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.

Witchtrap

Witchtrap (The Presence). Kevin Tenney, 1989.
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Edition screened: Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray #158, released 2017. English language. Runtime approximately 91 minutes.

Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.

Witchtrap showcases the worst of 1980s film style. The dialogue is heavily padded with pointless comments like “Gee, look at that” and unfocused perfunctory bickering. The acting is the horrible sort that only C-list professionals can muster, far worse than non-professional actors. There are endless childish jokes and some squirmy racial volleys that try, fail, and try again to level some social playing field.

The special effects are the most ambitious part of Witchtrap, with splatter that holds up well even by current standards. Every character suffers a gory death except for the most unlikable one.

A brief shower scene by Linnea Quigley is the highlight of the film. Quigley is the first character to be killed and unfortunately has only about eight minutes on screen. Still, she smiles her adorable little smile several times and delivers Witchtrap’s best performance by far. 

The Vinegar Syndrome release also includes Tenney’s student film The Book of Joe (1984), which is easier to watch and better than Witchtrap in some ways.

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