October 16: A Horror Film That Involves a Killer House Pet

John Lafia also made The Blue Iguana and co-wrote Child’s Play and directed the sequel. He also made The Rats, the American made-for-TV movie adaptation of the books of James Herbert.

It starts with the death of Judy Sanders (Robin Frates), an employee of the EMAX genetic research facility. She has been talking to television personality and animal activist Lori Tanner (Ally Sheedy) about the abuse she’s seen at her lab. Before Lori can get to their meeting, an animal under the control of the company’s owner, Dr. Jarret (Lance Henriksen). Nonetheless, Lori and her camerawoman Annie (Trula M. Marcus) break in and free one of the dogs, Max.

Max becomes Lori’s protector — he goes a bit far, chasing down and killing a mugger — and the nemesis of her boyfriend Perry (Fredric Lehne).

Jarret tells the cops that Max is a genetically altered dog that has the DNA of big cats, snakes, chameleons and birds of prey. He’s also given to berserk freakouts, which means that he needs to be on drugs that he hasn’t received in some time. Max is, however, super rad. He does all sorts of insane things like bite through Perry’s brake lines, kill a mailman, eat a parakeet and make sweet love to a collie, knocking her up with the puppy that Lori will adopt when this is all over.

He also gets sold out because Perry wants her to get rid of him. She finds who she thinks is a kind junkyard guy (William Sanderson) but that weirdo is soon hitting Max with shovels and burning his face with a blowtorch. Max does what you hope he does. He decimates that guy and then comes back home to a new dog taking his place. He responds by pissing acidic urine all over Perry.

Max forgives Lori and comes to rescue her from Jarret, giving up his life in the process. I hate this. I am all for Max and none of the humans in this movie. He’s a good boy all the way to the end, even if he does eat a cat.