Rabid Dogs Bava

(aka "Kidnapped" or "Cani arrabbiati" or "Semaforo rosso" or "Wild Dogs" )

directed by Mario Bava
Italy 1974

Rabid Dogs is a 90 minute roller coaster ride of a film from start to finish. Excellent score by Stelvio Cipriani (The Great Alligator, City of the Walking Dead) helps to enliven the immediacy of the whole premise, and works perfectly to establish the growing tension between the killers as well as between them and the hostages. Excellent cinematography (also by Mario Bava) adds to the feel as well to create some sort of dreamlike quality to the film. As many of you may know, this was the only film Mario Bava ever directed which supposedly occurs in the real world, although I beg to differ as Bay of Blood seemed right along the same lines (although it was undoubtedly quite inferior). The only annoying visible flaws in Rabid Dogs were the anemic gun sound effects and some very sketchy editing at times. Otherwise, this is a great movie, much more interesting and exciting than any of Quentin Tarantino's similar fast-paced crime films, and certainly a step above most of the rest of the crop of 70's Italian crime flicks (besides High Crime of course). One of the best road movies I've seen, Rabid Dogs is right up there with Hitch Hike. A must-see all the way.

Excerpt from Kult-Movies.com located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: 25 February 1998 / 31 May 2002

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DVD Comparison:

Lucertola Media - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Anchor Bay ('Kidnapped' Version) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Anchor Bay ('Rabid Dogs' version) - Region 1 - NTSC

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for all the Screen Caps!

(Lucertola Media - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Anchor Bay ('Kidnapped' Version) - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Anchor Bay ('Rabid Dogs' version) - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Lucertola Media Region 0 - NTSC	Anchor Bay Region 1 - NTSC	Anchor Bay Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime	1:36:39	1:35:12	1:36:15
Video	1.55:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.53 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: ? mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 4.75 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Lucertola Media
Bitrate: Anchor Bay ('Kidnapped' Version)
Bitrate: Anchor Bay ('Rabid Dogs' version)
Audio	Italian Dolby Digital 1.0	Italian Dolby Digital 2.0	Italian Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles	English, German, None	English, None	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Lucertola Media Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 1.55:1 Edition Details: • Trailer (1:46) • Filmographies • Notes About the Film DVD Release Date: February 27, 1998 Keepcase Chapters 10	Release Information: Studio: Anchor Bay Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Edition Details: • End of the Road: Making of Rabid Dogs and Kidnapped (16:32) • Mario Bava Bio • Trailers to other films by Mario Bava DVD Release Date: April 3, 2007 Keepcase Chapters 16	Release Information: Studio: Anchor Bay Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Commentary by Tim Lucas DVD Release Date: April 3, 2007 Keepcase Chapters 16

Comments:

There's no contest - the newly released Anchor Bay DVD surpasses long out of print disc from Lucertola Media in all criteria. Anchor Bay has both version of the film on one dual-layered disc, so it's our recommendation instead of overpriced older DVD.

Since Mario Bava passed away before either version was released, there's no director's cut, so it all comes down to people's preference. I saw Lucertola disc first and I prefer the music of that version. The tagged on opening credits from Lucertola disc is missing on Anchor Bay versions since both include newly created credit sequences. Not a great loss.

- Gregory Meshman

DVD Menus
(Lucertola Media - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Anchor Bay ('Kidnapped' Version) - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Anchor Bay ('Rabid Dogs' version) - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)

Screen Captures

(Lucertola Media - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Anchor Bay ('Kidnapped' Version) - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Anchor Bay ('Rabid Dogs' version) - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
Subtitle sample

(Lucertola Media - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Anchor Bay ('Kidnapped' Version) - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Anchor Bay ('Rabid Dogs' version) - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)