Good Boy is a horror movies that’s told from the point-of-view of a dog, and the idea for that intriguing concept came from an unexpected celluloid source.
Good Boy is a haunted house movie in which a clever canine called Indy endeavours to save his master from a supernatural threat that only the dog can see and hear.
The horror movie has done the festival circuit and reviews have been rapturous, with Good Boy currently on a Rotten Tomatoes score of 95%.
Director Ben Leonberg has already spoken about how he coaxed such an amazing performance out of the dog in question, who also happens to be his own pet pooch. While below you can find out how he came by the high-concept idea…
How Poltergeist inspired Good Boy
In and interview with Filmmaker, Leonberg revealed that the idea came to him while viewing one of the great horror movies.
“I was watching Poltergeist probably for the 100th time,” explains Leonberg. “The opening follows the family’s golden retriever who we learn can clearly perceive the ghosts before anyone else.
“This same trope – the dog who ‘knows better’ – appears in tons of horror movies, and I thought that someone should make a movie from that dog’s perspective.”
Then it was about finding his lead, though he didn’t have to look far: “Indy, my actual dog, is the second part of the equation, and the secret sauce that makes the concept work.
“He naturally has this really intense, unblinking stare. He usually hits you with it before meal time, but on the occasions when he’s just staring at ’empty’ corners, or tracking smells only he can perceive… it’s really spooky. I think every dog owner has wondered, or worried, why their dog suddenly barks for no reason, or stares at ‘nothing.’
Why Indy wasn’t first choice to star
That’s not so say Indy was a lock-in for the lead. During a conversation with Variety, Leonberg explained how the movie nearly went from short to feature without his beloved best friend.
“There was this short film contest called The Rode Reel, which was the biggest online short film contest we entered,” says Leonberg. “We didn’t make the short with the express purpose of [adapting it into a feature], but there was a big financial prize, which was the kickstart to making this movie. We won, but then Indy was nominated for best actor.
“When I started writing the film, I didn’t intend to make the movie with Indy, but people were reacting to him so strongly and so positively. I do think he legitimately has some quirks that make him uniquely suited to do this. It kind of forced our hand. He became my leading man.”
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