Reputation alone this should be a stinker, even with the presence of rock singer Alice Cooper and the video case artwork being quite striking. Anyhow I went in expecting just that, and sure enough it's low-barrel straight-to-video schlock, which I actually didn't mind. This shoestring Spanish werewolf horror production feels like nothing more than a Cooper vehicle, especially with the time spent on him in some music video clips ( for two previously unreleased songs entitled, "Identity Crisis" and "See Me In The Mirror."). Yep that's right; he plays a popular musician (Hell at least he's true to character!) who returns back home to shoot a music video clip, but the town is plagued by murders caused by stray dogs, or something much worse. The concept isn't too bad, but the leaden script and muddled story dispatches any chance of demonstrating some quality with cheesy daftness, padded stretches and senselessly prolonged plot inclusions. Instead on relishing in suspense, and build up (despite some minor tension and sudden twist near the end) director Claudio Fragasso goes for nightmarish moodiness, as a smoky, darkly lit atmosphere of fog, and light filtering engraves itself into the forebodingly isolated location. There's no better place to stage these things than in rundown, shadowy mansions. Although it works, the direction comes off clunky, and uneven. An eerie, stinging music score splices up well with the on-screen atmosphere, while the soundtrack is an unshakable winner. Now the special effects
yeah they're hokey. However there's a terrific head explosion and plenty of blood splatter, but when it came to the beast's make-up. It's shonky. Even the dogs in picture look bewildered when the werewolf finally makes its grand appearance. The transformation sequence is wickedly cheap, but amusing. The acting is downright disposable and flaky, but Cooper's comfortably sound turn holds your interest and the ravishing Victoria Vera is tolerable.
Review of Monster Dog
