Day of the Animals (1977)

Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Due to the depletion of the ozone layer, the sun's radiation causes all the animals to go ka-ka-koo-koo and start attacking humans ... especially at higher altitudes. Unfortunately for Christopher George, he has picked this day to take a bunch of city folks including Leslie Nielsen, Lynda Day George, Richard Jaeckel, Michael Ansara and Andrew Stevens on a nature hike into the mountains. This takes the basic 1970's disaster film formula and adds two things that folks couldn't get enough of ... animals attacking and ecology. I expected a bit of campy trash, but this is actually better than that. Sure, you have Nielson losing his marbles and wrassling a bear, but you also have a bit of legit suspense and some good performances. But man .... Nielsen is out of control here and it's magnificent.

I'm pretty sure that if director William Grindler hadn't died prematurely, as a result of a tragic helicopter crash in 1978, he would have grown out to become Jess Franco's equivalent in America, with literally dozens of horror & cult films on his repertoire. In only six years time, Grindler had already directed eight films; of which some of them are quite derivative of each other. This "Day of the Animals", for example, is almost an exact copy of Grindler's earlier (and arguably most successful) creature feature "Grizzly", only there's a much wider selection of animal opponents – duh – and slightly more detailed character drawings. The lack of surprise makes "Day of the Animals" a rather mediocre late 70's flick, but it still comes warmly recommended to all fans of 'nature ferociously revolting against humanity'-films for several reasons. For example, Grindler maintains an effectively tense atmosphere throughout the whole film (even during the rather slow and occasionally dull first half hour), some of the animals' attacks are definitely exciting and there's a wide and interesting variety of characters trying to escape the wrath of the animal kingdom gone mad. Twelve of the most appalling people go on a guided hiking/survival trek in the Californian mountains and quickly notice there's a unusually strange and mildly unsettling ambiance in the air. Rightly so, because the overly polluted ozone balance upsets and completely disorientates all the animals and causes them to spontaneously attack the human trespassers in their area. Under the animals' siege, the group quickly falls apart and their petrified and obnoxious attitudes turns them into easy targets for the wild birds, wolves, dogs, cougars, snakes, etc etc... As mentioned above, the first half hour of the film is slow and slightly dull, mainly because there are too many characters that require a basic introduction. Their backgrounds are rather relevant for the rest of the film, so it's important you know there's the wise Indian, the troubled married couple, the ill football-player, the insufferable advertising executive, the gorgeous female journalist and so on. Still, even during these initial script-formalities, Grindler creates an ominous atmosphere using simple tricks like moody music and extended images of viciously staring animals. As soon as the group starts arguing constantly and falls apart, the story becomes slightly too implausible and particularly Leslie Nielsen's over-the-top portrayal of the ill-tempered business man is hard to take serious. The sequences in which Mandy ("Jaws" star Susan Backlinie) falls victim to a virulent bird-attack and Frank (Jon Cedar) desperately tries to avoid a wild confrontation with rabid dogs – observed by an already traumatized young girl – are downright brilliant pieces of pure suspense that reminded me of the best moments of critically acclaimed creature-features, like "The Birds", "Jaws" and "Them!". The ending, however, is severely disappointing, as I *** Spoiler *** was anticipating a typically disturbing and merciless fate for mankind, like it was the case in "Kingdom of the Spiders". Too bad.

TITLE: DAY OF THE ANIMALS, Release Date: 5/13/1977, Runtime: 97 Minutes STARRING: Lynda Day George, Christopher George, and Leslie Nielsen The Day of the Animals is a 1977 American horror film thriller directed by William Girdler and based on a story written by Edward L. Montoro. Premiering on May 13, 1977, the movie reunited stars Christopher George and Richard Jaeckel, director Girdler and producer Montoro from the previous year's hit film Grizzly.SUMMARY: A nature-loving group of hikers set out on a two-week survival mission in the Sonora Pass area of California's High Sierras. As the group begins its trek, the animal population of the Sierras slowly congregates around them. One of them hears a news bulletin that scientists believe the earth's ozone layer has been depleted to a critical level with a warning of possible danger at higher altitudes. Therefore, begins the pursuit by the animals of the humans. The high drama and frightful tension will have you on the edge of your sea.QUESTION: Can anyone survive The Day of the Animals? MY THOUGHTS: The high drama and frightful tension will have you on the edge of your sit, asking yourself can anyone survive the Day of the Animals. I remember this movie because of Lynda Day George. However I was disappointed that she didn't play a bigger role. I did luck the scenery of the Sierra Mountains so I give this Picture 6 Weasel stars.

This is a real cool B movie that delivers the goods !!! William Girdler also made the very entertaining GRIZZLY in 1976. The cast do a good job and the direction is solid. Leslie Nielsen put in a good strong performance as an unhinged kinda guy and once again , poor Susan Backlinie does sterling stuntwork as the victim of wolves and vultures (the vulture attack sequence is the highlight of the movie and splendidly done. The score by Lalo Schifrin is creepy and atmospheric and adds a neat touch to the overall "feel" of the film. I am lucky enough to own the original Warners UK video release and would love to get hold of the R1 DVD.