By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Michael Webber
Country: united_states
Year: 2011
Running time: 96
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1111313/
Diane says: “I guess I heard about this doc on NPR, in the aftermath of the exotic animal incident in Ohio a few weeks ago. Tim Harrison runs an organization called Outreach for Animals. ELEPHANT is primarily the story of his intervention with a man who’s very attached to the lions he’s raised at home since they were cubs. There are a number of stressful moments. It’s also a ’cause’ movie, on the side of those who are working for legislation barring ownership of exotic predatory animals.
“And it’s one of those issues where you have to think about your own complicity. Like, why did I give two dinar to that gypsy in Yugoslavia, to photograph the bear her family had chained to a post? Why is the ‘Curious Creatures’ booth my favorite part of the Topsfield Fair? Why did I send a thank you note to the owner of the Block Island exotic animal farm? Why do I go to Africa to see wild animals when I can see them in Ohio? If I saw someone standing outside a convenience store with a lion cub, wouldn’t I coo over it, too? 4 cats, big ones.
“BTW, when I found I couldn’t see it in the theater, I watched it on YouTube for $3.99.”