| Rabid Dogs | |
|---|---|
 2002 poster art for Kidnapped release | |
| Directed by | Mario Bava[1] |
| Screenplay by |
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| Based on | "Man and Boy" by Michael J. Carroll |
| Produced by | Roberto Loyola[1] |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography |
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| Edited by | Carlo Reali[1] |
| Music by | Stelvio Cipriani |
| Color process | Technicolor |
Production company | Roberto Loyola Cinematogfraica[1] |
Release date |
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| Country | Italy[1] |
| Language | Italian |
Rabid Dogs (Italian: Cani arrabbiati) is an Italian thriller-noir film directed by Mario Bava, starring Riccardo Cucciolla, Don Backy, Lea Lander, Maurice Poli, George Eastman and Erika Dario. Taking place largely in real time, the film follows a trio of payroll robbers who kidnap a young woman and force a man with a sick child to be their getaway driver, all while trying to avoid being caught by the police.
An adaptation of the Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine short story "Man and Boy" by Michael J. Carroll, Rabid Dogs was a departure for Bava, as its emphasis on realism sets it apart stylistically from his colourful horror films. Following three weeks of principal photography, producer Roberto Loyola declared bankruptcy, resulting in the then-incomplete film being shelved due to his ownership of the rights. Rabid Dogs remained unseen for over two decades, but following an acquisition of the rights by Lander, it has since been released on home video in multiple versions, with various scenes being partially re-shot, added or removed for continuity. One of these versions, titled Kidnapped, was supervised by Bava's son Lamberto and his colleague Alfredo Leone.
A Franco-Canadian remake of the same name, directed by Éric Hannezo, was released in 2015.