Day of the Animals

UPC: 631595061390

Studio: Shriek Show

MPAA Rating: NR   Contains:[Violence, Graphic Violence, Questionable for Children, Adult Language, Profanity]

Summary: An interesting low-budget entry in the post-Jaws animals-run-amok genre (which also owes more than a little to Hitchcock's The Birds), this noisy, violent thriller features the prophetic premise of a widening gap in the ozone layer (thanks to human indulgences in hairspray and other aerosol products) which unleashes brain-frying radiation and causes assorted woodland creatures to go for the throats of unsuspecting Sierra backpackers. As if that weren't horrific enough, the poor kids are also placed in the position of defending themselves against a rampaging Leslie Nielsen -- whose hammy performance will probably have fans of the Naked Gun series and their ilk waiting for a punch line that never arrives. Perennial B-movie couple Christopher George and Lynda Day George round out the cast. Day of the Animals is also known as Something Is out There. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

Category: Thriller

Features: Commentary with star Lynda Day George, hosted by horror icon Scott Spiegel (Hostel, Evil Dead 2)
Interviews with actors John Cedar, Paul Mantee, and Susan Backlinie
Original trailer
Photo gallery

Day of the Animals

Format: DVD

Release Date: 04/25/2006

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen, 2.35:1 Cinemascope

Audio: DD1 Dolby Digital Mono

Runtime: 97 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Disc #1 -- Day of the Animals
1. Chapter 1 [4:02]
2. Chapter 2 [6:01]
3. Chapter 3 [3:59]
4. Chapter 4 [6:12]
5. Chapter 5 [13:28]
6. Chapter 6 [18:19]
7. Chapter 7 [13:15]
8. Chapter 8 [10:32]
9. Chapter 9 [9:41]
10. Chapter 10 [7:57]
11. Chapter 11 [2:26]
12. Chapter 12 [1:32]
1. Chapter 1 [4:47]
2. Chapter 2 [5:18]
3. Chapter 3 [4:43]
4. Chapter 4 [6:13]
5. Chapter 5 [13:12]
6. Chapter 6 [18:19]
7. Chapter 7 [13:08]
8. Chapter 8 [10:25]
9. Chapter 9 [9:51]
10. Chapter 10 [7:57]
11. Chapter 11 [2:33]
12. Chapter 12 [1:30]

Donald Guarisco

This intriguing entry into the revenge-of-nature cycle of the 1970s shouldn't work, but it does. The script has some problems that would seem insurmountable under normal circumstances: the scientific explanation for the animals' sudden psychosis isn't ever put forth in a credible manner, the characterizations are pretty basic, and some of the subplots, namely the one with Leslie Nielsen's character suddenly going crazy, are a bit too goofy to really work. That said, Day of the Animals works quite effectively at a visceral B-movie level thanks to plenty of technical polish on both sides of the camera. Veteran B-auteur William Girdler directs with a considerable amount of style, using the scope format to give the visuals a grand look and handling the animal-attack scenes with vigor and solid timing. He also uses a fantastic B-movie cast that adds some much-needed heft to the characterizations; Christopher George and Michael Ansara make good square-jawed heroes and Leslie Nielsen turns in a delirious, over-the-top villainous performance that is hard to forget. In short, Day of the Animals is definitely a B-movie, but it's a very entertaining and viewer-friendly one for fans of the form. Anyone who enjoyed Frogs or Kingdom of the Spiders will definitely get a kick out of this film. ~ Donald Guarisco, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Garrison True  Actor 
Bob Porter  Actor 
Susan Backlinie  Actor 
Michael Rougas  Actor 
Kathleen Bracken  Actor 
Gil Lamb  Actor 
Andrew Stevens  Actor 
Michelle Stacy  Actor 
William Girdler  Director 
William W. Norton  Screenwriter 
Lalo Schifrin  Composer (Music Score) 
Edward L. Montoro  Producer 
Eleanor E. Norton  Screenwriter 
Christopher George  Actor 
Leslie Nielsen  Actor 
Lynda Day George  Actor 
Richard Jaeckel  Actor 
Michael Ansara  Actor 
Ruth Roman  Actor 
Jon Cedar  Actor 
Paul Mantee  Actor 
Walter Barnes  Actor 

Country: USA