Mario Bava, possibly the most important director from Italy’s golden age of sleazy horror, never lived to see the theatrical release of Rabid Dogs. However, over the course of years, it’s become one of his most appreciated works.

A roller-coaster ride of blood, murder and terror, Rabid Dogs (later re-released as Kidnapped) is 90 minutes of either unadulterated adrenaline or offensiveness, depending entirely on your level of appreciation of such things.

The plot centers around a group of nasty criminals (Doc, Thirty-Two, Stiletto and Ace) who are attempting to make a getaway after a job. Their escape is botched and they’re left having to kill and brutalize their way to freedom, kidnapping beautiful and hapless Maria as a hostage for the road.

The Criticker users who have seen and ranked this film agree. Almost everyone has given it high marks — though this may be because the only people who’d willingly seek out violent Mario Bava films are those predisposed to like them… Still. Good enough to land Rabid Dogs in our list of Neglected Gems!