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 Eleventh Commandment

The Eleventh Commandment. Paul Leder, 1987.
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Edition screened: Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray #325, released 2020. English language. Runtime approximately 94 minutes.

Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.


The Films of Don Davis

The Films of Don Davis. Don Davis, 1968-1970.
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Edition screened: Vinegar Syndrome DVD #068, released 2015. English language. Cumulative runtime approximately 209 minutes.

Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.

The compilation includes three calmly entertaining documents from another world:

Marsha: The Erotic Housewife (1970, approximately 66 minutes) 1/5
For Single Swingers Only (1968, approximately 71 minutes) 2.5/5
Her Odd Tastes (1969, approximately 75 minutes) 1/5


The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1947.
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Edition screened: Fox Blu-ray, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 104 minutes.

Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.

I was looking forward to this because I like Gene Tierney and think Mankiewicz films are dependably good. I was disappointed, having forgotten how terrible Rex Harrison always is. And the oppressive Britishness of the film sucked the life out of every aspect except pervasive cutesyness, even making Gene Tierney unsexy.

Girls, Guns and G-Strings: The Andy Sidaris Collection

Girls, Guns and G-Strings: The Andy Sidaris Collection. Andy Sidaris and Christian Drew Sidaris, 1985-1996.
😿 😿
Edition screened: Mill Creek 3-DVD set, released 2011. English language. Cumulative runtime of 12 feature films approximately 1105 minutes.

Summary: Some films contain images of violence to animals. Click on individual titles for details.

The Mill Creek set includes the following titles. Since the listing on the box has no apparent order, I have arranged them in rough groupings from least terrible to most terrible. As such, the ones near the top of the list are mildly entertaining if you are in just the right mood, while the ones near the bottom of the list are stupendously bad. 

The Dallas Connection (1994 Christian Drew Sidaris)
Malibu Express (1985) 
Guns (1990)
Enemy Gold (1993 Christian Drew Sidaris)
Fit to Kill (1993) 
Hard Hunted (1992)
Do or Die (1991)
Savage Beach (1989)

Hugo Pool

Hugo Pool. Robert Downey Sr., 1997
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Edition screened: Fox Lorber DVD, released 2006. English language. Runtime approximately 92 minutes.

Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.



In a Lonely Place

In a Lonely Place. Nicholas Ray, 1950.
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Edition screened: Criterion Blu-ray #810, released 2016. English language. Runtime approximately 93 minutes.

Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.


In a Year with 13 Moons

In a Year with 13 Moons (In einem Jahr mit 13 Monden). Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 1978.
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German language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 124 minutes.


Our friend Edward reports a long and especially graphic slaughterhouse scene, 18:33-23:52. This difficult-to-sit-through scene is most unfortunate in an otherwise favorite film from the Fassbinder catalogue.

Kings of the Road

Kings of the Road (Im Lauf der Zeit). Wim Wenders, 1976.
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Edition screened: Criterion Blu-ray #816, included in The Road Trilogy box set #813 released 2016. German language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 176 minutes.

Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.

L.E.T.H.A.L. Ladies: Return to Savage Beach

L.E.T.H.A.L. Ladies: Return to Savage Beach. Andy Sidaris, 1998.
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Edition screened: Included on Mill Creek 3-DVD set Girls, Guns and G-Strings: The Andy Sidaris Collection, released 2011. English language. Runtime approximately 98 minutes.


Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.

You see how unappealing the Blu-ray cover is? The whole film is exactly like that.

The Layout

The Layout. Joseph W. Sarno, 1969.
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Edition screened: Included on Something Weird DVD The Love Merchant/The Layout, released 2005. English language. Runtime approximately 79 minutes.

Summary: No animals or references to animals in the film. 3.5/5

The Something Weird release also includes two uncredited nudie shorts, Private Secretary and Two Reel Cuties, each about 12 minutes long and free of animal cruelty. 

The Lonely Sex

The Lonely Sex. Richard Hilliard, 1959.
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Edition screened: Included on Vinegar Syndrome “Drive-In Collection” DVD #005, released 2013, along with Anatomy of a Psycho. English language. Runtime approximately 57 minutes.

Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.


The Love Merchant

The Love Merchant. Joseph W. Sarno, 1966.
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Edition screened: Included on Something Weird DVD The Love Merchant/The Layout, released 2005. English language. Runtime approximately 79 minutes.

Summary: No animals or references to animals in the film. 2.5/5

The Something Weird release also includes two uncredited nudie shorts, Private Secretary and Two Reel Cuties, each about 12 minutes long and free of animal cruelty. 


Old Dracula

Old Dracula (Vampira). Clive Donner, 1974.
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Edition screened: Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray #322, released 2020. English language. Runtime approximately 88 minutes.

Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.


Old Joy

Old Joy. Kelly Reichardt, 2006.
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Edition screened: Criterion Blu-ray #1008, released 2019. English language. Runtime approximately 73 minutes.

Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.

Very nice.


Perfect Strangers (Cohen)

Perfect Strangers (Blind Alley). Larry Cohen, 1984.
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Edition screened: Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray #326, released 2020. English language. Runtime approximately 91 minutes.

Summary: Insect smashing.

Details: A child intentionally steps on an insect and says “Kill bug” at 38:40.

Ann Magnuson has a western-themed pinball table operating in her thrift shop. It’s in the background and hard to see, but I think it has the El Dorado backglass with one of the alternate titles, like Lucky Strike or Gold Strike. . 


Public Affairs

Public Affairs. Henri Pachard, 1983.
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Edition screened: Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray #310, released 2020. English language. Runtime approximately 81 minutes.

Summary: No animals or references to animals in the film. 3.5/5


Purely Physical/Cathouse Fever

Purely Physical/Cathouse Fever. Chris Warfield (as Billy Thornberg), 1982-1984.
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Edition screened: Vinegar Syndrome DVD #047 Peekarama: Purely Physical/Cathouse Fever, released 2014. English language. Cumulative runtime approximately 158 minutes.

Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals in either feature.

Purely Physical. 1982, approximately 82 minutes. 4/5
Cathouse Fever. 1984, approximately 76 minutes.  3/5


Rad

Rad. Hal Needham, 1986.
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Edition screened: Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray #319, released 2020. English language. Runtime approximately 93 minutes.

Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.


The Raid: Redemption

The Raid: Redemption (Serbuan Mau). Gareth Evans, 2011.
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Edition screened: Included in Sony Blu-ray set The Raid Collection, released 2017. Indonesian language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 101 minutes.

Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.

The Raid Collection also includes Raid 2: Berandal

Red Cliff: Part I & Part II

Red Cliff: Part I & Part II (Chi bi ). John Woo, 2008.
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Edition screened: Magnet Blu-ray, released 2010. Mandarin language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 288 minutes.

Summary: Repeated implicit violence to horses.

Details: Probably three hours of the pushing-five-hours runtime is outrageously violent equestrian battle scenes. There are no depictions of horses actually being killed or dying, but there are constant horrible falls, trips, collisions, and head-over-hooves neck rolls that would be fatal ITRW, not to mention the 945,600 arrows that are shot and the boiling oil bombs that dominate the final seven-hour battle sequence.

Also, one character is an acupuncture master of some sort, who incapacitates and zombifies a horse by punching it in the neck, just to make a point. She revives it with another punch, and I was like ¡Please!


The Road Trilogy

The Road Trilogy. Wim Wenders, 1967-1976.
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Edition screened: Criterion Blu-ray box set #813, released 2016. German language with English subtitles. Cumulative runtime approximately 430 minutes.

Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals in these films.

The Criterion set includes two early short films from the 1960s, the three feature films from the mid-1970s Road Trilogy, and a variety of supplemental material. Click individual titles for details.

Wrong Move (1975)


The Severed Arm

The Severed Arm. Thomas S. Alderman, 1973.
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Edition screened: Vinegar Syndrome #321, released 2020. English language. Runtime approximately 89 minutes.

Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.

Three good animal cameos in the film, and lots of great looking early 70s cars.


A Smell of Honey, a Swallow of Brine

A Smell of Honey, A Swallow of Brine. Byron Mabe (as B. Ron Elliott), 1966.
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Edition screened: Included on the Something Weird DVD David F. Friedman Triple Feature, released 2004. English language. Runtime approximately 70 minutes.

Summary: No animals or references to animals in the film. 3.5/5

The David F. Friedman Triple Feature also includes A Sweet Sickness (1968) and The Brick Dollhouse (1967). 

Something Different

Something Different (O něčem jiném). Věra Chytilová, 1963.
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Edition screened: Included along with A Bagful of Fleas on Second Run DVD #106 Two Films by Věra Chytilová, released 2016. Czech language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 81 minutes.


Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.


A Sweet Sickness

A Sweet Sickness. Jon Martin, 1968.
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Edition screened: Included on the Something Weird DVD David F. Friedman Triple Feature, released 2004. English language. Runtime approximately 67 minutes.

Summary: No animals or references to animals in the film. 2.5/5

The David F. Friedman Triple Feature also includes A Smell of Honey, a Swallow of Brine (1966) and The Brick Dollhouse (1967). 


Throat: A Cautionary Tale


Throat: A Cautionary Tale. Paul Thomas, 2009.
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Edition screened: Vivid DVD, released 2009. English language. Runtime approximately 123 minutes.

Summary: No animals or references to animals in the film. 5/5

Until the End of the World

Until the End of the World. (Bis ans Ende der Welt). Wim Wenders, 1991.
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Edition screened: Criterion Blu-ray #1007, released 2019. English language. Runtime approximately 287 minutes.

Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.


RoboCop pinball machine around the 26:00 mark.


Where the Green Ants Dream

Where the Green Ants Dream (Wo die grünen Ameisen träumen). Werner Herzog, 1984.
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Edition screened: Included in Shout! Factory Blu-ray box set Herzog: The Collection, released 2014. English language. Runtime approximately 105 minutes.

Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.

Wrong Move

Wrong Move (Falsche Bewegung). Wim Wenders, 1975.
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Edition screened: Criterion Blu-ray #815, included in The Road Trilogy box set #813 released 2016. German language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 104 minutes.

Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.

13 Assassins

13 Assassins (Jûsan-nin no shikaku). Takashi Miike, 2010.
😿 😿
Edition screened: Artificial Eye Blu-ray, released 2013. Japanese language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 126 minutes.

Summary: Moderate depictions of violence to animals, some CG.

Details:
1) Depiction of a large insect being eaten alive, 58:45-58:52.
2) A dead rabbit is produced from forest underbrush 59:31-59:42, after a depiction of it being hit with a thrown weapon.
3) As part of an elaborate battle scene, raging bulls are sent down a street with flaming packs tied to their backs, 1:18:53-1:19:19.


Adventures of Zatoichi

Adventures of Zatoichi (Zatōichi sekisho-yaburi). Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1964.
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Edition screened: In Criterion Blu-ray box set #679 Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman, released 2013. Japanese language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 86 minutes.

Summary: No depictions of violence toward animals.

The ninth film in the Zatoichi series.

The Altar of Lust/Angel on Fire

The Altar of Lust/Angel on Fire (Angel Number 9). Roberta Findlay, 1971-1974.
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Edition screened: Vinegar Syndrome DVD #032 Peekarama: The Altar of Lust/Angel on Fire, released 2014. English language. Cumulative runtime approximately 155 minutes.

Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals in either feature.

The Altar of Lust. Roberta Findlay, 1971, approximately 80 minutes. 2.5/5
Angel on Fire (Angel Number 9). Roberta Findlay, 1974, approximately 75 minutes. 2/5


An American in Paris

An American in Paris. Vincente Minnelli, 1951.
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Edition screened: MGM/UA DVD, released 2000. English language. Runtime approximately 114 minutes.

Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.


Anatomy of a Psycho

Anatomy of a Psycho. Boris Petroff (as Brooks L. Peters), 1960.
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Edition screened: Included on Vinegar Syndrome “Drive-In Collection” DVD #005, released 2013, along with The Lonely Sex. English language. Runtime approximately 80 minutes.

Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.



Bad Girl

Bad Girl. Frank Borzage, 1931.
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Edition screened: Kino Lorber Blu-ray, released 2016. English language. Runtime approximately 90 minutes.

Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.

Great shots of Coney Island at night.





Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans. Werner Herzog, 2010.
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Edition screened: First Look Blu-ray, released 2010. English language. Runtime approximately 121 minutes.

Summary: Armadillo killed on highway.

Details: A run-over armadillo lies on the road, barely moving, 37:14-37:25.

A Bagful of Fleas

A Bagful of Fleas (Pytel Blech). Věra Chytilová, 1962.
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Edition screened: Included along with Something Different on Second Run DVD #106 Two Films by Věra Chytilová, released 2016. Czech language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 43 minutes.


Summary: Childish shenanigans with dead mice.

Details: Two screaming giggly girls twirl a few dead mice around to terrorize the other screaming giggly girls, 31:52-32:52.

The Baker’s Wife

The Baker’s Wife (La femme du boulanger). Marcel Pagnol, 1938.
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Edition screened: Criterion Blu-ray #986, released 2019. French language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 134 minutes.

Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.


Ballad of the Little Soldier

Ballad of the Little Soldier (Ballade vom kleinen Soldaten). Werner Herzog, 1984.
😿 😿 😿
Edition screened: Included in Shout! Factory Blu-ray box set Herzog: The Collection, released 2014. German language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 46 minutes.

Summary: Mutilation of living tortoises. 

Details: Living tortoises are hacked into pieces with machetes as food prep, 4:04-4:16. There are no detail images but the squirming and mutilation are adequately clear. 

The Beloved

The Beloved (L’aimée). Arnaud Desplechin, 2007.
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Edition screened: Included on Criterion Blu-ray #492 A Christmas Tale, released 2009. French language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 70 minutes.


Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.

Best Friends

Best Friends. Noel Nosseck, 1975.
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Edition screened: Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray #323, released 2020. English language. Runtime approximately 83 minutes.

Summary: There are two knuckle-headed animal encounters in the film. The first is a scene in which the two buddies, somewhat drunk, are shooting at a lizard with a pistol. They cannot hit it, and the assembled cuts indicate that there isn’t really a lizard target during filming. The second is a close call with a rattle snake. A man lobs a few small rocks at the snake from a distance and the snake just leaves. As such there were no actual depictions of harm to either of these animals, just accurate depictions of stupid straight white men.


Blazing Saddles

Blazing Saddles. Mel Brooks, 1974.
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Edition screened: Warner Blu-ray, released 2012. English language. Runtime approximately 93 minutes.

Summary: Endangerment of horses for comedic effect.

Details:
1) Like many westerns, there are numerous scenes of horses tripping and falling but no indication that they are seriously injured.
2) A man punches a horse in the jaw and the horse tumbles to the ground as a human would, 46:32-46:37.


Blood Games


Blood Games. Tanya Rosenberg, 1990.
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Edition screened: Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray #320, released 2020. English language. Runtime approximately 90 minutes.

Summary: No animals or references to animals in the film.



The Brick Dollhouse

The Brick Dollhouse. David F. Friedman (as Tony Martinez), 1967.
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Edition screened: Included on the Something Weird DVD David F. Friedman Triple Feature, released 2004. English language. Runtime approximately 55 minutes.

Summary: No animals or references to animals in the film. 3/5

The David F. Friedman Triple Feature also includes A Smell of Honey, a Swallow of Brine (1966) and A Sweet Sickness (1968). 


The Bunny Game

The Bunny Game. Adam Rehmeier, 2011.
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Edition screened: Autonomy Blu-ray, released 2012. English language. Runtime approximately 76 minutes.

Summary: No animals in the film, barring a breif image of ants crawling on what might be a decaying grasshopper.