Review of Doberman Patrol

Businessman Chuck Brenner (a strong and engaging performance by James Brolin) gets mugged and knocked unconscious in the bathroom at a department store. When Chuck comes to, he finds himself locked inside the store with a bunch of ferocious Doberman guard dogs. Writer/director Frank De Felitta, who also wrote the superior supernatural shocker "The Entity," relates the arresting story at a snappy pace and does an adept job of creating plenty of sweaty, nerve-wracking suspense. Fred Mandl's agile cinematography and Gil Melle's primal, robust, throbbing score greatly enhance the white-knuckle tension. Brolin excels in the strenuous and demanding lead role: Scared and delirious, suffering from severe blood loss (one of the vicious canines bites his leg) and fending off those pesky pooches with either a chair or a flaming mop, Brolin has you rooting for him every harrowing step of the way. Moreover, the supporting cast likewise contributes solid work: Susan Clark as Chuck's bitter estranged ex-wife Elaine, Earl Holliman as Elaine's patient, practical new hubby David Moore, Robert ("Trouble Man") Hooks as smooth, helpful police Sergeant Connaught, and Tammy Harrington as Chuck's adorable little daughter Carrie. An excellent nail-biter.