| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
BaftaBaby 
"Always entranced by cinema."
|
 Posted - 14/05/2011 : 19:41:20
|
Yeah, yeah, it's way too long ... and its roots as a novel keep peeking through like an obtrusive petticoat - so there's a buch of needless meandering.
But this is one of the best films in months. It's a flashback tale about Jacob (an engaging Robert Pattinson, all the more appealing for having filled out from his vampire days)a Polish-American kid on the cusp of a glittering career as a vet, when, wouldn't you know it - his parents' car crash leaves him orphaned to face the rigors of The Depression.
Cue a plot catapult into a spot of rail-riding.
A series of convenient coincidences land our kid smack-dab in the middle of a travelling circus, run by a very cruel martinet of a ringleader, and played to perfection by Christopher Waltz. His wife is Marlena, the peroxided movie-starlike main attraction Reese Witherspoon, whose versatility as a bareback rider and acrobat has the punters whooping and cheering.
As a former orphan herself, she knows on which side her bread is buttered, so when Jacob shows up and they're thrown together by their proximity to the animals, she resists the palpable emotional dilemma of Eve in the Garden to protect her very Eden.
There are just a tad too many anomalies, unanswered questions, and unexplained motivations for all the relationships to make consistent sense. But, it's thanks to solid screenwriter Richard LaGravenese (The Fisher King, Bridges of Madison County, The Horse Whisperer) that we stay all the way with these characters to what I suppose is a satisfying but unexpected ending.
My biggest beef is that there's plenty of room for some real humor - but all the laughs seem to have played another town.
But, there's always Rosie, the big elephant to win your heart. She sure won mine!
|
|
|
Improper Username 
"inappropriately amused"
|
Posted - 15/05/2011 : 22:31:40
|
A friend of mine, Richard "Army" Maguire, whose extensive exotic animal training experience includes training of African Elephants (the wild species as opposed to the more domesticated Asian Elephants), thinks very little of the film. When the news about the mistreatment of Tai, the elephant who performed the role of Rosie was released, he told me (referring to the undercover video), "the elephants never vocalize like that unless tortured...The hitting gets little or nothing ever accomplished. The more you learn and understand operant conditioning the more you learn and acquire what you need without abuse."
|
Edited by - Improper Username on 15/05/2011 22:32:19 |
 |
|
|
BaftaBaby
"Always entranced by cinema."
|
Posted - 15/05/2011 : 23:10:20
|
quote:
Originally posted by Improper Username
A friend of mine, Richard "Army" Maguire, whose extensive exotic animal training experience includes training of African Elephants (the wild species as opposed to the more domesticated Asian Elephants), thinks very little of the film. When the news about the mistreatment of Tai, the elephant who performed the role of Rosie was released, he told me (referring to the undercover video), "the elephants never vocalize like that unless tortured...The hitting gets little or nothing ever accomplished. The more you learn and understand operant conditioning the more you learn and acquire what you need without abuse."
I am so grateful for you posting this. I was completely unaware of it and Fox and the other filmmakers associated with this film should be totally ashamed of themselves. Either they failed to properly research the company supplying the animals, or, if they knew, they're even more culpable.
I believe the film might have important lessons about how some humans regard animals as property and/or tools or other completely outmoded mindsets. The story serves as a legitimate vehicle for that message. For Fox et al to issue not apologies but wobbly justifications is reprehensible.
There are plenty of alternatives to perpetrating animal cruelty. There is simply no excuse for the director, the studio, the actors, the crew to have allowed that particular animal trainer anywhere near them. All of which begs the question of what constitutes training, anyway.
Animal rights organizations worldwide are constantly uncovering the deceptions and lies used to justify such obscene treatment. The fact that Reese Witherspoon can issue statements that the animals, especially Tai were so happy, otherwise they wouldn't have performed so willingly is naive in the extreme. I don't think she's a particularly bad person.
The fact that I had assumed in this day and age that there would have been supervision and protection of the animals featured in this film makes me naive, too. For that I'm truly sorry.
The linked matter of abuse and/or torture of humans in whatever context - domestic or otherwise, is one of the most shameful behaviors our species gets up to - and for such paltry reasons.
Thanks again for setting me right on this. So, whatever praise I can award this film, in the light of such knowledge I'd totally support not only a boycott of the film, but of all Fox films. The bastards!
EDIT
Actually, I've got a better idea. Because, in fact, I'm against banning stuff, every screening of the film should include a public debate about the issues of animal cruelty.
The studios, distributors and exhibitors should fund this - and it WILL be very pricey. And, if any cash is left, it should go to legitimate animal protection agencies around the world.
I know that's REALLY naive, but if those folk had any grace at all, that's what they'd do. |
Edited by - BaftaBaby on 15/05/2011 23:17:55 |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
Water For Elephants
