As spooky season comes to a close, many horror fans may find themselves in a strange sort of horror limbo. It is too late for Halloween centric films, but much too early for holiday horror. So, what is one to do with thyself? My go to for November is always werewolves, and if you’ve been following me on Twitter, you’re likely familiar with the controversy I caused a year ago. I plainly stated that the best werewolf movie of all time also had the worst looking werewolf — yes, I’m talking about Silver Bullet (1985). Naturally, I was met with several responses challenging my level of intelligence, claiming I hadn’t seen many werewolf movies if I thought Silver Bullet was top of the tops, and that I “even probably like Monster Dog (1984).” Guess what, bitch? I do like Monster Dog, and that is exactly what I’m going to be talking about today.

Monster Dog is a unique breed as it functions both as a werewolf film and a rock and roll horror flick. Iconic shock rocker, Alice Cooper, stars as the lead in an instance of art-imitating-life; The film follows Vincent Raven (Alice Cooper) as he and his bandmates return to his childhood home to film a spooky-ooky music video. Seemingly having no living family members remaining, the estate is looked after solely by the caretaker who is naturally nowhere to be found. As folks in horror movies are apt to do, they immediately disregard this red flag and carry on with the task at hand. If that weren’t enough to cause alarm alone, a pack of rabid dogs surrounding the area have been on the loose killing locals left, right, and center. Upon arrival, they are warned by a typical Crazy Ralph, who straight up tells ’em 11 people have died. Hell, they even have a run in with the ferocious canines prior to even reaching the property! If this sounds like pure insanity, it is because it absolutely is.

Alice Cooper is quite the name to draw attention, and if this is the first time you’ve heard of Monster Dog, you might be wondering why. You see, there is one (yes, only one!) bone of contention when it comes to this otherwise impeccable display of lycanthropy – every actor was dubbed, including Alice. Better yet, they weren’t told that this was going to happen. I had asked Alice about this many moons ago in one of the lucky moments I got to speak with him, and he had mentioned he was embarrassed upon first viewing the film. “I don’t really sound like that, do I?!” he recalled asking afterward first viewing the film. The dub is undeniably distracting, and I think it is honestly the sole reason why this movie isn’t more highly regarded. Hell, you’ve got folks championing Hard Rock Zombies (1985), for fuck’s sake! Though it is distracting at times, can we at least acknowledge the silver lining here? Neither one of the musical numbers featured were dubbed. You get Alice belting out two deadly tracks that you’ll never find on any of his studio albums as they were wrote solely for the film. That being said, See Me in the Mirror is one of my all-time favourite tracks from Cooper and Identity Crisises is up there, too. If for nothing else, the music video segments alone are worth championing this film. Alice even riffs on his makeup used during his blackout era; Peep that Special Forces eyebrow, y’all!

Aside from Alice, there are a handful of other positive aspects worth noting. Firstly, it doesn’t waste any time – expect to see the monster dog itself within the first 15 minutes of runtime. I personally avoid slowburns whenever possible, so this is a huge plus given my over-exposure to schlocky slasher films as a child. Furthermore, Monster Dog doesn’t restrict itself to typical lycanthropy lore. Sure, you’ve got a werewolf kickin’ around as you’d expect, but I can’t recall another film in which a pack of vicious dogs are traipsing about murdering people. Also if you love copious amounts of fog like I do, this film will be right up your alley. So. Much. Fog! Saving the best for last, the third act also displays a leather-clad Alice Cooper partaking in an action-packed shootout. If you’re not convinced that you need to watch this shit immediately, then I can’t help you!

One could argue that my undying love for this ridiculous little movie is due to my extreme adoration of Alice, but I think I’d love it just the same had it been an unfamiliar name in the role of Vince. You’ve got the element of rock and roll horror, which in my eyes is the undisputed king of horror subgenres; You’ve got a transformation sequence, which is a necessity when it comes to werewolf horror; Great soundtrack, moody atmosphere, etc. Hell, this movie is just a shitload of fun! I know, I know… some of y’all don’t like fun for whatever reason, which is likely why I ruffled so many feathers when I stated that Silver Bullet is superior – but hey, my opinion is just as valid as yours! It may be stupid, but valid nonetheless. Make of that what you will, but for the love of Alice Cooper, watch Monster Dog!