This is a highly amusing 70s "when the Ozone Layer depletes and Animals Attack!" disaster flick that should appeal to anyone who likes these kinds of movies. It has a fun cast featuring the incomparable Ruth Roman, the slightly-daft-but-that's-why-we-love-her Lynda Day George, Andrew Stevens when he was still somewhat humpy, and Leslie Neilsen in a straight-faced role like you've never seen him before...and never want to see him again. You've got all the expected plot elements here: the group disagreeing and splitting up, the one dude who gets fed up and goes bonkers, slo-mo death shots, and lots of faux animal action! Highlights include jumping rats and Nielsen dancing with a grizzly.
49 Reviews
Leslie Nielson going shirtless n bonkers is epic.
Fella_shibby6 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I first saw this as a kid in the late 80s.
Revisited it recently.
This one aint that gory like Grizzly but has lots of animals going berserk.
Mountain cats, eagles, snakes, rats, wolves, vultures and lots of dogs mayhem.
The movie has one of the most convenient n annoying ending apart from the lack of kills or gore.
Well, the best part is Leslie Nielsen going shirtless n pure bonkers.
Man, he wrestles a grizzly bear, he impales a fella merely by his walking stick, he is nasty, misogynist n pure psycho.
I dont remember his decapitation scene, whether it was onscreen or offscreen whe n i saw this as a kid but the version i saw recently, it is offscreen.
Whereas Wikipedia states that his head is devoured by the bear. Ain't that a sight to enjoy knowing that the victim is a rapist.
Revisited it recently.
This one aint that gory like Grizzly but has lots of animals going berserk.
Mountain cats, eagles, snakes, rats, wolves, vultures and lots of dogs mayhem.
The movie has one of the most convenient n annoying ending apart from the lack of kills or gore.
Well, the best part is Leslie Nielsen going shirtless n pure bonkers.
Man, he wrestles a grizzly bear, he impales a fella merely by his walking stick, he is nasty, misogynist n pure psycho.
I dont remember his decapitation scene, whether it was onscreen or offscreen whe n i saw this as a kid but the version i saw recently, it is offscreen.
Whereas Wikipedia states that his head is devoured by the bear. Ain't that a sight to enjoy knowing that the victim is a rapist.
Surely you can't expect Leslie Nielsen to wrestle a grizzly. He does, and no calling anyone Shirley.
lee_eisenberg3 June 2012
Eco-horror was one of the notable genres of 1970s cinema. William Girdler's "Day of the Animals" is a prime example. It depicts ozone depletion causing all wildlife above 5,000 feet to turn against humans. Of course, the best scene is Leslie Nielsen - still a few years away from his career in comedy* - wrestling a grizzly. This is a movie that, ridiculous as it is, must have been really fun to film. The animals really look like some mean mothers.
Yes, it's one of the many silly exploitation flicks of the era. Totally enjoyable, I might add. Unfortunately, the director got killed in a helicopter crash in the Philippines less than a year after the release. Too bad.
Also starring Christopher George, Lynda Day George, Richard Jaeckel, Andrew Stevens (Stella Stevens's son) and Michael Ansara (Barbara Eden's former husband).
*As late as 1987, Nielsen co-starred in the dead serious "Nuts".
Yes, it's one of the many silly exploitation flicks of the era. Totally enjoyable, I might add. Unfortunately, the director got killed in a helicopter crash in the Philippines less than a year after the release. Too bad.
Also starring Christopher George, Lynda Day George, Richard Jaeckel, Andrew Stevens (Stella Stevens's son) and Michael Ansara (Barbara Eden's former husband).
*As late as 1987, Nielsen co-starred in the dead serious "Nuts".
Hey Hotshot!
shmucking18 May 2004
This movie is so bad it's hilarious. Leslie Neilsen plays a guy who's so annoying and obnoxious that it's hard to believe it's meant to be a serious role. His hilarious performance is worth renting the movie. There's a lot of great one-liners from his character. Christopher George is his usual no-nonsense macho self, Andrew Stevens is great, there's a lot of pretty women, and Ruth Roman is great in the Shelley Winters role of the increasingly hysterical mom. A very seventies-type movie, and very funny. I loved the nature theme, and there's a lot of great action scenes. I love the rats who come flying at the sheriff for no apparent reason. Highly Recommended!
Survival of the unfittest.
emm25 January 1999
This was better than GRIZZLY in showing off some horrifying images of assorted wild animals hungry over human prey. On a horror level, only a slight bit of feeling. It still compares to WILD AMERICA because there's hardly anything here that best distinguishes between an evil monster or just a typical ol' wild animal. Sure it's violent, but that's nature as God intended. I can't understand why the movie heads for the wrong direction, thanks to Leslie Nielsen becoming an obnoxious freak. Even the end provides no clearer definition based on the goofy plot it has. Better head for the zoo.
Entertaining film from a master B-movie filmmaker
ODDBear8 September 2008
The earth's diminishing ozone layer is affecting the animal life in a very negative way and a few hikers are in real trouble.
Well, after reading countless reviews here and elsewhere stating that the animal attacks are laughable, I find myself in the minority group that actually was quite impressed at how the filmmakers managed to pull them off. They don't occupy much of the screen time but when they happen; well, I was impressed. Bear in mind that this is a low-budget feature film from a specialized B-movie filmmaker who used his wits and drive instead of money. As such I was very impressed with the end result.
The story here ain't much to write home about. Basically the hikers gradually learn that the animals look extremely mad and before long they're fighting for their lives.
The cast is good, a nice assembly of B-movie actors; Christopher and Linda Day George are always appealing and Leslie Nielsen really chews up the scenery as the crazy ad exec who takes on a giant bear.
The film is stretched and not much happens for quite a while but it's strangely atmospheric in a way and climaxes with some impressive stand-offs against the animals (again, I believe I represent the minority here).
William Girdler was a master copycat filmmaker, taking into account what was captivating to audiences and making a film on that subject while it was still fresh. The diminishing ozone layer was a hot topic in those days and he concocted a really neat little film (which looks much more expensive than it really was with that Panavision framing and impressive cinematography) that entertains without doing too much damage to our brains.
Well, after reading countless reviews here and elsewhere stating that the animal attacks are laughable, I find myself in the minority group that actually was quite impressed at how the filmmakers managed to pull them off. They don't occupy much of the screen time but when they happen; well, I was impressed. Bear in mind that this is a low-budget feature film from a specialized B-movie filmmaker who used his wits and drive instead of money. As such I was very impressed with the end result.
The story here ain't much to write home about. Basically the hikers gradually learn that the animals look extremely mad and before long they're fighting for their lives.
The cast is good, a nice assembly of B-movie actors; Christopher and Linda Day George are always appealing and Leslie Nielsen really chews up the scenery as the crazy ad exec who takes on a giant bear.
The film is stretched and not much happens for quite a while but it's strangely atmospheric in a way and climaxes with some impressive stand-offs against the animals (again, I believe I represent the minority here).
William Girdler was a master copycat filmmaker, taking into account what was captivating to audiences and making a film on that subject while it was still fresh. The diminishing ozone layer was a hot topic in those days and he concocted a really neat little film (which looks much more expensive than it really was with that Panavision framing and impressive cinematography) that entertains without doing too much damage to our brains.
Really enjoyed this
rdoyle2915 September 2017
Due to the depletion of the ozone layer, the sun's radiation causes all the animals to go ka-ka-koo-koo and start attacking humans ... especially at higher altitudes. Unfortunately for Christopher George, he has picked this day to take a bunch of city folks including Leslie Nielsen, Lynda Day George, Richard Jaeckel, Michael Ansara and Andrew Stevens on a nature hike into the mountains. This takes the basic 1970's disaster film formula and adds two things that folks couldn't get enough of ... animals attacking and ecology. I expected a bit of campy trash, but this is actually better than that. Sure, you have Nielson losing his marbles and wrassling a bear, but you also have a bit of legit suspense and some good performances. But man .... Nielsen is out of control here and it's magnificent.
"Hey, hot shot. We're out of food."
bensonmum211 July 2007
Warning: Spoilers
I am so glad I finally had the chance to see Day of the Animals. I've been a fan of William Girdler's Grizzly as long as I can remember. But for whatever reason, I had never seen his follow-up. So, did it meet my expectations? While I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as Grizzly, it's still a fun ride for anyone with a taste for these animal attack movies.
In this one, a varied bunch of would-be backpackers is helicoptered to the top of a mountain. The plan is to take a couple of weeks and hike down the mountain and out of the woods. Leading the hikers is experienced guide Steve Buckner (Christopher George). The rest of the group is made up of varied individuals including a boy and his overly protective mother, a couple trying to reconcile their marriage, a professor, a reporter, and an advertising executive. Things get off to a good start, but unbeknownst to the group, there's trouble brewing. It seems that ozone depletion is having a very negative effect on the animals at higher altitudes. The "negative effect" is the animals have all turned into killing machines with man as their prey. Can this band of novices make it out of the woods before they become victims?
Man, do I love this kind of movie! It plays out something like a bizarre episode of The Love Boat with killer animals at every turn. But even I realize that Day of the Animals might not be for everyone. If you don't want to watch a band of ill-equipped, ill-prepared 70s types walking and talking their way through the forest, you might want to skip it. The actual animal attacks, while acceptable, are standard 70s movie stuff nothing overly special or groundbreaking about them. The tension and atmosphere is also standard for a 70s animal attack movie. A shot of the people a shot of the animal another shot of the people a shot of the animal getting closer to the people. If you've seen it once, you've seen it a million times. Fortunately for me, I get a real kick out of this kind of cheese.
But the best part of the movie has to be the performance of Leslie Nielsen. It has to be the most over-the-top piece of acting I've ever been fortunate enough to see. You could look far and wide and not find anything that comes close to the scene-chewing on display in Day of the Animals. A friend of mine wrote the he almost gave the movie a 10/10 based solely on Nielsen performance. I've gotta agree with that. He's that amazing!
In this one, a varied bunch of would-be backpackers is helicoptered to the top of a mountain. The plan is to take a couple of weeks and hike down the mountain and out of the woods. Leading the hikers is experienced guide Steve Buckner (Christopher George). The rest of the group is made up of varied individuals including a boy and his overly protective mother, a couple trying to reconcile their marriage, a professor, a reporter, and an advertising executive. Things get off to a good start, but unbeknownst to the group, there's trouble brewing. It seems that ozone depletion is having a very negative effect on the animals at higher altitudes. The "negative effect" is the animals have all turned into killing machines with man as their prey. Can this band of novices make it out of the woods before they become victims?
Man, do I love this kind of movie! It plays out something like a bizarre episode of The Love Boat with killer animals at every turn. But even I realize that Day of the Animals might not be for everyone. If you don't want to watch a band of ill-equipped, ill-prepared 70s types walking and talking their way through the forest, you might want to skip it. The actual animal attacks, while acceptable, are standard 70s movie stuff nothing overly special or groundbreaking about them. The tension and atmosphere is also standard for a 70s animal attack movie. A shot of the people a shot of the animal another shot of the people a shot of the animal getting closer to the people. If you've seen it once, you've seen it a million times. Fortunately for me, I get a real kick out of this kind of cheese.
But the best part of the movie has to be the performance of Leslie Nielsen. It has to be the most over-the-top piece of acting I've ever been fortunate enough to see. You could look far and wide and not find anything that comes close to the scene-chewing on display in Day of the Animals. A friend of mine wrote the he almost gave the movie a 10/10 based solely on Nielsen performance. I've gotta agree with that. He's that amazing!
Now It's the Animals' Turn to Hunt
romanorum127 April 2017
The opening caption tells us that in 1974 two UCal scientists revealed that fluorocarbon gases used in aerosol spray cans were seriously damaging the earth's protective layer of ozone. It warns that the potentially dangerous amounts of radiation (ultra-violet rays) that subsequently reached the earth's surface were affecting living things in adverse ways. Then the movie is supposed to dramatize what COULD happen if mankind didn't change its methods: the day of the crazed animals, especially those at high altitude!
The movie begins with twelve campers, dropped off by helicopter, who hike in high country as spooky-looking animals (mountain lions, coyotes, bears, eagles, vultures, etc.) watch. Dogs growl menacingly; eagles screech. The owl looks like it has an evil eye. Sunrays shine menacingly. The unnerving music tells us that the folks are in danger. The campers have almost no food. Before long the animals attack the human campers; even the sheriff is attacked in his house. The police and rangers have notified the area's population to evacuate their houses in the high country. The campers split into two groups: (1) those with Buckner (Christopher George) head to lower country where it is safer but longer (35 miles), a route recommended by authorities and (2) those with Paul Jenson (Leslie Nielsen) head upland away from the safe areas but closer to a ranger station (15 miles). Jenson had been riding Buckner during the whole trip. Along the way he is a crazed man who loses his way. Wonder how many will return? HINT: the way these movies go you can bet that one-half will make it safely. Near the end there is one interesting scene that I have never seen in cinema. Three survivors of one group barely escape from wild dogs on a moored river raft. But before the raft can move quickly along the rapids several wild dogs overtake it. The humans hang on along the sides of the raft in the water while the animals are on the platform. As they struggle to stay afloat when the raft is caught up in the current, they cannot really harm the humans. Helpless, they will soon be tossed into the big drink. Gulp!
Movie is rated so-so despite a rather impressive veteran cast that includes Nielsen, Richard Jaeckel, Michael Ansara, and Ruth Roman. Linda Day George, not a great actress, contributes next to nothing. Christopher George is a macho-man, along with Ansara. Out of character, Nielsen plays an advertising man who chews up the scenery, repels everybody, and calls team leaders George "Hotshot" and Ansara "Kemo Sabe." Later deranged by the sun's rays, he does despicable things and even charges a bear! Personally I doubt that the animals would act this erratic way and turn against humans if the ozone layer shrinks, but the idea does provide a story-line. By the way, did you notice that the animals did not attack one another? Smart! THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION: Women, stop using hair spray!
The movie begins with twelve campers, dropped off by helicopter, who hike in high country as spooky-looking animals (mountain lions, coyotes, bears, eagles, vultures, etc.) watch. Dogs growl menacingly; eagles screech. The owl looks like it has an evil eye. Sunrays shine menacingly. The unnerving music tells us that the folks are in danger. The campers have almost no food. Before long the animals attack the human campers; even the sheriff is attacked in his house. The police and rangers have notified the area's population to evacuate their houses in the high country. The campers split into two groups: (1) those with Buckner (Christopher George) head to lower country where it is safer but longer (35 miles), a route recommended by authorities and (2) those with Paul Jenson (Leslie Nielsen) head upland away from the safe areas but closer to a ranger station (15 miles). Jenson had been riding Buckner during the whole trip. Along the way he is a crazed man who loses his way. Wonder how many will return? HINT: the way these movies go you can bet that one-half will make it safely. Near the end there is one interesting scene that I have never seen in cinema. Three survivors of one group barely escape from wild dogs on a moored river raft. But before the raft can move quickly along the rapids several wild dogs overtake it. The humans hang on along the sides of the raft in the water while the animals are on the platform. As they struggle to stay afloat when the raft is caught up in the current, they cannot really harm the humans. Helpless, they will soon be tossed into the big drink. Gulp!
Movie is rated so-so despite a rather impressive veteran cast that includes Nielsen, Richard Jaeckel, Michael Ansara, and Ruth Roman. Linda Day George, not a great actress, contributes next to nothing. Christopher George is a macho-man, along with Ansara. Out of character, Nielsen plays an advertising man who chews up the scenery, repels everybody, and calls team leaders George "Hotshot" and Ansara "Kemo Sabe." Later deranged by the sun's rays, he does despicable things and even charges a bear! Personally I doubt that the animals would act this erratic way and turn against humans if the ozone layer shrinks, but the idea does provide a story-line. By the way, did you notice that the animals did not attack one another? Smart! THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION: Women, stop using hair spray!
Garbage But Entertaining Garbage
Theo Robertson18 January 2004
***** SPOILERS *****
So if there's a hole in the ozone layer the increased levels of radation will cause animals of all ilks to attack humans . Hmmm . There is actually a hole in the ozone layer but I don't think even Greenpeace are claiming this will cause us to be attacked by fluffy animals and feathered friends
But DAY OF THE ANIMALS isn't really a film to take seriously and like THE SWARM it's a movie that mixes the disaster movie with the sci-fi genre with the exact same result - It's a bad movie but an entertaining one . The characters are one dimensional clichés , the former sports star , the young couple in love , the Jewish momma and of course the cruel capatilist which in this movie is played by Leslie Nielson in a straight role . Well I said a straight role but Nielson plays it in the same manner as he played his role in THE NAKED GUN trilogy , I mean check out his dialouge : " You're not in Hollywood now Mrs Beverly hills bitch , you'll get what what I give you and I'll take what I want " It goes without saying the death scenes here are like something that was written for THE NAKED GUN , I mean getting eaten by a grizzly bear ? That's like the bad guy in THE NAKED GUN getting attacked by a lion . I also believe it's impossible to impale someone on a walking stick
But this is a fun film despite the serious flaws . It's not a film you're going to watch over and over again but it's enjoyable for all the wrong reasons . My only real complaint is the very weak ending of having all the animals dying due to radation sickness thereby saving humanity
So if there's a hole in the ozone layer the increased levels of radation will cause animals of all ilks to attack humans . Hmmm . There is actually a hole in the ozone layer but I don't think even Greenpeace are claiming this will cause us to be attacked by fluffy animals and feathered friends
But DAY OF THE ANIMALS isn't really a film to take seriously and like THE SWARM it's a movie that mixes the disaster movie with the sci-fi genre with the exact same result - It's a bad movie but an entertaining one . The characters are one dimensional clichés , the former sports star , the young couple in love , the Jewish momma and of course the cruel capatilist which in this movie is played by Leslie Nielson in a straight role . Well I said a straight role but Nielson plays it in the same manner as he played his role in THE NAKED GUN trilogy , I mean check out his dialouge : " You're not in Hollywood now Mrs Beverly hills bitch , you'll get what what I give you and I'll take what I want " It goes without saying the death scenes here are like something that was written for THE NAKED GUN , I mean getting eaten by a grizzly bear ? That's like the bad guy in THE NAKED GUN getting attacked by a lion . I also believe it's impossible to impale someone on a walking stick
But this is a fun film despite the serious flaws . It's not a film you're going to watch over and over again but it's enjoyable for all the wrong reasons . My only real complaint is the very weak ending of having all the animals dying due to radation sickness thereby saving humanity
Has a television movie vibe going on
Aaron13758 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This is one of several disaster films of the 70's, this one being one where nature runs amok rather than a natural disaster occurring or a fire burning down a building. So, there are a few elements of horror within this one. It is also one of the disaster films that got the short end of the budget meaning it was made cheaply. So what we do not get is a super all star cast, but you do get actors Christopher George and Leslie Nielson and they do fairly well here. I feel this one just would have done better with a higher budget, as it stands it just has that television movie feel going on in it.
The story has the ozone depletion causing animals to go crazy and go on the attack at higher levels. Of course, this was when we were all being warned about this particular phenomenon and it was going to wipe us out, once it waned out something else would take its place. So, it already has a bad premise. I highly doubt the ozone being gone would do anything other than make animals and humans alike sluggish and then burn up! Well a group of hikers get dropped off on the mountain just before an evacuation and they soon are targeted by animals. A lot of the hikers, strangely, don't seem to even want to be on this expedition. Things break down, one of the hikers goes crazy, not sure why just one of them was affected the same way the animals were, and a lot of name calling occurs! Seriously, Leslie Nielson's character constantly insults a native American, but apparently calling someone 'hotshot' is worse and more likely to get one hit.
I think this could have been a good film, but needed more of a horror vibe to it and a few more animal attack scenes. Most of the film has the characters doing the whole disaster film melodrama thing as the characters get closer, only to watch as people desert each other at the first sign of trouble. Leslie Nielson's group was a bit more entertaining and there were some cool scenes, just not enough.
So, not totally bad, but just not good either. Too many things that made a person go 'what'? Like sending a woman and her husband down the mountain alone after the woman was mauled by a wolf. I am thinking the native American guide should have went with them. What is the likelihood of running into an entire camp of German Shepherds? How the hell do snakes get into a car with the windows up? Of course, these things also made the film more entertaining to watch as it was kind of funny in a demented way.
The story has the ozone depletion causing animals to go crazy and go on the attack at higher levels. Of course, this was when we were all being warned about this particular phenomenon and it was going to wipe us out, once it waned out something else would take its place. So, it already has a bad premise. I highly doubt the ozone being gone would do anything other than make animals and humans alike sluggish and then burn up! Well a group of hikers get dropped off on the mountain just before an evacuation and they soon are targeted by animals. A lot of the hikers, strangely, don't seem to even want to be on this expedition. Things break down, one of the hikers goes crazy, not sure why just one of them was affected the same way the animals were, and a lot of name calling occurs! Seriously, Leslie Nielson's character constantly insults a native American, but apparently calling someone 'hotshot' is worse and more likely to get one hit.
I think this could have been a good film, but needed more of a horror vibe to it and a few more animal attack scenes. Most of the film has the characters doing the whole disaster film melodrama thing as the characters get closer, only to watch as people desert each other at the first sign of trouble. Leslie Nielson's group was a bit more entertaining and there were some cool scenes, just not enough.
So, not totally bad, but just not good either. Too many things that made a person go 'what'? Like sending a woman and her husband down the mountain alone after the woman was mauled by a wolf. I am thinking the native American guide should have went with them. What is the likelihood of running into an entire camp of German Shepherds? How the hell do snakes get into a car with the windows up? Of course, these things also made the film more entertaining to watch as it was kind of funny in a demented way.
Ten out of ten.
rolemodel-2700429 January 2021
Day of the Animals (1977)
SnakesOnAnAfricanPlain13 December 2011
Fun and face-palmingly brilliant killer monster nonsense. It was awesome to see so much use of real animals. I was also very surprised at who bought it and when, and in a film like this, sometimes who gets killed is the best part. The characters all turn against each other, or splinter off into groups. It's also fun to see a mother and child relationship which isn't all cuddles and sunshine. Best of all though, is Nielsen, in a performance that shows him as a tough mans man. He goes topless, he manhandles women, and he fights a friggin' bear. That, my friends, was an unexpected performance and just goes to show that you should never pigeon- hole an actor.
Unintentional Laughs Redeem Another Jaws Ripoff
Heres_Johny21 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Take a deep breath, stop drinking and eating, and let me lay out the premise of Day Of The Animals for you: big-haired women of the mid-70's have depleted the ozone layer with all their hairspray, and now UV radiation is turning animals into vicious kill-bots bent on human destruction.
My impression is that they meant for this to be an ecological-horror. Quite contrary! Though it reunites producer Edward Montero and Christopher George- whom I've only just yesterday finished ripping a new one in my review for Grizzly- there's another star, the true hero of the story, who just so happens to be playing the villain: Leslie Nielsen.
And yes, for you younger people, that is the guy from the Naked Gun series, and yes, he is freakin' hilarious. Which is how Day Of The Animals, quite unintentionally, put me in the correct mindset to receive it as comedy gold. Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, accept that reality.
Montero and his buddies wanted to make another Grizzly, which was them making another Jaws, and as South Park taught us, "If you french-fry when you should have pizza'd, you're gonna have a bad time." But if you accept the accidental comedy, you might actually enjoy it.
I've never reviewed a comedy, but I'll do my best!
Christopher George resumes his roll as Chiseljaw from Grizzly, which is to say his beautiful jawline probably drew in more women than would otherwise ever watch this garbage. I forget his character's actual name, but the comedy starts right off the bat with his overstated, quasi-country accent. He's leading a group of hikers out into wild high-country, despite the fact that his boss has been getting weird reports of crazed animals. Montero & Co. had a helicopter left over from shooting Grizzly, so they go ahead and pile all the tourist in those – that's my theory anyways – and we're really running with a few unintentional caricatures right off the bat targeting Native Americans and New-York accented whining women (come on, people, I thought the seventies were better than that).
But all is not well in Camelot. Something's rotten in the state of Denmark. There's been a disturbance in the Force (and this one goes to 11). Birds of prey surround the hikers at their very first stop as they hoof it up the mountain, squawking and screeching and generally reminding me more of Bigbird than serial killers. Being something of a raptor aficionado myself, I can't help but oogle at the cute little condors, redtails, and turkey-vultures. Back at base-camp... or town, or wherever it was the ill-fated hikers departed from... a mangy-looking dog growls menacingly, to add to the growing sense of unease (or in my case, the growing sense of amusement).
Oooh! Now the hawks are stalking the hikers? Sweet! We've got a regular Jeffrey Dahmer here.
I'd based my expectation off Grizzly, so I was actually surprised at how long we go before the first fatality. You'll have to wait nearly half an hour for the first animal attack. Not to worry: once we get the first body, the hilarity ensues in rapid succession. Leslie Nielsen moves to center-stage, rapidly evolving into the human antagonist with racist jokes and venomous one-liners.
Is this an actual plot element I detect? Is it possible that the ozone-radiation induced madness turning the animals into murderous gangbangers is also going to turn the humans into raving lunatics?
We've got hawks dragging people off cliffs, complete with Wilhelm scream. We've got Lone Wolf attacks- no, not that kind, literally a lone wolf- which somehow turns one victim's face not into hamburger meat, but rather leaves the attractive starlet with superficial red streaks. Meanwhile, solitary cougars have formed hunting packs, which has my inner naturalist guffawing at the reversal. We've got viking-inspired rats pillaging pantries, and then, faces! Supposedly vicious dogs, tails a-wagging out of lovable glee as they sew havoc and destruction.
By now it's 10PM and I'm a little drunk. Which is how I discovered Day of the Animal's true value: as a drinking game. Going forward, I'll highly recommend the film and the drinking rules as follow:
Drink whenever
1) You laugh at Chiseljaw's ridiculous accent 2) Leslie Nielsen calls the Native American guide "hotshot", makes fun of another hiker/delivers a one-line zinger, or does anything remotely racist (careful, you'll be drunk by about mid-film) 3) The supposedly menacing critters make you "ooh" and "ah" at their adorableness 4) You spot a fishing line attached to a leaping critter 5) The totally not a Jewish stereotype mom flips out
You can imagine how my night ended. Maybe the movie was hilarious, maybe I was just three sheets to the wind. I lasted to the credits, at least, at which point I proceeded to worship the porcelain throne face-first.
Was this movie a good horror film? Absolutely not. Was I too drunk to objectively determines its quality as a comedy? Probably. Was it the film's constant glare or my bargain-bin vodka responsible for my pounding headache afterward? God knows. Are the women- including the lead- there as anything but eye-candy, damsels in distress, and gore-fodder? Not really, but it was the seventies. How is it that the animals only target humans, but never each other? Come on, folks; we're talking about the people who made Grizzly. Don't go dragging logic into this equation!
I can't in good conscience recommend this movie to anyone who isn't ready to down a fifth of bourbon while watching. If interpreted as intended – as an eco-horror – it misses the mark entirely.
But if you watch it as an unintentional comedy, and you're the sort of person who gets off on truly horrible film, this one's right up your alley.
My impression is that they meant for this to be an ecological-horror. Quite contrary! Though it reunites producer Edward Montero and Christopher George- whom I've only just yesterday finished ripping a new one in my review for Grizzly- there's another star, the true hero of the story, who just so happens to be playing the villain: Leslie Nielsen.
And yes, for you younger people, that is the guy from the Naked Gun series, and yes, he is freakin' hilarious. Which is how Day Of The Animals, quite unintentionally, put me in the correct mindset to receive it as comedy gold. Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, accept that reality.
Montero and his buddies wanted to make another Grizzly, which was them making another Jaws, and as South Park taught us, "If you french-fry when you should have pizza'd, you're gonna have a bad time." But if you accept the accidental comedy, you might actually enjoy it.
I've never reviewed a comedy, but I'll do my best!
Christopher George resumes his roll as Chiseljaw from Grizzly, which is to say his beautiful jawline probably drew in more women than would otherwise ever watch this garbage. I forget his character's actual name, but the comedy starts right off the bat with his overstated, quasi-country accent. He's leading a group of hikers out into wild high-country, despite the fact that his boss has been getting weird reports of crazed animals. Montero & Co. had a helicopter left over from shooting Grizzly, so they go ahead and pile all the tourist in those – that's my theory anyways – and we're really running with a few unintentional caricatures right off the bat targeting Native Americans and New-York accented whining women (come on, people, I thought the seventies were better than that).
But all is not well in Camelot. Something's rotten in the state of Denmark. There's been a disturbance in the Force (and this one goes to 11). Birds of prey surround the hikers at their very first stop as they hoof it up the mountain, squawking and screeching and generally reminding me more of Bigbird than serial killers. Being something of a raptor aficionado myself, I can't help but oogle at the cute little condors, redtails, and turkey-vultures. Back at base-camp... or town, or wherever it was the ill-fated hikers departed from... a mangy-looking dog growls menacingly, to add to the growing sense of unease (or in my case, the growing sense of amusement).
Oooh! Now the hawks are stalking the hikers? Sweet! We've got a regular Jeffrey Dahmer here.
I'd based my expectation off Grizzly, so I was actually surprised at how long we go before the first fatality. You'll have to wait nearly half an hour for the first animal attack. Not to worry: once we get the first body, the hilarity ensues in rapid succession. Leslie Nielsen moves to center-stage, rapidly evolving into the human antagonist with racist jokes and venomous one-liners.
Is this an actual plot element I detect? Is it possible that the ozone-radiation induced madness turning the animals into murderous gangbangers is also going to turn the humans into raving lunatics?
We've got hawks dragging people off cliffs, complete with Wilhelm scream. We've got Lone Wolf attacks- no, not that kind, literally a lone wolf- which somehow turns one victim's face not into hamburger meat, but rather leaves the attractive starlet with superficial red streaks. Meanwhile, solitary cougars have formed hunting packs, which has my inner naturalist guffawing at the reversal. We've got viking-inspired rats pillaging pantries, and then, faces! Supposedly vicious dogs, tails a-wagging out of lovable glee as they sew havoc and destruction.
By now it's 10PM and I'm a little drunk. Which is how I discovered Day of the Animal's true value: as a drinking game. Going forward, I'll highly recommend the film and the drinking rules as follow:
Drink whenever
1) You laugh at Chiseljaw's ridiculous accent 2) Leslie Nielsen calls the Native American guide "hotshot", makes fun of another hiker/delivers a one-line zinger, or does anything remotely racist (careful, you'll be drunk by about mid-film) 3) The supposedly menacing critters make you "ooh" and "ah" at their adorableness 4) You spot a fishing line attached to a leaping critter 5) The totally not a Jewish stereotype mom flips out
You can imagine how my night ended. Maybe the movie was hilarious, maybe I was just three sheets to the wind. I lasted to the credits, at least, at which point I proceeded to worship the porcelain throne face-first.
Was this movie a good horror film? Absolutely not. Was I too drunk to objectively determines its quality as a comedy? Probably. Was it the film's constant glare or my bargain-bin vodka responsible for my pounding headache afterward? God knows. Are the women- including the lead- there as anything but eye-candy, damsels in distress, and gore-fodder? Not really, but it was the seventies. How is it that the animals only target humans, but never each other? Come on, folks; we're talking about the people who made Grizzly. Don't go dragging logic into this equation!
I can't in good conscience recommend this movie to anyone who isn't ready to down a fifth of bourbon while watching. If interpreted as intended – as an eco-horror – it misses the mark entirely.
But if you watch it as an unintentional comedy, and you're the sort of person who gets off on truly horrible film, this one's right up your alley.
"You Lilly-Livered Punk! I'm Running This Camping Trip!"...
azathothpwiggins8 January 2019
DAY OF THE ANIMALS is Director William Girdler's take on the "nature's revenge" film.
Trail guide, Steve Buckner (Christopher George) takes a group of city folks up into the mountains, unaware that something strange has taken place. It seems that mankind has depleted the ozone layer with their aerosol sprays, causing the wildlife to go berserk.
Now, Buckner and company find themselves up against an onslaught from land, stream, and air! This generally consists of shots of creatures looking bemused.
Meanwhile, hiker, Paul Jensen (Leslie Nielsen) begins acting like a total jackass, and native American, Daniel Santee (Michael Ansara) gives wise advice and looks warily into the forest. Professor Macgregor (Richard Jaeckel) takes pictures, and TV news personality, Terry Marsh (Lynda Day George) appears concerned. Unsurprisingly, the hellishness factor increases exponentially, while Jensen becomes an even bigger jerk, and the humans are put on the endangered species list!
DOTA is as enjoyable as it is absurd. It also boasts some superb shots of the natural surroundings, and tons of cool critters! So, if you love the great outdoors, or simply believe that mankind has ruled the Earth long enough, this movie will satisfy!
BEST BITS: #1- The flying rat attack! #2- Jensen shedding his shirt and coming completely unglued, going bare-chested like an eeevil Tarzan!
Indeed, this could be our future...
Trail guide, Steve Buckner (Christopher George) takes a group of city folks up into the mountains, unaware that something strange has taken place. It seems that mankind has depleted the ozone layer with their aerosol sprays, causing the wildlife to go berserk.
Now, Buckner and company find themselves up against an onslaught from land, stream, and air! This generally consists of shots of creatures looking bemused.
Meanwhile, hiker, Paul Jensen (Leslie Nielsen) begins acting like a total jackass, and native American, Daniel Santee (Michael Ansara) gives wise advice and looks warily into the forest. Professor Macgregor (Richard Jaeckel) takes pictures, and TV news personality, Terry Marsh (Lynda Day George) appears concerned. Unsurprisingly, the hellishness factor increases exponentially, while Jensen becomes an even bigger jerk, and the humans are put on the endangered species list!
DOTA is as enjoyable as it is absurd. It also boasts some superb shots of the natural surroundings, and tons of cool critters! So, if you love the great outdoors, or simply believe that mankind has ruled the Earth long enough, this movie will satisfy!
BEST BITS: #1- The flying rat attack! #2- Jensen shedding his shirt and coming completely unglued, going bare-chested like an eeevil Tarzan!
Indeed, this could be our future...
Worth watching for seeing Leslie Nielsen go berserk only.
Boba_Fett113812 January 2011
You might expect lots of fun from a movie called "Day of the Animals", that features a story about animals turning against humans, due to a sudden discovered problem with the ozone-layer (yeah don't ask, still not sure how that works in this movie). But the movie is a bit of a disappointment, since very little is actually happening in it. It's a real lackluster, that only becomes mildly interesting when the Leslie Nielsen character for some reason suddenly becomes crazy mad.
Seriously, Leslie Nielsen's role in this movie is more hilarious than any of the movies he did in the last couple of years. And he is not even playing his character in this movie in a comedy-like way but he's playing it completely straight and serious, which really makes it all the more hilarious.
But other than that, this is a really uninteresting genre movie to watch, that absolutely has nothing special in it. It's not the worst movie in its genre but that is because it is not being the most ridicules one. There is just far too little happening for that to become so.
It really takes a long time before there is finally something happening in the movie and when it does, it's over before you know it. Surely they could had done far more interesting with its concept of all kinds of animals attacking humans, despite of its obvious low budget. The moments in which the animals attack in this movie are not done well at all and absolutely do not work out and are often more laughable than anything else really. So perhaps it after all is not such a bad thing at all that there are actually being very little moments in which the animals attack.
The story really doesn't ever makes much sense but you just have to go along with it and don't think too much about anything that is happening, or else you will most likely be never able to finish watching this movie.
Really not much good about this movie, though it obviously could had all still been a lot worse.
5/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
Seriously, Leslie Nielsen's role in this movie is more hilarious than any of the movies he did in the last couple of years. And he is not even playing his character in this movie in a comedy-like way but he's playing it completely straight and serious, which really makes it all the more hilarious.
But other than that, this is a really uninteresting genre movie to watch, that absolutely has nothing special in it. It's not the worst movie in its genre but that is because it is not being the most ridicules one. There is just far too little happening for that to become so.
It really takes a long time before there is finally something happening in the movie and when it does, it's over before you know it. Surely they could had done far more interesting with its concept of all kinds of animals attacking humans, despite of its obvious low budget. The moments in which the animals attack in this movie are not done well at all and absolutely do not work out and are often more laughable than anything else really. So perhaps it after all is not such a bad thing at all that there are actually being very little moments in which the animals attack.
The story really doesn't ever makes much sense but you just have to go along with it and don't think too much about anything that is happening, or else you will most likely be never able to finish watching this movie.
Really not much good about this movie, though it obviously could had all still been a lot worse.
5/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
NATURE GONE WILD
kirbylee70-599-52617928 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Director William Girdler never lived long enough to see his career soar to heights they could have. Known for making several movies in the exploitation genre like THREE ON A MEATHOOL, ABBY, GRIZZLY and THE MANITOU, he died in a helicopter accident while scouting locations for his next film. He left behind only 9 films in total. Among those was the environmental/animals attack film DAY OF THE ANIMALS.
A group of tourists are about to set out on a days long hiking trip in a park in northern California. Led by guide Steve Buckner (Christopher George) they include Prof. MacGregor (Richard Jaeckel) an anthropologist, Paul Jenson (Leslie Nielsen) an advertising exec, a teenage couple Beth Hughes and Bob Denning (Kathleen Bracken and Andrew Stevens), a wealthy older woman Shirley (Ruth Roman) and he son Johnny (Bobby Porter), a former pro football player Roy Moore who has cancer (Paul Mantee), bickering married couple Frank and Mandy Young (Jon Cedar and Susan Backlinie) and Daniel Santee, a Native American guide. Before heading out a park ranger tells Buckner that there's been some unusual animal attacks in the area and asks him to call it off but he keeps the group moving.
Not long after the group takes off word comes in that a depletion in the ozone levels is affecting wildlife above a certain level in the landscape. By then the park ranger has no way of reaching Buckner and his party.
As the group travels they are followed by a hawk that's apparently keeping a close eye on them. We also see various other animals that would never associate with one another creeping around as well, everything from a bear to wolves to snakes.
Eventually as their first day comes to an end they come across a campsite with a fire going and coffee on the fire with no one to be seen. Buckner assures them it is more likely than not they went off into the woods and got lost but will return. As it grows dark Santee is feels that something strange is going on and share's his concerns with Buckner. Buckner asks him not to say anything and they agree to keep watch that night. Even so a wolf comes into their campground and attacks Mandy, leaving her with a severe bite.
The next day the group separates with Frank taking his wife Mandy down to a nearby ranger tower so she can get medical help while the rest of the group continues to move up the mountain towards the next stop where food is waiting for them scheduled to be dropped in by helicopter. When they get to the food it's been destroyed or eaten by animals. Jenson begins insulting and calling out Buckner as incompetent. Soon after he splits the group with some following him and the rest remaining with Buckner.
What follows is a world gone wild where this ozone depletion affects both man and beast. The animals work together to attack the would be campers. Jensen begins to act as if in a rage demanding to be almost worshiped by those who went with him. And the effects of the ozone level on the animals reach all the way back into town.
Movies about the environment and pollution having an effect on animals and wildlife have been a staple of the horror genre for years. Their frequency increased after the push for the environment in the 60s and 70s. They made good story fodder though and we saw everything from rampaging frogs to 30 ft. Tall rabbits. This movie is a bit more subtle than those but effectively uses the concept of animals working together to take their revenge.
Girdler may have made movies on a low budget but they never looked like they were. His use of the camera to present a great looking film combined with some nice editing always made the films look like they were major productions. His casts were largely made up of actors on the way up or the way down but he always got performances from them that were believable and in a film like this that always mattered. It's sad to think that he only left behind 9 movies. One can only imagine what he was capable of if he'd had a bigger budget. In the meantime this one and the other 8 are enjoyable films worth watching.
A group of tourists are about to set out on a days long hiking trip in a park in northern California. Led by guide Steve Buckner (Christopher George) they include Prof. MacGregor (Richard Jaeckel) an anthropologist, Paul Jenson (Leslie Nielsen) an advertising exec, a teenage couple Beth Hughes and Bob Denning (Kathleen Bracken and Andrew Stevens), a wealthy older woman Shirley (Ruth Roman) and he son Johnny (Bobby Porter), a former pro football player Roy Moore who has cancer (Paul Mantee), bickering married couple Frank and Mandy Young (Jon Cedar and Susan Backlinie) and Daniel Santee, a Native American guide. Before heading out a park ranger tells Buckner that there's been some unusual animal attacks in the area and asks him to call it off but he keeps the group moving.
Not long after the group takes off word comes in that a depletion in the ozone levels is affecting wildlife above a certain level in the landscape. By then the park ranger has no way of reaching Buckner and his party.
As the group travels they are followed by a hawk that's apparently keeping a close eye on them. We also see various other animals that would never associate with one another creeping around as well, everything from a bear to wolves to snakes.
Eventually as their first day comes to an end they come across a campsite with a fire going and coffee on the fire with no one to be seen. Buckner assures them it is more likely than not they went off into the woods and got lost but will return. As it grows dark Santee is feels that something strange is going on and share's his concerns with Buckner. Buckner asks him not to say anything and they agree to keep watch that night. Even so a wolf comes into their campground and attacks Mandy, leaving her with a severe bite.
The next day the group separates with Frank taking his wife Mandy down to a nearby ranger tower so she can get medical help while the rest of the group continues to move up the mountain towards the next stop where food is waiting for them scheduled to be dropped in by helicopter. When they get to the food it's been destroyed or eaten by animals. Jenson begins insulting and calling out Buckner as incompetent. Soon after he splits the group with some following him and the rest remaining with Buckner.
What follows is a world gone wild where this ozone depletion affects both man and beast. The animals work together to attack the would be campers. Jensen begins to act as if in a rage demanding to be almost worshiped by those who went with him. And the effects of the ozone level on the animals reach all the way back into town.
Movies about the environment and pollution having an effect on animals and wildlife have been a staple of the horror genre for years. Their frequency increased after the push for the environment in the 60s and 70s. They made good story fodder though and we saw everything from rampaging frogs to 30 ft. Tall rabbits. This movie is a bit more subtle than those but effectively uses the concept of animals working together to take their revenge.
Girdler may have made movies on a low budget but they never looked like they were. His use of the camera to present a great looking film combined with some nice editing always made the films look like they were major productions. His casts were largely made up of actors on the way up or the way down but he always got performances from them that were believable and in a film like this that always mattered. It's sad to think that he only left behind 9 movies. One can only imagine what he was capable of if he'd had a bigger budget. In the meantime this one and the other 8 are enjoyable films worth watching.
Tame
petersdc-315 August 2000
Day of the Animals bites. Well, it's not that bad, however there's little excitement in it. Some of the animal attacks are good. But, most are tame! Maybe the makers took one cutting room floor scene from these movies; The Birds, Grizzly, The Pack, Willard, and SSSSSSSS! Could of been much better. Overall Grade: D+
Let me tell you 'bout the birds and the bees
and millions of other fierce creatures!
Coventry18 March 2007
Warning: Spoilers
I'm pretty sure that if director William Grindler hadn't died prematurely, as a result of a tragic helicopter crash in 1978, he would have grown out to become Jess Franco's equivalent in America, with literally dozens of horror & cult films on his repertoire. In only six years time, Grindler had already directed eight films; of which some of them are quite derivative of each other. This "Day of the Animals", for example, is almost an exact copy of Grindler's earlier (and arguably most successful) creature feature "Grizzly", only there's a much wider selection of animal opponents duh and slightly more detailed character drawings. The lack of surprise makes "Day of the Animals" a rather mediocre late 70's flick, but it still comes warmly recommended to all fans of 'nature ferociously revolting against humanity'-films for several reasons. For example, Grindler maintains an effectively tense atmosphere throughout the whole film (even during the rather slow and occasionally dull first half hour), some of the animals' attacks are definitely exciting and there's a wide and interesting variety of characters trying to escape the wrath of the animal kingdom gone mad. Twelve of the most appalling people go on a guided hiking/survival trek in the Californian mountains and quickly notice there's a unusually strange and mildly unsettling ambiance in the air. Rightly so, because the overly polluted ozone balance upsets and completely disorientates all the animals and causes them to spontaneously attack the human trespassers in their area. Under the animals' siege, the group quickly falls apart and their petrified and obnoxious attitudes turns them into easy targets for the wild birds, wolves, dogs, cougars, snakes, etc etc... As mentioned above, the first half hour of the film is slow and slightly dull, mainly because there are too many characters that require a basic introduction. Their backgrounds are rather relevant for the rest of the film, so it's important you know there's the wise Indian, the troubled married couple, the ill football-player, the insufferable advertising executive, the gorgeous female journalist and so on. Still, even during these initial script-formalities, Grindler creates an ominous atmosphere using simple tricks like moody music and extended images of viciously staring animals. As soon as the group starts arguing constantly and falls apart, the story becomes slightly too implausible and particularly Leslie Nielsen's over-the-top portrayal of the ill-tempered business man is hard to take serious. The sequences in which Mandy ("Jaws" star Susan Backlinie) falls victim to a virulent bird-attack and Frank (Jon Cedar) desperately tries to avoid a wild confrontation with rabid dogs observed by an already traumatized young girl are downright brilliant pieces of pure suspense that reminded me of the best moments of critically acclaimed creature-features, like "The Birds", "Jaws" and "Them!". The ending, however, is severely disappointing, as I *** Spoiler *** was anticipating a typically disturbing and merciless fate for mankind, like it was the case in "Kingdom of the Spiders". Too bad.
Quite Watchable - And Memorable For Leslie Nielsen's Over The Top Descent Into Insanity!
sddavis6320 July 2019
Today, the concern is about climate change. Back in the 70's the concern was about the depletion of the earth's ozone layer. "Day Of The Animals" takes that concern and turns it into a watchable if not great story about the effects of this environmental concern. A group of hikers go into the mountains, not knowing that there's a potential problem - and they most certainly discover a problem! It seems that without the ozone layer to filter solar radiation, animals (and at least one of our hiking bunch) are going insane and starting to attack any human they find. It makes for a pretty exciting hike, I suppose! There are a number of familiar faces in this. The best known is probably Leslie Nielsen, although he hasn't yet really entered the comedy phase of his career (as in the "Airplane" and "Naked Gun" movies) and those who know him for that later part of his career might find it disconcerting to see him play this particular and truly nasty character. There are also familiar faces like Linda Day George, Michael Ansara and Richard Jaeckel as well. In all honesty I wouldn't say that this was the best acted movie I've ever seen, but it certainly was't awful. The special effects (such as were necessary) were poor - there was one truly atrocious view of poor Mandy falling off a cliff - but the animal attacks portrayed were generally pretty well done and in many cases unsettling to watch. Some of the filler material causes this to drag a little bit - but there are some effective cuts back to the town below where strange things are also happening as rats attack and pet dogs go rogue.
There are things about this that are really strange, mind you. Apparently this hiking trip is going to take several days - but this particular group seems woefully ill-prepared for such a trip, and a good number of them don't even seem to want to be on the trip particularly. From completely improper footware to just general negativity - it all left me wondering why any of them were even there? I also wondered about the animals. GIven that they were supposedly being driven insane by the unfiltered solar radiation, they seemed actually very in control, looking as if they were almost plotting their next attack against these representatives of our own species. In that sense, the movie reminded me a little bit of the recent TV series "Zoo."
Is it great? No. I'm not sure I'd even call it particularly good. But watchable? Yes. Enjoyable? Yes - in a strange sort of way. Watching Leslie Nielsen go completely unhinged - "I'M IN CONTROL OF THIS CAMPING TRIP!!!!!" - as he prepares to do a number of despicable things to his fellow hikers and eventually gets into a wrestling match with a bear alone makes this memorable. (4/10)
There are things about this that are really strange, mind you. Apparently this hiking trip is going to take several days - but this particular group seems woefully ill-prepared for such a trip, and a good number of them don't even seem to want to be on the trip particularly. From completely improper footware to just general negativity - it all left me wondering why any of them were even there? I also wondered about the animals. GIven that they were supposedly being driven insane by the unfiltered solar radiation, they seemed actually very in control, looking as if they were almost plotting their next attack against these representatives of our own species. In that sense, the movie reminded me a little bit of the recent TV series "Zoo."
Is it great? No. I'm not sure I'd even call it particularly good. But watchable? Yes. Enjoyable? Yes - in a strange sort of way. Watching Leslie Nielsen go completely unhinged - "I'M IN CONTROL OF THIS CAMPING TRIP!!!!!" - as he prepares to do a number of despicable things to his fellow hikers and eventually gets into a wrestling match with a bear alone makes this memorable. (4/10)
Carbon trading anyone?
Chase_Witherspoon1 May 2011
A motley crew of whining city-slickers on vacation traverses the wilderness at altitude under the watchful eye of guide George and his faithful American Indian companion Ansara, until the animals that inhabit the region turn rabid. Despite its ominous prediction, "Day of the Animals" remains a fairly low-key action thriller, tame by both the genre and Girdler's standards.
Director Girdler continues to promote a perverted conservation agenda by using animals to inflict the natural world's revenge on mankind's neglect, highlighting the message he more vaguely introduced in "Grizzly". Much of the same personnel were employed for this outing, although his earlier success with the predecessor allowed him to boost his acting stocks, resulting in a veritable smörgåsbord of character actors and B-grade leads (Ansara, Neilsen, Mantee, Roman and Barnes in addition to the return of leading men George and Jaeckel). As the character's succumb to the harmful rays caused by damage to the ozone layer, they engage in strange and in some instances, downright absurd behaviour – Cedar's hallucinations and violent mood swings while Nielsen goes nuts-ville first murdering one of his stricken companions, then sexually assaulting the victim's wife, and in a corny contest, going mono-a-mono with a towering Grizzly bear (which for me was the film's crowning highlight).
There's a lot of time devoted to the carbon emissions debate and the impact of mankind's toxic lifestyle on the earth's fragile atmosphere, well ahead of the populist campaign. Had Girdler lived longer, perhaps this message would have become more prevalent in mainstream films, such was the momentum and success he was building up to his untimely death. Photography is a highlight and while the film employs the tired disaster movie formula, the real stars are still the hawks, cougars, bears, dogs, rats and the rest of the menagerie that turn on the 70's star-studded cast in some well-staged attacks.
Director Girdler continues to promote a perverted conservation agenda by using animals to inflict the natural world's revenge on mankind's neglect, highlighting the message he more vaguely introduced in "Grizzly". Much of the same personnel were employed for this outing, although his earlier success with the predecessor allowed him to boost his acting stocks, resulting in a veritable smörgåsbord of character actors and B-grade leads (Ansara, Neilsen, Mantee, Roman and Barnes in addition to the return of leading men George and Jaeckel). As the character's succumb to the harmful rays caused by damage to the ozone layer, they engage in strange and in some instances, downright absurd behaviour – Cedar's hallucinations and violent mood swings while Nielsen goes nuts-ville first murdering one of his stricken companions, then sexually assaulting the victim's wife, and in a corny contest, going mono-a-mono with a towering Grizzly bear (which for me was the film's crowning highlight).
There's a lot of time devoted to the carbon emissions debate and the impact of mankind's toxic lifestyle on the earth's fragile atmosphere, well ahead of the populist campaign. Had Girdler lived longer, perhaps this message would have become more prevalent in mainstream films, such was the momentum and success he was building up to his untimely death. Photography is a highlight and while the film employs the tired disaster movie formula, the real stars are still the hawks, cougars, bears, dogs, rats and the rest of the menagerie that turn on the 70's star-studded cast in some well-staged attacks.
Shirley, He Was Too Serious
thesar-21 December 2012
Warning: Spoilers
What a misleading title (meaning the Something is Out There one, the other is exactly the opposite – like calling a movie Titanic or The Bank Job where you know what you're in for) and partial preview – 90% of the film (or more) took place outside. So – something, or someone(s) was out there all along. Strangely effective in some areas, though the whole feature screamed made-for-TV movie of the 1970s. The dialogue was both hilarious and sad at the same time. Yes, I realize we live in a more PC-friendly media these days, but some of the racial comments, especially by an Airplane!/Naked Gun hero of mine, Leslie Nielsen, should have earned it an R even back then. I can see where M Night might have gotten some of his inspiration for The Happening, though I didn't laugh at Animals as hard as I did The Happening.
Leslie put the rug down and come over here.
juliankennedy2320 February 2005
Day of the Animals: 4/10: Filmed in glare-o-vision (either to emulate a world without ozone or to give me a headache) Day of the Animals ask what if all the animals went crazy and decided to work together to kill B-movie actors. Hmm.
Unlike most nature gone wild movies that focus on one deadly animal (snakes, spiders, small dogs wearing the cutest rat outfits.) Day of the Animals, like its predecessor Frogs, throws every living creature at the cast. (Though in Day of the Animals defense unlike Frogs it at least sticks to animals, no one gets killed by the Spanish moss.)
It doesn't work. It really doesn't work. The animal attacks are laughable. Rats and snakes on fishing lines are thrown at actors. A shirtless Leslie Nielson who gets attacked by a bear rug in a scene right out of that killer carpet movie The Creeping Terror. And, most laughably, the so called attacking dogs. Whom are downright lovable complete with wagging tails. (I've seen Benji look fiercer than those German shepherds whom looked every bit like they were chasing a miniature chuck wagon.)
As for the acting, well you get a shirtless Leslie Nielson hamming it up (years before he did Airplane and "went" into comedy) and Jon Cedar channeling a third rate William Shatner singing Barry Manilow (you won't be able to get that Mandy tune out of your head.)
The film in fact has plenty of cannon fodder (even that old comedic and anti-Semitic stand-by the overprotective Jewish mother played by Ruth Roman like she was directed by Leni Riefenstahl). It even has the Poseidon Adventure scene when one pig-headed group splits off from the other.
Day of the Animals also has the worst DVD transfer ever. A third rate pan and scan picture and no chapters or even a title screen. And unlike its companion piece Grizzly it needed a good transfer. After all it's filmed in glare-o-vision.
Unlike most nature gone wild movies that focus on one deadly animal (snakes, spiders, small dogs wearing the cutest rat outfits.) Day of the Animals, like its predecessor Frogs, throws every living creature at the cast. (Though in Day of the Animals defense unlike Frogs it at least sticks to animals, no one gets killed by the Spanish moss.)
It doesn't work. It really doesn't work. The animal attacks are laughable. Rats and snakes on fishing lines are thrown at actors. A shirtless Leslie Nielson who gets attacked by a bear rug in a scene right out of that killer carpet movie The Creeping Terror. And, most laughably, the so called attacking dogs. Whom are downright lovable complete with wagging tails. (I've seen Benji look fiercer than those German shepherds whom looked every bit like they were chasing a miniature chuck wagon.)
As for the acting, well you get a shirtless Leslie Nielson hamming it up (years before he did Airplane and "went" into comedy) and Jon Cedar channeling a third rate William Shatner singing Barry Manilow (you won't be able to get that Mandy tune out of your head.)
The film in fact has plenty of cannon fodder (even that old comedic and anti-Semitic stand-by the overprotective Jewish mother played by Ruth Roman like she was directed by Leni Riefenstahl). It even has the Poseidon Adventure scene when one pig-headed group splits off from the other.
Day of the Animals also has the worst DVD transfer ever. A third rate pan and scan picture and no chapters or even a title screen. And unlike its companion piece Grizzly it needed a good transfer. After all it's filmed in glare-o-vision.
Not a Bad Picture
garyldibert3 March 2007
TITLE: DAY OF THE ANIMALS, Release Date: 5/13/1977, Runtime: 97 Minutes STARRING: Lynda Day George, Christopher George, and Leslie Nielsen The Day of the Animals is a 1977 American horror film thriller directed by William Girdler and based on a story written by Edward L. Montoro. Premiering on May 13, 1977, the movie reunited stars Christopher George and Richard Jaeckel, director Girdler and producer Montoro from the previous year's hit film Grizzly.
SUMMARY: A nature-loving group of hikers set out on a two-week survival mission in the Sonora Pass area of California's High Sierras. As the group begins its trek, the animal population of the Sierras slowly congregates around them. One of them hears a news bulletin that scientists believe the earth's ozone layer has been depleted to a critical level with a warning of possible danger at higher altitudes. Therefore, begins the pursuit by the animals of the humans. The high drama and frightful tension will have you on the edge of your sea.
QUESTION: Can anyone survive The Day of the Animals?
MY THOUGHTS: The high drama and frightful tension will have you on the edge of your sit, asking yourself can anyone survive the Day of the Animals. I remember this movie because of Lynda Day George. However I was disappointed that she didn't play a bigger role. I did luck the scenery of the Sierra Mountains so I give this Picture 6 Weasel stars.
SUMMARY: A nature-loving group of hikers set out on a two-week survival mission in the Sonora Pass area of California's High Sierras. As the group begins its trek, the animal population of the Sierras slowly congregates around them. One of them hears a news bulletin that scientists believe the earth's ozone layer has been depleted to a critical level with a warning of possible danger at higher altitudes. Therefore, begins the pursuit by the animals of the humans. The high drama and frightful tension will have you on the edge of your sea.
QUESTION: Can anyone survive The Day of the Animals?
MY THOUGHTS: The high drama and frightful tension will have you on the edge of your sit, asking yourself can anyone survive the Day of the Animals. I remember this movie because of Lynda Day George. However I was disappointed that she didn't play a bigger role. I did luck the scenery of the Sierra Mountains so I give this Picture 6 Weasel stars.
Animals attack in trashy creature feature
The_Void8 June 2008
William Grindler directed a handful of trashy films during the seventies; the best I've seen being his debut 'Three on a Meathook'. Day of the Animals is a creature feature and apparently very similar to his earlier film 'Grizzly' (which I haven't seen). The film can be considered a silly seventies horror movie, and some sort of warning against global warming as apparently; aside from just warming the planet, destroying the ozone layer and causing more tax, global warming also has the capacity to send animals insane. This idea is put forward at the beginning of the movie during the prologue, but once it starts properly; we get down to the real business of the film; which is showing a bunch of people running from a variety of crazed animals, including dogs, snakes, rats and bears. We follow a group of hikers who are dropped off on a mountainside, just before the authorities realise that something is very wrong with the wildlife. Despite being away from civilisation, this message still manages to reach the hikers and soon they find themselves battling nature for survival.
This film has a really good premise and I have to say that, unfortunately, it has pretty much been wasted. The film benefits from obvious things such as the setting and the capacity for plenty of animal attack scenes, but it doesn't blend this with a constantly interesting story and most of the film involves waiting for things to happen. The film was apparently made for TV. I'm not actually sure whether it was or not, but it would make sense as the movie has all the hallmarks of a TV movie; including a lack of blood, which is a major disappointment. The cast is nothing to write home about, but there is a role for Leslie Nielsen who is undoubtedly the highlight of the film. It's not hard to see why the Zucker brothers saw his potential for comedy because even in a 'serious' role, Nielson is hilarious. In fairness to the film, it does get better as it moves along the final third actually is quite exciting; but by then, you are likely to be fairly numb from the two thirds that preceded it. Day of the Animals is not a classic seventies horror film, but it has a few memorable moments (like Leslie Nielsen battling a Grizzly Bear) and is at least worth a look.
This film has a really good premise and I have to say that, unfortunately, it has pretty much been wasted. The film benefits from obvious things such as the setting and the capacity for plenty of animal attack scenes, but it doesn't blend this with a constantly interesting story and most of the film involves waiting for things to happen. The film was apparently made for TV. I'm not actually sure whether it was or not, but it would make sense as the movie has all the hallmarks of a TV movie; including a lack of blood, which is a major disappointment. The cast is nothing to write home about, but there is a role for Leslie Nielsen who is undoubtedly the highlight of the film. It's not hard to see why the Zucker brothers saw his potential for comedy because even in a 'serious' role, Nielson is hilarious. In fairness to the film, it does get better as it moves along the final third actually is quite exciting; but by then, you are likely to be fairly numb from the two thirds that preceded it. Day of the Animals is not a classic seventies horror film, but it has a few memorable moments (like Leslie Nielsen battling a Grizzly Bear) and is at least worth a look.
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