In the 1970s, nature fought back against humanity in a plethora of eco-horror movies. Sometimes it was spiders (Kingdom of Spiders) or ants (Phase IV, Empire of the Ants) or rats (Willard). Giant killer rabbits (Night of the Lepus) and giant, well, everything (Food of the Gods) occasionally turned up. Other movies just shamelessly imitated Jaws (Orca, Tentacles, Grizzly). And some eco-horror movies featured a full animal revolt (Frogs, Day of the Animals). Years before Stephen King made man’s best friend terrifying, the obscure 1977 movie, The Pack, worked a simple premise. What if abandoned dogs, hungry and feral, rebelled against the island community that left them behind? Also known as the The Long Dark Night, not many horror fans remember this little thriller.
Synopsis
On Seal Island, rich tourists come to enjoy the beautiful scenery and fishing. And over the last summer season, many of the tourists brought dogs that they discarded and left behind when they got bored with them. Now a pack of these abandoned pets, hungry and feral, turn to a new food source – the inhabitants of Seal Island.
The Pack Offers a Relatively Lukewarm Eco-Horror Message
Unlike other eco-horror movies from the 1970s, The Pack seems less interested in beating you over the head with its environmentally-friendly messaging. In fact, it’s not entirely clear whether this thriller qualifies as an eco-horror movie. Writer and director Robert Clouse and co-writer David Fisher don’t put much emphasis on their thriller’s basic conceit – tourists abandoning their pets once they lose interest. On one hand, it’s exactly the kind of premise that lent itself to the eco-horror of the 1970s. Yet it’s also a premise that is really only an excuse to set the story in motion. Little time is spent exploring its meaning or consequences. And while it’s an issue that remains pressing for dog lovers, The Pack never positions the feral dogs as righteous in their attack on the island inhabitants.
Writer and director Robert Clouse and co-writer David Fisher don’t put much emphasis on their thriller’s basic conceit – tourists abandoning their pets once they lose interest.
Released years before CGI effects and modestly budgeted, The Pack benefits from Clouse’s direction behind the camera. Though his filmography is somewhat eclectic, Clouse mostly established himself as an action movie filmmaker. Among his directorial credits, Clouse was responsible for Bruce Lee martial arts masterpiece, Enter the Dragon as well as Game of Death. Later in his career, Clouse also made the oddball cult action flick, Gymkata. What Clouse brought to The Pack was an eye for decent action bits filmed on a budget and mild doses of suspense. As compared to many other 70s eco-horror movies, the dog attack scenes look uniformly good here.
The Pack Boasts Better-Than-Expected Action and Performances
In spite of its release in the 1970s, The Pack is pretty light on gore and explicit violence. Most of the violence occurs offscreen, which largely works to the thriller’s advantage. That is, Clouse minimizes any budgetary constraints by focusing on what he can film and leaving the rest to the audience’s imagination. It also lets the director add a bit of style to the suspense. The opening scene where a horse bristles at something moving in the tall grass dials up a bit of unease. And the dogs’ siege on a house adds some mild tension. Of course, The Pack never really feels scary or urgent. Clouse oddly paces his action and the finale can’t help but feel anticlimatic.
…Clouse minimizes any budgetary constraints by focusing on what he can film and leaving the rest to the audience’s imagination.
On the human side of The Pack, a handful of reliable characters actors elevate what’s essentially a competent B-movie. As marine biologist Jerry, Joe Don Baker (Walking Tall) enjoys one of the few roles that let play the lead protagonist. And he’s more than likable and convincing as ‘everyman’ fighting to protect his family. Arguably, the only quirky bit in The Pack concerns a group of tourists vacationing on the island, which includes a father intent on getting his personal cook to have sex with his awkward son. Clouse plays the odd situation completely straight-faced, making it even more unintentionally funny. Keep an eye out for R.G. Armstrong (Children of the Corn, Evilspeak, Predator) in a bit supporting role.
The Pack a Decent, If Not Forgettable, Entry to 70s Eco-Horror
Nothing about The Pack stands out as noteworthy or deserving of even ‘hidden gem’ status. It’s not a cult movie that has amassed a rabid fan following and nothing about it demands that kind of devotion. What we have in The Pack is a better-than-expected, forgotten thriller that nearly gets the most out of its premise. If you’re expecting a lot of gore or 70s exploitation-style filmmaking, this isn’t the movie for you. But Clouse knows how to generate a decent level of suspense and action from modest resources. And the B-movie character actor cast is strong. Nothing here re-invents the wheel, but The Pack is a surprisingly decent 70s thriller.