Heads Up, Ears Down

This blog accurately identifies depictions of violence and cruelty toward animals in films. The purpose is to provide viewers with a reliable guide so that such depictions do not come as unwelcome surprises. Films will be accurately notated, providing a time cue for each incident along with a concise description of the scene and perhaps relevant context surrounding the incident. In order to serve as a useful reference tool, films having no depictions of violence to animals will be included, with an indication that there are no such scenes. This is confirmation that the films have been watched with the stated purpose in mind.


Note that the word depictions figures prominently in the objective. It is a travesty that discussions about cruelty in film usually are derailed by the largely unrelated assertion that no animals really were hurt (true only in some films, dependent upon many factors), and that all this concern is just over a simulation. Not the point, whether true or false. We do not smugly dismiss depictions of five-year-olds being raped because those scenes are only simulations. No, we are appalled that such images are even staged, and we are appropriately horrified that the notion now has been planted into the minds of the weak and cruel.


Depictions of violence or harm to animals are assessed in keeping with our dominant culture, with physical abuse, harmful neglect, and similar mistreatment serving as a base line. This blog does not address extended issues of animal welfare, and as such does not identify scenes of people eating meat or mules pulling plows. The goal is to itemize images that might cause a disturbance in a compassionate household.


These notes provide a heads-up but do not necessarily discourage watching a film because of depicted cruelty. Consuming a piece of art does not make you a supporter of the ideas presented. Your ethical self is created by your public rhetoric and your private actions, not by your willingness to sit through a filmed act of violence.

The Player

The Player. Robert Altman, 1992.
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Edition screened: New Line ‘Special Edition’ DVD, released 1997. English language. Runtime approximately 124 minutes.

Summary: A snake is beaten to death.

Details:
1) A large carp is seen floating dead in a pool, 47:34-47:44.
2) Tim Robbins finds a snake in his car and begins beating it to death with an umbrella at 1:10:55, finally dragging the snake’s body out of the car with the umbrella 1:11:04-1:11:06.

I do not compare films to reality. It is not interesting, clever, or astute to point out that characters or their actions are not believable or realistic. Films are works of fiction and the characters are functioning correctly when they act exactly as the writer wants. Films are not documentaries about the perfect, intelligent person you and how you would react in a specific situation.

But I make an exception in this case. There is absolutely no reason that Tim Robbins would choose to confront the rattlesnake in his car. He had safely pulled over and exited the vehicle, leaving the rattlesnake trapped inside. It is absurd that he would walk around to the back of the car, open the hatch, get an umbrella, walk to the passenger’s side, open the door, and confront the rattlesnake on a city street rather than calling for emergency assistance.

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