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Welcome to the first installment of our new biweekly section titled FDM favs where we’ll do our best to come up with the weirdest oddly specific favorites and… unfavorites! Hopefully you’ll be better acquainted with our dream team by the end of this article and through many more to come!
As a family, the dream team are definitely movie fanatics and movies are often a hot topic of conversation in our group chats, so when I was deciding what to do for my first ”Fever Dream Favs” I knew it had to be film-related. We’ve all read the generic favourite film article that consists of Ladybird, Pulp Fiction and The Dark Knight Rises, so, I knew I wanted to choose something obscure. I challenged Celeste (head of design and editorial director) to give me a unique title that would make our staff stop and think. Five minutes later, I got a reply: “all I can think about is movies where the dog dies,” so that’s what we went with.
Although the topic of dead dogs is a particularly morbid conversation starter, we thought that exploring how different filmmakers use this trope would be an interesting idea. At first, my opinion was that using the death of a dog in film is perceived as a “lazy” way to get an emotional reaction from viewers. However, by the end of this list i’m sure you’ll agree, this is not true. The beloved dogs themselves are often a symbol for something significant in the characters life and usually lead to some sort of revelation. Also it just makes for a wicked start to the fall season… Ha!
This list will obviously contain spoilers but might be a good read if you’re like me and like to avoid sad movies involving animals. So, here are the staff's favourite movies... where the dog dies.
Corpse Bride, Lena Song (photo team)
This is one of my personal favourite films on the list so I was so glad someone thought to include it! In her response, photo team member Lena acknowledged that even though Scraps (the loveable ghost dog of our protagonist, Victor) is technically alive in the underworld, he’s still technically... dead. In Lena’s opinion, “the dog represents a friend to Victor in the afterlife”. This was quite an interesting and sweet choice for such a morbid prompt (and perfect for this time of year.) Good taste, Lena!
Ginger Snaps, Celeste Moses (head of design and editorial director)
When asked about her FDM fav movie where the dog dies, Celeste replied with the cult classic, Ginger Snaps. A 2000’s werewolf feminist film riddled prepubescent humiliation and… dead dogs. She said “to be honest I’ve seriously hated this movie! And I do chalk that up to... the dogs dying.” However, Celeste did go on to say that once you get past the initial “ick” of horrifying pet gore, she “Appreciates a strong start to any horror film. It gives you that uneasy feeling in the pit of your stomach that lasts for the rest of the day.”
The Moonrise Kingdom, Phoebe Young (video team)
This was another great choice! At FDM, we’re all huge Wes Anderson fans. Here’s what Phoebe had to say about her movie of choice, “Wes Anderson’s style is very distinct, the film’s plot is super strange which stands out the most. The death of the dog wasn’t super significant, but it (the dog) was beloved by the Troupe and served as a quick eye-opener that revealed the truly terrible outcomes of childish rivalry.” However, don’t let a little dead dog scare you off… This movie is definitely a classic worth watching a thousand times.
The Witch, Avery Mandigo (co-head of art team)
When I set out for answers, to be honest, I wasn’t expecting a religious horror movie on this list… but leave it to Avery to come up with something thrillingly unique! This subversive and gender-aware horror film is such a great choice! Well deserved of its 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. According to Avery, “The death of the dog adds to the eeriness of the film and sets the tone for what to expect throughout, which I think is true of most of the happenings of this film.” This movie is definitely one of our first picks when it comes to curling up with something eerie during the upcoming fall season.
Of Mice And Men, Izzy Pedego (music columnist)
This classic adaptation of arguably one of John Steinbeck’s best works was an unexpected choice! In Izzy’s eyes, the death of the dog in this film is particularly substantial because “Lenny Small is supposed to be a character that the audience sympathizes with, and when he accidentally kills a puppy you can't help but feel heartbroken for the poor dog and even more so for Lenny.” This is a great example of a dog's death being used by a writer for a purpose. Lenny’s response to his actions creates sympathy amongst the audience and extracts a severe emotional response.
Nightmare Before Christmas, Kirra Truesdale (stylist)
Nightmare Before Christmas directed by Henry Selick (the mastermind behind both Coraline and James and the Giant Peace is one of Kirra’s “favourite childhood movies” (same Kirra!) because it shows that even “within the afterlife (death) one is not alone. You find peace within your loved ones that creates an unbreakable bond even in the afterlife.”
End Of The Fucking World, Lilli Dunn (fashion columnist)
Though not technically a film, his is such a fabulous choice because the death of a dog in this show is a huge turning point for one of the main characters. Here’s Lilli’s perspective on it, “a dog is run over by Alyssa’s dad (spoiler, duh!!), but it doesn't die. Alyssa and James decide they have to kill the dog to put it out of its misery and despite killing animals since he was little, James suddenly can't do it. Alyssa ends up doing it instead, and this moment is a true turning point for both of the characters. James, who was dead set on thinking he was a psychopath, suddenly feels remorse and guilt that he never felt before, rendering him much more human and less apathetic. Alyssa realizes that her dad is not all he's cracked up to be, and the pristine image she'd kept of her father all of the years she went without seeing him was now tainted with a dead dog's blood. Super gruesome, but totally real and a necessary moment for Alyssa and James.”
The Lobster, Esme Lee (executive manager)
A cultured choice made by Esme, and here’s what she had to say about it, “The Lobster was my introduction to Yorgos Lanthimos' work! I found his kooky, dry dialogue hilarious. The premise of the movie is that you must find love within 45 days or will turn into an animal of your choosing. The dog in question is Colin Farrell's (the protagonist) brother who failed his quest. Desperate to stay human, Colin Farrell feigns apathy to pursue an incompatibly sadistic but easy lover. After their pairing, she questions his sincerity and murders his brother as a test. When he sees his dead brother, he can't maintain his front and cries, revealing that he's a fraud. This sequence pushes him to escape the match-making hotel and discover a new, equally oppressive community in the woods, but also a true love--which, might I add is Rachel Weisz (he fucking scored pretty big). Also, RIP dog.”
John Wick, Me (Sorcha Kennedy, Opinion Columnist)
When sitting on my selection for this prompt, I really tried to think of a more eclectic choice but honestly, this was the first movie that came to mind. I love the John Wick trilogy with its wicked cinematography and Keanu Reeves’ brutal combat sequences (even if it is ultraviolent!) and I always lowkey sympathized with the idea of going on a bad-guy-killing-spree to avenge the murder of your dog. Also, the contrast between the violence and darkness of the movie to the love John has for his dog gives the movie a whole new layer. If I had a second choice… American Psycho was an honourable mention.
It’s so clear from these choices that although the death of a dog is seen as an easy-out trope in film, that when used effectively, it can be transformed into a moment of sentimentality, vengeance, vulnerability and so much more! It’s also clear from these choices that the FDM staff has great taste! Let us know your favorite movie where the dog dies in our form below!
