Documentary on beastiality premieres at Sundance Film Festival

Sun sentinel ^ | January 21 2007, 6:39 PM EST | Kenneth Turan

[Esther Ruth]

Documentary on beastiality premieres at Sundance Film Festival

By Kenneth Turan Los Angeles Times Posted January 21 2007, 6:39 PM EST

PARK CITY, Utah -- "Zoo" is a documentary about what director Robinson Devor accurately characterizes as "the last taboo, on the boundary of something comprehensible." But remarkably, an elegant, eerily lyrical film has resulted.

"Zoo," premiering before a rapt audience Saturday night at Sundance, manages to be a poetic film about a forbidden subject, a perfect marriage between a cool and contemplative director (the little-seen "Police Beat") and potentially incendiary subject matter: sex between men and animals. Not graphic in the least, this strange and strangely beautiful film combines audio interviews (two of the three men involved did not want to appear on camera) with elegiac visual re-creations intended to conjure up the mood and spirit of situations. The director himself puts it best: "I aestheticized the sleaze right out of it."

[Esther Ruth]

Though "Zoo" is intent on allowing these men to be heard, Devor's intention was not polemical. "I'm not in there wrestling with the legal or animal cruelty issues," he said. Rather, he envisioned a film like his others: "I count on the natural world pulling my films through. I thought the marriage of this completely strange mind-set and the beauty of the natural world could be something interesting."

[Always Right]

We are beyond the slippery slope and now are at rock bottom.

[Esther Ruth]

In the end, Devor ended up agreeing with the Roman writer Terence, who said "I consider nothing human alien to me."

"It happens," the filmmaker said, "so it's part of who we are."

[Always Right]

"I aestheticized the sleaze right out of it."

Not exactly something to be proud of. I suppose if you desired you could make a movie that would make Saddam look good. Oh wait, the Democrats already do that.

[Emmett McCarthy]

Were Butch and Sundance both having sex with animals? I thought one of them had a girlfriend.

[darkwing104]

It's the sequel to "Brokeback Mountain"

[AnnaZ]

In the end, Devor ended up agreeing with the Roman writer Terence, who said "I consider nothing human alien to me."

"It happens," the filmmaker said, "so it's part of who we are."

Oh, barf. Speak for yourself, ya loon.

[Esther Ruth]

I am sure they take great pride in their work and power to turn the hearts and minds of once good people around in their direction.


James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

2Thes 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

[beyond the sea]

I'm sorry to have posted the other thread moments ago. I just found Robert Redford dealing with this at his film festival was pretty gross ...... especially eight years after his beautiful movie, “ Horse Whisperer”.

[edpc]

The only thing I could think of after I read this article was: Why?

[Bringbackthedraft]

There's gotta be something foul in the west coast water.

[RichInOC]

[cue Nine Inch Nails-"Closer"...or even better, Nine Inch Richards' parody "Closer to Hogs"]

[PBRSTREETGANG]

...with elegiac visual re-creations intended to conjure up the mood and spirit of situations.

The mood and spirit of sex between a man and a stallion?

[kanawa]

I thought the marriage of this completely strange mind-set and the beauty of the natural world could be something interesting

Wonder why he used to term 'marriage' instead of 'juxtaposition'?

[Esther Ruth]

I'll stay with a beautiful hymn of Hope instead thank you! Let the sound of this fast falling world fade away.


Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
yet in my dreams I'd be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

There let the way appear, steps unto heaven;
all that thou sendest me, in mercy given;
angels to beckon me
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Then, with my waking thoughts bright with thy praise,
out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise;
so by my woes to be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Or if, on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I fly,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

[Condor51]

"beastiality"

Years ago, when the Chicago Stockyards was on its last legs, there was one 'kid' (Frankie) in the neighborhood who would go there to screw the Sheep.

Needless to say he was treated as a pariah - taunted, mocked, and called very name in the book (pervert, deviate) when he was seen on the streets. He was also a junkie (speed freak) and died of an O.D. when he was about 16 - and nobody cared. 'Good riddance' was the usual response.

[Always Right]

No reason to be sorry, you posted just a few minutes later. I just fail to see why the mods pulled this same thread last night. The forum is getting more PC by the minute.

[Roberts]

"A lot of people looked at me as if I was an exploitative person, dredging up something for profit, and that bothered me. I was certainly asked many times, often with a wrinkled brow, 'Why are you making this film?' It was something I did resent; I thought artists had the opportunity to explore anything."

Beautiful. I'm glad this guy explained that the movie is simply "art", so apparently its no big deal.

Perhaps next time he can explore pedophilia without making any moral judgments.

[Polybius]

I thought the marriage of this completely strange mind-set and the beauty of the natural world could be something interesting

Wonder why he used to term 'marriage' instead of 'juxtaposition'?

You didn't think they were having sex out of wedlock, did you?

[hypatia]

"There's gotta be something foul in the west coast water."
I have to agree!