Rocker Alice Cooper works his way manfully through Monster Dog (1984), but his co-stars are not as fortunate, struggling with unfortunate dialog and roles which, ultimately, overwhelm them. Vince is leading his band and manager to his hometown to make a rock and roll video. Upon arrival, they run into a roadblock and learn some locals have been killed and dismembered by wild dogs. They continue on to his childhood home, greeted by a banner erected by the home’s caretaker – but the caretaker is missing.
A couple of nightmares short of a dozen, the next day they begin to film the video, but midway through one of the actors wanders off in her wedding dress, and Vince leaves to track her down. In his absence, a group of evil looking guys show up and take the balance of the group hostage, telling a lurid story of Vince’s father being a werewolf. Then the story wanders off inchoately across the landscape, leaving the various actors to pursue it by foot, car, and gaping wound.
Between gunfire, enthusiastic large dogs, keepers of the house of the dead, and something lurking in the bushes, they have a good try at inducing horror in the audience, but they may be achieving the less desirable horror, the horror that someone paid to make this monster.
It’s a dog, folks.
