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.

Ludwig

Ludwig. Luchino Visconti, 1972.
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Edition screened: Arrow Blu-ray, released 2017. Original English or Italian language with English subtitles. Runtime approximately 257 minutes.

Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.

Ludwig is an exceptionally fine film; well acted, tasteful, and sumptuous. The costumes and interior decoration are very good, every courtly uniform and item of jewelry appearing to be the real thing. Sets in palaces and castles are fabulously lush and indulgent.

Like some other films by Visconti and other Italian directors of the era, the “original” soundtrack is an Italian language dub despite the fact that the actors are speaking English. For Ludwig, as in many cases, an alternate soundtrack was released which is the actual English dialogue recorded at the time of filming. Arrow offers the opportunity to watch Ludwig with the “original” Italian dub and English subtitles, or the much more satisfying option to see and hear Helmut Berger, Trevor Howard, and Romy Schneider speaking English in synchronization with their lips and actions.