Challenge to White Fang
dir. Lucio Fulci · 1974
Plot
Lucio Fulci's sequel to Zianna Bianca (White Fang), set some years after the events in the first White Fang movie, has the wolf-dog befriended by another young boy, named Bill Tarwater, the grandson of fur trader John Tarwater, in which the dog teams up once again with novelist Jason Scott and his partner Kurt Jansen to stop the evil Beauty Smith, now living under the alias Forth, in another Northern Canada town and exploiting the townspeople including Sister Evangelina who's trying to open a new mission hospital in town.
Why watch
A young boy named Bill Tarwater befriends White Fang, the loyal wolf-dog, as they navigate the treacherous landscape of Northern Canada. Together, they confront the nefarious Beauty Smith, who exploits the townspeople and threatens their newfound family. Watching this film is like stepping into a world where the bonds of friendship and loyalty are tested against the backdrop of adventure and moral conflict.
Talking points
- the role of animals in storytelling
- childhood innocence vs. adult corruption
- the impact of setting on narrative
- themes of loyalty and friendship