"White Dog" was a very interesting movie. The ending does definitely leave the viewer depressed and feeling somewhat betrayed. However, in my opinion, its tediousness and poor acting by Kristy McNichol took away from Paul Winfield's (Keys) determination to cure this dog of its disease. He felt so strongly about doing the right thing and reforming a beast, it made the audience feel that there was still a chance for the dog. It is obvious this is a complete 1980s movie. It's overpowering music and in-your-face type of cinema was a typical trait of the 80s. But absolutely, I do not see this as a racist movie. It is exposing the fact that there ARE racists out there and that there are some sick people who take advantage of a dog's ability to be trained to create monsters out of these unsuspecting creatures. This movie is not saying that all black people are bad. It's shedding light on the fact that some people see it this way and pry into the minds of dogs and program them to think the same way. Since dogs supposedly see in black and white, this is the easiest race between which to differentiate. In a dog's eyes, an Indian or very dark-skinned Hispanic could appear to be as dark as an African American. This movie overall was enjoyable to watch, yet somewhat predictable. The audience wants so badly for the dog to reform and sees hope in the dog after he makes progress, although there is always underlying tension which classifies it as a thriller/suspense. The audience never knows if he will snap or turn on his owners. Sadly, he loses his battle against becoming pure from an instinctual betrayal.
