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.

A titles


click Title for details Animal Violence Immaculate Corpse
À propos de Nice Clean The expansive middle
À tout de suite Minimal The expansive middle
Abduction of an American Playgirl Clean The expansive middle
The Abyss Minimal The expansive middle
Accattone Clean The expansive middle
Accused Clean The expansive middle
Ace in the Hole Clean The expansive middle
An Act of Confession Clean The smeary bottom
The Act of Killing Clean The elusive top
The Act of Seeing with one's own eyes Clean The expansive middle
The Actuality Dramas of Allan King (Eclipse 24) Clean The expansive middle
Adam and 6 Eves Clean The expansive middle
Ad Astra Substantial The expansive middle
The Addams Family Minimal The expansive middle
Addams Family Values Minimal The expansive middle
Adele Rowland: "Stories in Song" Clean The expansive middle
Adieu Philippine Clean The expansive middle
Adoration Clean The expansive middle
The Adventures of Antoine Doinel Clean The expansive middle
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (Gilliam) Clean The expansive middle
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Clean The expansive middle
The Adventures of Dollie Clean The expansive middle
The Adventures of Robin Hood Minimal The expansive middle
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Minimal The expansive middle
The Adventures of the Wrong Santa Claus Clean The expansive middle
Adventures of Zatoichi Clean The expansive middle
Advise & Consent Clean The expansive middle
Aferim! Clean The expansive middle
The Affairs of Aphrodite Clean The smeary bottom
Afire Substantial The expansive middle
After Death Clean The expansive middle
After the Rehearsal Clean The expansive middle
Afternoon Clean The expansive middle
Afternoon Delights Clean The expansive middle
L'Age d'or Minimal The elusive top scorpions
The Age of the Medici Clean The expansive middle
Un aganzia matrimonial (Fellini, from L'amore in città) Clean The expansive middle
Agnès V. by Jane B. Clean The expansive middle
Agnès Varda's Credit Sequences Clean The expansive middle
Aguirre, the Wrath of God Clean The elusive top
Ako Clean The expansive middle
Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1963-1974 Clean The expansive middle
Aleph Clean The expansive middle
Alexander Nevsky Clean The expansive middle
Ali: Fear Eats the Soul Clean The expansive middle
Alice Clean The expansive middle
Alice from Dallas Clean The expansive middle
Alice in the Cities Clean The expansive middle
Alice, Sweet Alice Heavy The expansive middle
Alien Clean The expansive middle bonus points
Alien 3 Substantial The expansive middle
Alien Covenant Clean The expansive middle
Alien Resurrection Minimal The expansive middle
Aliens Clean The expansive middle
Alison’s Birthday Clean The expansive middle
All-American Hustler Clean The expansive middle
All Americans Clean The expansive middle
All at Sea Heavy The expansive middle
All Ladies Do It (Così fan tutte) Clean The expansive middle
All Night Long (Colberg) Clean The smeary bottom
All Night Long (Dearden) Clean The expansive middle
All That Heaven Allows Minimal The expansive middle
All the Boys Are Called Patrick Clean The expansive middle
All the Haunts Be Ours: A Compendium of Folk Horror Heavy The expansive middle
All the Sins of Sodom Clean The expansive middle
All These Women Clean The expansive middle
All Together Now Clean The expansive middle
All Women Are Bad Clean The expansive middle
Alléluia Clean The expansive middle
Along Came Polly Clean The expansive middle
Along with Ghosts Minimal The expansive middle
Aloys Clean The expansive middle
The Alpha Incident Clean The expansive middle
The Alphabet Clean The expansive middle
Alphaville Clean The expansive middle
Alpine Fire Minimal The expansive middle
Alps Clean The expansive middle
The Altar of Lust Clean The expansive middle
Always for Pleasure Clean The expansive middle
Amadeus Clean The expansive middle
Amazon Jail Minimal The expansive middle
Amazon Jail 2 Substantial The smeary bottom
The Amateurs Clean The expansive middle
Amarcord Minimal The expansive middle
Ambulance Clean The expansive middle
Amelia and the Angel Clean The expansive middle
Amélie  Minimal The expansive middle
Amer Minimal The expansive middle
America as Seen by a Frenchman Minimal The expansive middle
The American Film Theater Collection Clean The expansive middle
American Honey Clean The expansive middle
American Horror Project Vol. 1 Minimal The expansive middle
American Horror Project Vol. 2 Heavy The expansive middle
American Hustle Clean The expansive middle
An American in Paris Clean The expansive middle
An American in Sophiatown Clean The expansive middle
American Mary Clean The expansive middle
American Pop Clean The expansive middle
The American Soldier Clean The expansive middle
An American Werewolf in London Minimal The expansive middle
Le Amiche Clean The expansive middle
Amityville 1992: It's About Time Substantial The expansive middle
Amityville: A New Generation Clean The expansive middle
Amityville: Dollhouse Minimal The expansive middle
Amityville: The Cursed Collection Substantial The expansive middle
Amityville: The Evil Escapes Minimal The expansive middle
Amores perros Extreme The expansive middle fact vs. option
Amour     Clean The elusive top
L’Amour Braque Clean The expansive middle
The Amputee Clean The expansive middle
Analog Goose  Clean The expansive middle
Anatomy of a Psycho Clean The expansive middle
Anatomy of Hell Heavy The expansive middle
. . . and God Created Woman Clean The expansive middle
And God Said to Cain Substantial The expansive middle
. . . And Justice for All Clean The expansive middle
And Life Goes On Clean The expansive middle
And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself Clean The expansive middle
. . . and the Pursuit of Happiness Clean The expansive middle
Andrei Rublev Heavy The expansive middle
Androcles and the Lion Clean The expansive middle
Andromina: The Pleasure Planet Clean The smeary bottom
Andrzej Żuławski: Three Films Heavy The expansive middle
Andy Goldsworthy: Rivers and Tides Clean The expansive middle
Anémic Cinéma Clean The expansive middle
Angel Clean The expansive middle
The Angel Collection Clean The expansive middle
Angel de fuego Substantial The expansive middle
Angel on Fire Clean The expansive middle
Angel III: The Final Chapter Clean The expansive middle
Angels and Insects Minimal The expansive middle
Angels' Games Clean The expansive middle
Angst Clean The expansive middle
Angst isst Seele auf Clean The expansive middle
Animal Crackers Clean The expansive middle
Animal Factory Clean The expansive middle
Animal House Minimal The expansive middle
The Animatrix Minimal The expansive middle
Anna Boleyn (Lubitsch) Minimal The expansive middle
Annie Hall Clean The expansive middle
Anonymous Minimal The expansive middle
Another Way Clean The expansive middle
Another Woman Clean The expansive middle
Answering Machine Clean The expansive middle
Antichrist Heavy The elusive top
Any Way You Like It Clean The smeary bottom
Anyone But My Husband Clean The expansive middle
Aparajito Clean The expansive middle
The Apartment Clean The expansive middle
A-Peeling We Go-Go Clean The smeary bottom
Apocalypto Heavy The expansive middle
Antoine and Colette  Clean The elusive top
Applause  Clean The expansive middle
The Apu Trilogy Substantial The expansive middle
Apur Sansar Substantial The expansive middle
Arabian Nights (Gomes) Minimal The expansive middle
Arabic 12 Clean The expansive middle
L'Argent Clean The expansive middle
Aria Diva Clean The expansive middle
The Aristocrats (not AristoCATS) Clean The smeary bottom potato
Armageddon Clean The expansive middle
Armageddon Time Clean The expansive middle
Armchair Invention Clean The elusive top
Around the Town: British Film Stars and Studios Clean The expansive middle
Around the World with Orson Welles Minimal The expansive middle
Around Trapeze Artists Clean The expansive middle
Aroused Clean The expansive middle
Arrebato Clean The expansive middle
Arrival Clean The expansive middle
Arsenic and Old Lace Clean The expansive middle
Art Flies Free Clean The expansive middle
Artist’s Paradise CleanThe expansive middle
Artwar Clean The expansive middle
As Long as You've Got Your Health Clean The expansive middle dithpicibable
The Ascent Minimal The expansive middle
The Ash Tree (Clark) Minimal The elusive top
The Ash-Tree (Bell) Clean The expansive middle
The Assignation Clean The expansive middle
The Astronauts Clean The expansive middle
Asylum of the Insane Clean The smeary bottom
At Land Clean The elusive top
At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul Substantial The expansive middle
L'Atalante Clean The elusive top
Ātman Clean The expansive middle
Atomic Blonde Clean The expansive middle
The Atomic Brain (Monstrosity) Minimal The expansive middle
The Atomic Submarine Clean The smeary bottom
Atomised Minimal The expansive middle
The Attack of Robots from Nebula-5 Clean The expansive middle
Au hasard Balthazar Heavy The expansive middle
Audition Substantial The expansive middle
Autobiographical Scene Number 6882 Clean The expansive middle
The Autopsy of Jane Doe Substantial The expansive middle
Autumn Sonata Clean The elusive top
Avenged Minimal The expansive middle
Avengers: Endgame Clean The expansive middle
Avenging Angel Clean The expansive middle
Aventure Malgache  Clean The expansive middle
The Aviator's Wife  Clean The expansive middle
L'avventura Clean The expansive middle
Awakening of the Beast Clean The expansive middle
Away from Home Clean The expansive middle
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