Mild Kingdom
My girlfriend's love of animals is causing some tension. She cannot watch any movie in which an animal gets hurt or dies. Telling her to remember that it's a movie and the animal doesn't actually die just makes her really mad. She'll say my knowing animal suffering upsets her should be enough of a reason.
--Rational
Never mind that "Titanic" is a movie about 1,500 people drowning in the freezing Atlantic Ocean. For some, what matters is "Omigod, did that lady's goldfish die?" And wouldn't you know it, there's a site for these people, doesthedogdie.com, which details whether animals in a movie are depicted getting injured or killed and confirms that no, in "Titanic," "Old Rose's dog and goldfish are not harmed." Phew, huh? Snarking aside, no amount of turning to your girlfriend and saying "Oh, come on, that dog has an agent and headshots!" will change her need to live in a world where Old Yeller never bites it. There's also a good chance that much of her upset is about what she thinks your reaction means -- that you don't care about her feelings. Try putting on a new you -- telling her that you understand how hard it is for her to see animals suffer, that you'll let her know when she can uncover her eyes when you're watching TV, and that you'll go alone to movies in which aliens snack on deer. This should dial back the tension so you two can snuggle on the couch together, watching humans being shot, bludgeoned, and hacked to pieces. (Do the gentlemanly thing and cover her eyes if the camera pulls out to reveal an ant trap.)
I just saw a blurb about those disclaimers at the end of most movies-- they're lies. The Humane Society sponsors a lot of that and deserve to be outed.
Example: 1986 Aussie flick "The Lighthorsemen"-- During the climax fight for the wells at Beersheba, a tripwire brings down a couple of horses as they round a corner. Tripwires were banned a LONG time ago! There's the usual disclaimer at the end, though.
jefe at December 3, 2013 7:02 PM
My boyfriend won't watch horror movies. So ... I watch them with friends who like them. I hate sad movies, and my boyfriend finds them cathartic. So he watches them without me. He watches "Grave of the Fireflies" (his favorite film) once a year. Makes a day out of it. I leave the house while he does so.
So look up the movie in advance. Animal dies? Watch it without your GF. There's no law that says couples have to watch all movies together.
sofar at December 3, 2013 7:26 PM
jefe 1986 was before strict animal rules.
In general animals used in movies are treated alot better than human day players and background extras for the very simple, very American reason that they are worth tons of money. there is actually an annual Animal Trainers Ball in LA region (most of the farms are north & east of Malibu) - and these trainers who are a rarified well compensated lot come with their charges - from chimpanzees to simple cats, well the big striped variety. I was on a show in which all 3 house cats, featured players, each had her own hotel room.
But I´m with sofar - check out the flick in advance and just don´t go if there is going to be cinematic animal pain.
zapf at December 4, 2013 5:18 AM
This reminds me when we saw "Saving Private Ryan". There is a scene where the troops are walking by some cows that were apparently caught in some crossfire from a machine gun. My friend's wife was going on...and on...and on about those cows and how sorry she was for them. In the theater, not afterwards. We were still suffering from PTSD due to the opening scene. Finally my friend said, "please...for the love of god....shut up!"
Njall at December 4, 2013 8:04 AM
I hope this chick didn't watch "Under the Dome." There's a scene in the first episode where a cow gets cut in half, lengthwise, when the dome comes down right where she's standing. That scene was repeated in the opening credits of every episode after that.
Rex Little at December 4, 2013 8:16 AM
She'll say my knowing animal suffering upsets her should be enough of a reason.
Reason enough for what?
lujlp at December 5, 2013 3:11 PM
She must not go on Facebook much. Every day I'm overwhelmed with posts of animals up for adoption that have been abused (with graphic pics, of course) that many friends share, hoping to help them find homes.
At least in the movies, there's a chance it's not real.
Peggy Y at December 5, 2013 4:24 PM
How is this dame around a common hamburger, and where does she think it comes from?
Radwaste at December 5, 2013 11:43 PM
If she cannot tone this down, sie is seither bring manipulative vor sie is a fruitcake. Seither way, why would you continue seeing her?
a_random_guy at December 6, 2013 7:50 AM
Don't take her to Cambodia; there were posters advertising places where (for a substantial fee) you could shoot a cow with an AK-47.
jenga at January 21, 2014 1:58 PM
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