Once again, the only reason a dog is in a movie is to be killed. This happens so many times in movies you would think the producers would just not do it. The dog was killed in Shooter, a cat was tortured in Untraceable, which I didn't see just for that reason. Come on producers, stop killing off animals!
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The scenario is also in the book and more in depth, and shows Harry's belief that killing can be a merciful act. The killing of the old loved family pet is not only a practice run - from the poison used to the last loving day and meal - but gives insight into Harry's psyche. Horrifying yes but not at all gratuitous. The dog is killed to show that Harry is indeed capable of killing. It also notches up the suspense that he's fully capable of killing his wife.
And no, the dog wasn't killed for real - as with killing off actors in films it's all make believe.
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I wish the movie had played that angle (that the dog's murder was a mercy killing like Harry had planned for Pat), because then it would've been consistent.
Instead the movie deliberately shows a cute, happy dog being killed for no reason other than a 'practice run' and to show us that Harry was capable of shutting off his emotions. That didn't gel with his sudden change of heart & developing a conscience at the end. The movie handled it poorly for the sake of shock value.
And no, the dog wasn't killed for real - as with killing off actors in films it's all make believe.
Tried to watch this movie right now. After that moment just turned it off, gonna burn dvd now or something
shareYou'd cost the jobs of thousands if no person or animal could die to keep the plot rolling hehe
"When you have insomnia, you're never really asleep ... and you're never really awake."
Get a life!
shareI hate to see an animal get killed for a plot point, especially a lovely golden retriever such as in this film, but it's just fiction and no animals were harmed here.
sharethe old movie makers adage is that you never kill a dog if you expect the movie to do any good at the BO.
and honestly I think you are overstating it... seems that very few dogs get whacked.. I've seen I guess maybe 2500 movies and seen the dog dying as a plot point 4 times that I can remember.... considering how many movies are out there with dogs, thats not a lot
I re-caught part of The War of the Roses ('89, Kathleen Turner, Michael Douglas) today, just as Michael Douglas ran over his soon-to-be-ex-wife's-cat (accidentally). Had to stop, from there it goes on to Kathleen Turner suggesting that the pâté in the dinner she cooked for him was Douglas' dog. That scene is followed by a quick cut to the dog, revealing it wasn't REALLY man's best friend for supper, but Douglas didn't know that.
However, in the book and the first cut of the movie, she did kill and cook Bennie. Dog pâté didn't test well in pre-release showings, so the dog clip was added to the final flick. Movie goers have a much easier time accepting murdering one's spouse than one's pet.