Bull Terrier Movies in the Spirit of Halloween

Our four legged subjects have requested an evening of Halloween horror movies to get in the spirit of trick or treat. Enjoy the popcorn.

Let us introduce you to Baxter.  This is a 1989 French horror film directed by Jérôme Boivin. The title character is a murderous bull terrier who tells the story of his search for a proper master, (you know how hard that can be to find).

Baxter is taken from the pens and given to an old woman by her daughter. He hates the woman’s bland lifestyle and narrates his feelings with disgust.  Baxter attempts to communicate his dominance over her, but his plan backfires. The woman’s condition deteriorates with a little help from Baxter, and he is adopted by the young couple across the street who he has become obsessed with. Ahhhhh youth.

Baxter enjoys his life with the couple, but his idyll is broken when the couple has a baby. Baxter hates the weak and helpless child. He attempts to remedy the situation, but his plans again backfire. Ignorant of Baxter’s murderous intentions, the couple gives Baxter to a neighborhood boy.

Baxter thrills under the firm hand of his new master, a budding sociopath, and Baxter believes that they have come to a mutual understanding.  When the boy commands Baxter to kill a classmate, Baxter refuses and realizes that the boy does not understand him after all.  They are at odds and the boy attacks first, but Baxter manages to gain the upper hand. Baxter finds that he cannot disobey.  Later, the boy breaks into the old lady’s abandoned house and as he observes the young couple across the street he begins to ponder his future.

And so the dark story goes.  This is a French, subtitled, black, comedy but while dark it is comical in its delivery.  While we are not much in the way of horror films but having the star being a bullterrier is fascinating.  The film doesn’t do much to dispell the bad image bull terriers already carry…but hey it is Halloween!

A lighter Halloween film to check out is 1984’s Frankenweenie if you can find it.  It is a story of a young boy who makes monster movies.  He tries to bring his dog Sparky back to life after he has been hit by a car à la Frankenstein.  It is a short, black and white film perfect for a private showing at bull terrier fancier parties and having guessing games after the viewing.

Frankenweenie is also an upcoming 3D black and white, stop motion film and a remake of the original. It is directed by Tim Burton, which is a perfect choice for this film. Watch next Halloween for the scheduled release on October 5, 2012 and compare the two.

Once you have had your dose of horror we suggest you rent It's a Dog's Life (1955) set in the early 1900s. The story is based on the dog Bar Sinister thought to be the first of the bull terrier breed.

The bull terrier, living on the streets of the Bowery, rises from being a street-tough mutt, engaging in dogfights, to a pedigreed show dog among the upper crust.  Unlike Baxter this is a much loved movie that gets great ratings and is well suited for children. 


Happy Halloween!