Johnny Mad Dog

Johnny Mad Dog is a 2008 French/Liberian war film directed by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire and based on the novel Johnny chien méchant (2002) by the Congolese author Emmanuel Dongala. It tells the story of a group of child soldiers fighting for the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebels in 2003, during the Second Liberian Civil War.

Johnny Mad Dog
DVD cover
Directed byJean-Stéphane Sauvaire
Written byJean-Stéphane Sauvaire
Based onJohnny chien méchant
by Emmanuel Dongala
Produced byBenoit Jaubert
Mathieu Kassovitz
StarringChristophe Minie
Daisy Victoria Vandy
Joseph Duo
Dagbeth Tweh
Careen Moore
CinematographyMarc Koninckx
Edited byStéphane Elmadjian
Music byJackson Tennessee Fourgeaud
Production
companies
MNP Entreprise
Explicit Films
Scope Pictures
Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC)
Canal+
Running time
94 minutes
CountriesFrance
Belgium
Liberia
LanguagesEnglish
Liberian Kreyol
Kru

The film stars Christopher Minie (as Johnny), Daisy Victoria Vandy (as Laokolé), Dagbeh Tweh, Barry Chernoh, Mohammed Sesay and Joseph Duo.[1]

Plot
Promotional image

The teenage rebel Johnny Mad Dog leads the small group of younger boys commanded by the older General Never Die, who feeds them cocaine.[2] The film follows the group's march towards the capital Monrovia in a gritty realistic manner as they move through a series of towns and villages, where they terrify and often execute the population. The soldiers are depicted as almost feral, committing acts of pillage and rape, with scant regard for even their own lives.[3] They wear a variety of outlandish outfits – including butterfly wings and a wedding dress – and have nicknames such as No Good Advice, Captain Dust to Dust, and Chicken Hair.[4]

Production

The actors were mostly aged 10 to 15, including Christopher Minie, Daisy Victoria Vandy, Dagbeh Tweh, Barry Chernoh, Mohammed Sesay, and Joseph Duo. All were unknowns when cast; some were themselves former child soldiers.[2]

References
  1. Catsoulis, Jeannette. "Child Soldiers on an Adult Rampage". New York Times, 20 January 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2022
  2. Burke, Gavin. "Johnny Mad Dog Archived 2010-01-05 at the Wayback Machine". entertainment.ie. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
  3. Bradshaw, Peter. "Johnny Mad Dog". The Guardian, 22 October 2009. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
  4. "Johnny Mad Dog Archived 2009-06-08 at the Wayback Machine". Sundance Institute. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
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