Tom Berenger (Shoot to Kill, Shattered) is Lewis Gates, a bounty hunter haunted by the past, hired to track down three escaped convicts in the Oxbow region of the Rockies. Their trail leads him to a secluded spot and signs of a struggle, but no bodies—only a strange arrow shaft remains. Gates takes the arrow to an expert in Native American culture, Lillian Sloan (Barbara Hershey, Hoosiers, The Public Eye), and together they set off in search of an impossible mystery—a tribe they believe cannot exist, massacred over 100 years ago. What they discover deep in the Oxbow may prove an answer to both Lillian’s dreams and Lewis’s nightmares. But for now, it’s a desperate race against time if they are to save the last of the Dogmen from the destructive forces of the modern world. Tab Murphy (Gorillas in the Mist, Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Tarzan) wrote and made his directorial debut with this beautifully photographed modern-day western filled with romance, adventure and Native American folklore. Co-starring Kurtwood Smith (RoboCop) and Steve Reevis (Dances with Wolves).

For thoughts on Last Of The Dogmen, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

Video Quality

Kino Classics presents Last Of The Dogmen with a stunning upgrade in the form of a new 1080p master transfer in 2.39:1 sourced from a 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative color graded and approved by Director Tab Murphy and Cinematographer Karl Walter Lindenlaub. The transfer provides sumptuous natural film grain absent of any compression artifacts or other such damage. The film is practically pristine with no noticeable instances of damage or dirt detected here. There are also noticeable subtleties when it comes to fine detail that should please fans of the film. Distinct details in the landscape standout more than ever before, such as the sharp edges of the rocks during a close call. The film features some splendid colors within the costumes and nature that pop off the screen with a great vibrancy. Skin tones look mostly natural, and the presentation offers up deep black levels. This presentation is another instance of Kino Classics saving a forgotten gem.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with terrific DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio tracks, both with and without narration, that serve this film exactly as intended. Of the four included audio tracks, two of them have a version with narration from none other than Wilford Brimley which was forced onto the creative team. This narration is supposed to help audiences be less confused about certain story elements, but it truly is a horrific addition and should be avoided if at all possible. The default track is without the narration, and you should honestly stick with that.

That element aside, the soundscape delivers a depth of clarity to the emotional score which audiences will appreciate. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear alongside environmental noises which are represented in perfect harmony with all competing elements. This track shows no age related wear and tear such as hissing or popping. This disc maintains a flawless sense of fidelity which brings this movie to life exactly how it deserves. There are also optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Writer/Director Tab Murphy and Producer Joel B. Michaels provide an incredibly informative commentary track moderated by Filmmaker Douglas Hosdale in which they discuss the origins of this film, how the script was developed, the incredible cast, filming in Mexico and Canada, how an act of God changed their shooting schedule, creating a safe space on the set for the performers and more. This is jam-packed with information that is pretty fascinating.

TV Spot: A 31-second TV spot is provided for the film.

Theatrical Trailer: The three-minute is provided here for Last Of The Dogmen. There are also trailers provided for Love At Large, Shattered, Take This Job and Shove It and The Public Eye.

Booklet: This release comes with the rare Kino Classics booklet featuring a great essay from Film Historian Julie Kirgo about romance and westerns.

Final Thoughts

Last Of The Dogmen is a truly rousing discovery for those who appreciate the type of adult-skewing storytelling which has receded from cinema and migrated to television in the past couple of decades. The direction is incredibly assured for being a first-time filmmaker telling a pretty grand story. The two lead performances are very effective and actually radiate chemistry with one another off of the screen. This movie simply should have been a much bigger success than it was, and it deserves all of the attention now. Kino Classics has provided a new Blu-Ray featuring a fetching A/V presentation and a great commentary track. This ranks among my favorite discoveries of the year. Highly Recommended

Last Of The Dogmen is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.