The Whirled (Four Shorts of Jack Smith). Ken Jacobs, 1963.
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Edition screened: Included on Keno Lorber Blu-ray Ken Jacobs Collection Vol. 1, released 2021. English language. Runtime approximately 20 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The Whirled comprises four films starring Jack Smith:
• Saturday Afternoon Blood Sacrifice (1956, 4 minutes)
• Little Cobra Dance (1956, 2 minutes)
• TV Plug (1963, 7 minutes)
• The Death of P’Town (1961, 7 minutes)
Yokai Monsters: Spook Warfare (Yôkai daisensô). Yoshiyuki Kuroda, 1968.
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Edition screened: Included in Arrow Blu-ray box set, Yokai Monsters Collection, released 2021. Japanese language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 79 minutes.
Summary: Off-screen killing of a dog.
Details: A small leashed dog barks at his master because the man is possessed by a monster. The formerly-kind man slashes down with his sword and we hear the dog howl (11:15).
Play Motel. Mario Gariazzo (as Roy Garrett), 1979.
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Edition screened: Raro Blu-ray, released 2015. Italian language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 93 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
A hotel has a special room that can be rented for perverse encounters. But unbeknown to the guests, a secret uglystick hidden behind a mirror leads to blackmail, some very unlikely detective work, and viewer regret.
Orchard Street. Ken Jacobs, 1955.
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Edition screened: Included on Keno Lorber Blu-ray Ken Jacobs Collection Vol. 1, released 2021. No dialogue track. Runtime approximately 27 minutes.
Summary: We see some hobo kitties including one little guy who is not doing well, but no depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Mill of the Stone Women (Il mulino delle donne di pietra). Giorgio Ferroni, 1960.
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Edition screened: Arrow Blu-ray, released 2021. Italian language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 96 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Little Stabs at Happiness. Ken Jacobs, 1963.
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Edition screened: Included on Keno Lorber Blu-ray Ken Jacobs Collection Vol. 1, released 2021. English language. Runtime approximately 15 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Little Stabs at Happiness comprises four short films, all shot between 1959 and 1963, with final editing and the addition of charming music from Jacobs’ record collection in 1963:
• In the Room
• They Stopped To Think
• It Began To Drizzle
• The Spirit of Listlessness (Jack Smith)
The Innocent (L’Innocente). Luchino Visconti, 1976.
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Edition screened: Cult Films Blu-ray, released 2017. English language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 129 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The Great Yokai War (Yôkai daisensô). Takashi Miike, 2005.
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Edition screened: Included in Arrow Blu-ray box set, Yokai Monsters Collection, released 2021. Japanese language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 124 minutes.
Summary: Physical abuse to a small, affectionate sprite.
Details:
1) A herd of kitty-bunnies wearing acrylic v-neck sweaters is netted and devoured by a tractor-dumpster mechagodzilla yokai (13:02-13:05), except for one who escapes but is stung with a whip and tumbles down concrete stairs (13:12-13:18).
2) The little kitty-bunny (the yokai who rubs your shin, we learn) is later shown bleeding honey-mustard dipping sauce as a result of his whip injury, but goes through most of the film as a key member of the Hero Team.
3) The little fellow is physically abused, 1:19:14-1:20:25, including being held in a machine’s vice grip, struck with harsh physical blows, and ultimately thrown into the vat of eternal disgust.
This disk in the Yokai Monsters Collection also includes four short films by Miike, tangentially related to the feature film and free of animal violence:
• Short Drama of Yokai, Episode 1: Whose Hotcakes Are These? (2005, 6 minutes)
• Short Drama of Yokai, Episode 2: Who's the Most Annoying? (2005, 8 minutes)
• Another Story of Kawatoro, Part 1 (2005, 7 minutes)
• Another Story of Kawatoro, Part 2 (2005, 10 minutes)
The Girlfriend Experience. Steven Soderbergh, 2009.
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Edition screened: Magnolia DVD, released 2009. English language. Runtime approximately 77 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Yokai Monsters: Along with Ghosts (Journey with Ghost Along Yokaido Road / Tôkaidô obake dôchû). Yoshiyuki Kuroda and Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1969.
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Edition screened: Included in Arrow Blu-ray box set, Yokai Monsters Collection, released 2021. Japanese language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 78 minutes.
Summary: Crow killed by a snake.
Details: A crow lies on the forest floor, quivering and near death, with a black snake wrapped around its body (30:42-30:44).
Yokai Monsters: 100 Monsters (Yôkai hyaku monogatari). Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1968.
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Edition screened: Included in Arrow Blu-ray box set, Yokai Monsters Collection, released 2021. Japanese language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 80 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
El Sur. Victor Erice, 1983.
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Edition screened: Criterion Blu-ray #927, released 2018. Spanish language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 94 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The Criterion Blu-ray also includes an informative roundtable with four Spanish film critics about Erice in general and El Sur in particular.
Only God Forgives. Nicolas Winding Refn, 2012.
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Edition screened: Anchor Bay Blu-ray, released 2013. English language. Runtime approximately 90 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Idiocracy. Mike Judge, 2006.
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Edition screened: 20th Century Fox DVD, released 2007. English language. Runtime approximately 84 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Partial view of an unidentified pinball machine in the White House, about 40 minutes into the movie.
L’humanité. Bruno Dumont, 1999.
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Edition screened: Submitted by a colleague, available as Criterion Blu-ray #981, released 2019. French language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 148 minutes..
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. John McNaughton, 1986.
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Edition screened: Submitted by a colleague. English language. Runtime approximately 83 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The Giant Claw. Fred F. Sears, 1957.
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Edition screened: Included in Arrow Blu-ray box set Cold War Creatures: Four Films from Sam Katzman, released 2021. English language. Runtime approximately 75 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals. Downing of the giant - sorry, “big as a battleship”, as we were told numerous times - prehistoric bird made of styrofoam antimatter just doesn’t count.
Double Suicide (Shinjû: Ten no Amijima). Masahiro Shinoda, 1969.
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Edition screened: Criterion DVD #104, released 2001. Japanese language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 105 minutes.
Summary: No animals in the film.
Train. Gideon Raff, 2008.
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Edition screened: Lionsgate DVD, released 2009. English language. Runtime approximately 94 minutes.
Summary: No animals or references to animals in the film.
The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch (Hebi musume to hakuhatsuma). Noriaki Yuasa, 1968.
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Edition screened: Arrow Blu-ray, released 2021. Japanese language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 82 minutes.
Summary: Depicted killing of reptiles and amphibians.
Details: The Snake Girl handles a lot of plastic snakes and a large toad, with occasional superimposed stock footage of real snakes. The two most graphic examples are:
1) A large fake toad is held by his back legs and ripped in two, 36:00-36:06.
2) A plastic snake is suspended by clips in a vat of acid, 53:25-53:32. We return to see a snake skeleton on the clips.
We also see several snakes used as melee weapons, using similar film techniques: Snake Girl picks up an obviously rubber snake and hurls it at someone’s face . . . cut to image of a real snake crawling away from the body. I was interested to learn that a snake could be thrown with such force as to deck someone.
The House That Jack Built. Lars von Trier, 2018
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Edition screened: Scream Factory Blu-ray, released 2020. English language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 153 minutes.
Summary: Depicted torturing of a duckling and brief displays of dead animals.
Details:
1) Young Jack scoops a duckling from the water and cuts off one of its legs with shears (45:25-45:35). We then see the duckling struggling somewhat in the water.
2) Panning shot of dead and slightly bloody chickens, the result of a predator in the hen house (50:57-51:02).
3) Narration about traditional techniques, strategies, and weapons used in hunting, intercut with vintage footage including:
• A man shooting an elk (58:53-58:59)
• Same man shooting a rhinoceros (59:24-59:28)
• Historical images of “trophy parades” in which large quantities of dead animals are victoriously brought back, followed by the ensuing “hunting trophy” in which the animals are arranged for display and photography (1:00:47-1:00:58)
• Quick historical image of a wild boar being shot (1:02:10).
These four 1930’s-looking clips are not particularly gruesome, and the explanation of hunting trophies sets the stage for . . .
4) Aerial view of Jack’s hunting trophy that includes a long line of dead crows (1:10:54-1:11:28).
Game Night. John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, 2018.
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Edition screened: Warner Blu-ray, released 2018. English language. Runtime approximately 100 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The El Duce Tapes. David Lawrence and Rodney Ascher, 2019.
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Edition screened: Arrow Blu-ray, released 2021. English language. Runtime approximately 104 minutes.
Summary: No animals or references to animals in the film.
This documentary about Mentors drummer and frontman Eldon Hoke (El Duce), is made from early 1990s interviews with El Duce himself, his sister, his best friend and bass guitarist Steve Broy, members of GWAR, and a few other associates. Intercut with these interviews are videotaped glimpses of the band performing in filthy Hollywood dives.
I found the film to be more entertaining than expected, due largely to the calm normalcy of Steve Broy who provides stable ground while idiocy swirls all around. I was left comfortably uncertain to what degree El Duce was making a statement, making a joke, or was the joke. As such, I believe our directors were successful in their portrayal of this sad madman.
The Dinner (I nostri ragazzi). Ivano De Matteo, 2014.
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Edition screened: Included on film Movement DVD, released 2015. Italian language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 92 minutes.
Summary: A live lobster is dropped into a pot of boiling water, 39:03-39:04.
Bitter Moon. Roman Polanski, 1992.
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Edition screened: Kino Lorber Blu-ray, released 2015. English language. Runtime approximately 139 minutes.
Summary: Inconsiderate handling of a dog.
Details: While having sex, a man has one hand on the shoulders of a poodle who has jumped onto the bed, trying to keep the dog from interfering. We hear a short squeal and see the dog held awkwardly by the leg, 1:11:40.
Like the rest of the film, this incident really is a big nothing and I think the squeal was added post production. But there is a presentation of a dog made to cry out.
Not a particularly good Polanski.
Welcome Home, Soldier Boys. Richard Compton, 1971.
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Edition screened: Information provided by our correspondent in Kathmandu. English language. Runtime approximately 91 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The opening of the movie features a 1966 Bally Loop the Loop.
Valhalla Rising. Nicolas Winding Refn, 2009.
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Edition screened: IFC Blu-ray, released 2010. Danish language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 93 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The Trip to Greece. Michael Winterbottom, 2020.
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Edition screened: IFC Blu-ray, released 2020. English language. Runtime approximately 103 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Nightmare Alley. Edmund Goulding, 1947.
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Edition screened: Criterion Blu-ray #1078, released 2021. English language. Runtime approximately 111 minutes.
Summary: Brief verbal references to “the Geek” biting chickens’ heads off, but no depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The Criterion Blu-ray includes Todd Robbins’ enjoyable 19-minute presentation about the history of side shows (produced by Jason Altman), as well as several relevant interviews.
An unidentifiable early wooden pinball machine is seen in ‘Lem’s Place’ first at 43:18 and again at 44:18.
My Dear Killer (Mio caro assassino). Tonino Valerii, 1972.
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Edition screened: Included in Vinegar Syndrome box set #339 Forgotten Gialli Volume 2, released 2020. Italian language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 100 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Like Rabid Dogs (Come cani arrabbiati). Mario Imperoli, 1976.
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Edition screened: Included on Arrow Blu-ray box set Years of Lead: Five Classic Italian Crime Thrillers 1973-1977, released 2021. Italian language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 88 minutes.
Summary: No animals or references to animals in the film.
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Komola Rocket (The Orange Ship). Noor Imran Mithu, 2018.
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Edition screened: Streamed, 2021. Bengali language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 95 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Image by moviebuff.com, Fair use,
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63942353
Hot Thrills and Warm Chills. Dale Berry, 1967.
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Edition screened: Included on Something Weird DVD Hip, Hot and 21/ Hot Thrills and Warm Chills, released 2005. English language. Runtime approximately 80 minutes.
Summary: No animals or references to animals in the film. 3/5❤
The plot is a badly-told heist preposterosity, but the manner in which the criminal women are portrayed and filmed is entertaining.
The Something Weird DVD also includes three tiresome nudie-cuties, Just Two Hot (1950, 15 minutes), Cherry Flip (1952, 13 minutes), and Muscles and Bustles (1955, 12 minutes).
Hip, Hot and 21. Dale Berry, 1966.
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Edition screened: Included on Something Weird DVD Hip, Hot and 21/ Hot Thrills and Warm Chills, released 2005. English language. Runtime approximately 87 minutes.
Summary: No animals or references to animals in the film. 2/5❤
Presumably to enhance the appeal of the two marquee features, the Something Weird DVD also includes three throw-away “Peepland” shorts: Just Two Hot (1950, 15 minutes), Cherry Flip (1952, 13 minutes), and Muscles and Bustles (1955, 12 minutes).
Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami. Sophie Fiennes, 2017.
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Edition screened: Kino Lorber Blu-ray, released 2018. English language. Runtime approximately 115 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The French Sex Murders (Casa d’appuntamento). Ferdinando Merighi (as F.L. Morris), 1972.
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Edition screened: Included in Vinegar Syndrome box set #339 Forgotten Gialli Volume 2, released 2020. Original Italian or English dub. Runtime approximately 91 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Forgotten Gialli Volume 2. Various directors, 1972-1974.
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Edition screened: Vinegar Syndrome dual format box set #339, released 2020. Italian language with English subtitles. Cumulative runtime approximately 277 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The VS 3-volume set includes
The Girl in Room 2A (1974 William Rose and Dick Randall)
The French Sex Murders (1972 Ferdinando Merighi)
My Dear Killer (1972 Tonino Valerii)
Enter the Void. Gaspar Noé, 2009.
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Edition screened: IFC Blu-ray, released 2011. English language. Runtime approximately 161 minutes.
Summary: No animals or references to animals in the film.
Downhill. Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, 2020.
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Edition screened: 20th Century Fox Blu-ray, released 2020. English language. Runtime approximately 86 minutes.
Summary: No particular depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Downhill is the less complicated, happy ending, English-language remake of Östlund’s Force Majeure.
Climax. Gaspar Noé, 2018.
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Edition screened: Arrow Blu-ray, released 20198. Mostly French language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 97 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
The Arrow Blu-ray also includes Noé’s 4-minute film Shoot from the 2014 “Short Plays” project, which invited prominent directors to contribute short films about soccer. Noé gives us the tumbling perspective of the ball during a casual street game.
All Night Long / Tapestry of Passion. Alan Colberg, 1976.
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Edition screened: Vinegar Syndrome DVD #045 Peekarama: All Night Long/Tapestry of Passion, released 2014. English language. Cumulative runtime approximately 163 minutes.
Summary: Hot magazine-on-plastic spider action! YYY!
All Night Long (83 minutes) is almost unwatchable. The long opening scene, a tiresome and too-familiar parody of an awards show with dumb jokes and vulgar clowning, is the least horrible part. 0.5/5❤
Tapestry of Passion (80 minutes). Half as horrible, which still is very ungood. From about 1:03:40 through 1:03:50, a black plastic spider is jiggled on a bed via fishing line before being beaten with a rolled magazine, a spectacle too lame to be considered as anything else. 1/5❤
All Ladies Do It (Così fan tutte). Tinto Brass, 1992.
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Edition screened: Arrow Blu-ray, released 2013. Italian language with English subtitles or English dub. Runtime approximately 97 minutes.
Summary: No animals or references to animals in the film. 2/5❤
