A Boy And His Dog

About A Boy And His Dog

A Boy and His Dog is a short story by Harlan Ellison which was also the basis of a 1974 post-apocalyptic science fiction film of the same name directed by L. Q. Jones. The story was first published in 1969. A revised and expanded version was printed in Ellison's 1976 story collection The Beast that Shouted Love at the Heart of the World, and Ellison continued the story in the graphic novel Vic and Blood. The film version is often cited as an inspiration for George Miller's Mad Max though Miller has said he didn't view Jones' film until after he had completed his own[citation needed]. The movie was also distributed after the initial run under the name, "Psycho Boy and His Killer Dog" among other titles.

This is a post-apocalyptic tale in which the earth's surface has been devastated by nuclear war, and the few survivors who remain above ground must forage and fight for food, ammunition, and women. Of these necessities, women are the rarest finds; as explained in the movie, most survivors are male because while the males were off fighting the war, their leaders bombed their enemies' cities and destroyed their homes.

The main character, Vic, played by Don Johnson in a notable early role, is an 18-year-old boy focused on stealing food and fulfilling his sexual needs. He is accompanied by a well-read and wise-cracking telepathic dog named Blood, an "experienced female provider." Blood was voiced by Tim McIntire.