A Boy and His Dog (1975)
73%RT Audience Score: 63%
Awards & Nominations: NA
A Boy and His Dog is a film that is both a product of its time and ahead of its time. While some may find the satire too blunt and the ideas awkward, it is undeniable that this movie is a great example of imaginative sci-fi. The dank and dingy polemic doesn’t dilute Ellison’s righteous anger about the dangerous direction he perceived society to be going. The film is well-written and full of interesting angles, and the savage wasteland is believably captured. It’s not an easy or likeable film, but it’s extremely funny and has one of the great final lines of all-time. If you’re after weirdness, this cult classic goes the whole nine yards.
A Boy and His Dog is a wild ride through a post-apocalyptic wasteland that’s both hilarious and disturbing. The film’s unique blend of satire and sci-fi makes for a truly unforgettable experience, even if some of the ideas fall a bit flat. But let’s be real, we’re all here for the talking dog and his snarky commentary. Plus, that final line? Pure gold. If you’re in the mood for something weird and wonderful, give A Boy and His Dog a watch. Just maybe don’t bring your feminist friends along for the ride.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1975
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:NA
-
Runtime:1h 31m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 16, 1975 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 25, 2003
Genre(s)
Sci-fi
Keyword(s)
starring Don Johnson, Susanne Benton, Jason Robards, Alvy Moore, Helene Winston, Charles McGraw, directed by L.Q Jones, written by L.Q Jones, produced by L.Q Jones, sci-fi, R rating, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Dave Kehr, Roger Ebert, Eric Henderson, Richard Eder, Rob Gonsalves, Eddie Harrison, MPAA rating, Warner Bros Pictures, Warner Brothers/Seven Arts, Mono sound mix, Scope aspect ratio, post-apocalyptic, telepathic dog, underground community, mechanized procreation, black comedy, eccentric vision, strong dialogue, offbeat, oddball, dystopian, cult classic, Harlan Ellison, Tiger the dog, Tim McIntire, Ray Manzarek, James Cagney, Mad Max, Fallout, Book of Eli, Fist of the North Star, unique, satire, blunt, imaginative sci-fi, dank, dingy polemic, righteous anger, dangerous direction, weirdness, unusual, chauvinist, religious cult, abrupt ending
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $400,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $2,555,820
Production budget ranking: 1,981
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $1,376,309
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Susanne Benton – Quilla June Holmes
Jason Robards – Lou Craddock
Alvy Moore – Doctor Moore
Helene Winston – Mez Smith
Charles McGraw – Preacher
Director – L.Q. Jones
Producer – L.Q. Jones
Writer – L.Q. Jones
Director(s)
L.Q. Jones
Writer(s)
L.Q. Jones
Producer(s)
L.Q. Jones
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (37) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (29) | Rotten (8)
In spite of some clever ideas and a few well-wrought images, it seems too schematic and its satire too blunt.
June 5, 2007
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
It’s got a unique… well, I was about to say charm, but the movie’s last scene doesn’t quite let me get away with that.
October 23, 2004 | Rating: 2.5/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
Jones’s cameo during an open-air movie theater sequence is by far the most cinematic moment of this 1975 cult classic for boys who hate women.
December 11, 2003 | Rating: 1.5/4
Eric Henderson
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
The good ideas are marred by awkwardness; the terrible ideas are redeemed somewhat by being, at least, unpredictable.
May 21, 2003 | Rating: 2.5/5
Richard Eder
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
If you haven’t seen this film, chances are you’ve seen a dozen better-known SF movies it influenced
November 29, 2022 | Rating: A
Rob Gonsalves
Rob’s Movie Vault
…A Boy and His Dog isn’t an easy or likeable film, but it’s a great example of imaginative sci-fi, and a dank, dingy polemic that doesn’t dilute Ellison’s righteous anger about the dangerous direction he perceived society to be going…
October 20, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com
A Boy and His Dog is daft by design but it’s also well-written and full of interesting angles.
October 13, 2022
Rob Aldam
Backseat Mafia
It is well made, extremely funny and has one of the great final lines of all-time.
July 25, 2022
John Fleming
Starburst
An unexpected triumph.
November 22, 2019
Michael Caton
Los Angeles Free Press
If it’s weirdness that you’re after, this cult film goes the whole nine yards.
October 10, 2013 | Rating: B
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews
The savage wasteland is believably captured, but a so-so movie completely goes off the rails once the action moves to an underground society.
August 17, 2013 | Rating: 2/4
Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing
November 28, 2006 | Rating: 4/5
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope…
Plot
In a post-apocalyptic world, a teenage boy and his telepathic dog, Blood, encounter an underground community where the boy is seduced by the leader’s daughter and separated from his loyal companion, leading him to discover a dark secret and fight for his survival.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features a young Don Johnson in the lead role of Vic.
L.Q.-Jones.jpg
