with them? The quality of this animal menace film?

2. The significance: focus of the title? The photography of the dogs at all stages of the film, atmosphere, menace, sense of their presence, violence, hunger and viciousness?

3. The importance of the isolated island atmosphere? The holiday haven and the tourists going away? The few people left with their occupations the store, fishing, testing for marine biology etc.? Their homes? The use of the island locations for the human beings, for the pack, forests, the water and cliffs? The plausibility of having, only one boat for the mainland? Radio and the communications links? cross-section of people presented?

4. Gerry and Milly and their two boys, Hardiman, Cobb? The visitors and the world of finance and implications of corruption that they represent? The goodies and the baddies for this kind of film? The pack's treatment of those considered good, those bad? Attacks, deaths?

5. The push of the visitors - the bank manager and his arrogance, the vice-president, Marge the secretary, Lois the girl friend and her instructions for Tommy? Their purpose In the holiday? Their attitudes towards one another, to Gerry and the inhabitants? The deaths, especially of Tommy at the cliff, Lois and her seeking refuge in the shed where the dogs were? The manager and his being savaged? Poetic justice for their attitudes towards life?

6. The importance of the explanation at the beginning where the tourists left their dogs behind saying they would be safer on the island than in the city? The focus on the dog left behind at the beginning, its running along with the pack, its being spared at the end? How appropriate, sentiment? The plausibility of the explanation and the starving dogs banding together to become a pack? The implications of their hostility towards the human beings?

7. How well did the film build up suspense, the use of night and day, the buildings, the particular incidents of menace especially for Gerry and Milly, the two boys and their rescue after their disobedience, Tommy and the pursuit, Lois and her death? The importance of the weather and communications with the mainland, Cobb and his boat?

8. The parallelling of the dogs and their cunning with human cunning? The car sequence with Lilly, the windows, the atmosphere of siege?

9. The importance of the vigils and each taking turn? The importance of the boat and the holiday makers and the open door, the rescue of the vice-president and his foolhardiness in exposing all to death?

10. The importance of all learning to work together for self protection?

11. The final heroics, Gerry's command over the people and their reliance on him. the background of his building a house and planning a happy marriage with Milly and the bringing up of the two boys? The device of getting the dogs in the house and burning it down? The pacing of the final climax with the dogs attacking Gerry and Hardiman lighting the fire?

12. The emotional effect of a film like this, interest in the theme, the plot? Thriller aspects, horror aspects? human sentiment? American style? A good example of its kind?