My 20th Century (Az én XX. századom). Ildikó Enyedi, 1989.
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Edition screened: Second Run Blu-ray #BD 005, released 2017. Hungarian language with English subtitle. Runtime approximately 103 minutes.
Summary: Implications of animal torture and murder.
Details:
1) Beginning at 29:05 and continuing through 33:00, we see a laboratory dog wearing head straps with simulated electronic attachments. We see the dog break free and go on a life-changing adventure to experience the world – still wearing his headgear.
2) We see a man reach into a birdcage and grasp a dove, then at 33:45 we hear a noise suggesting that he has broken the bird’s neck.
Important: The “lab dog” sequence clearly is rooted in compassion. There are no background images of the laboratory, and the headgear is intentionally joke-like. The dog is happy. Also, the caged birds are seen several times throughout the movie and the sound effect suggesting off-screen killing is not glamorized.
These scenes are not a reason to avoid this wonderful and creative film.