No Friend to Flicka: Horse Dies in Remake Filming
Posted on 04/27/2005 8:16:33 PM PDT by SmithL
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. - The filming of the remake of the 1943 classic "My Friend Flicka" has resulted in fatal injuries to two horses, the American Humane Association said Wednesday.
A quarter horse tripped during a rodeo scene and broke one of its back legs April 11 at the Blue Sky Ranch in Simi Valley, said Sara Spaulding, a spokeswoman for the Humane Association. The horse was put down after a veterinarian on the set of "Flicka" examined the horse and determined the injury was untreatable, she said.
Spaulding said an investigation was being conducted to determine whether guidelines were followed during filming. She said 20th Century Fox, which is producing the film, did not immediately report the death. The association became aware of the incident Wednesday, she said.
Phone calls seeking comment from a representative for 20th Century Fox were not immediately returned.
The incident came to light after a second horse was killed Monday when it broke away from handlers and tripped on its rope at the Hansen Dam Equestrian Center in the San Fernando Valley. Witnesses said several horses had escaped from their handlers.
The American Humane Association has overseen the use of animals on movie sets since 1940 and provides ratings for movies based on the treatment of animals during filming, according to the group's web site.
Two other animals have died in the past several years on movie sets, Spaulding said.
She said a cow in a cattle drive scene in the 2003 film "The Rundown" broke its neck after it caught its horns in the ground, and a horse in the 2001 film "American Outlaws" died after it broke from a herd and became impaled on a hitching post.
Spaulding said the American Humane Association is now considering new guidelines on the use of animals in movie productions. One possible change may be recommending rodeo scenes be banned, she said.
"We believe horses are at particular risk. They're large animals," she said.
The 20th Century Fox remake of "Flicka" stars country music star Tim McGraw. It's scheduled for release in February.
I guess they won't be putting that disclaimer about no animals being injured or killed on this one.
Call it "My Foe Flicka!"
horse burgers
Frankly, I'm still wondering how they filmed the horses freaking out on the ferry boat scene in the movie The Ring.
That one scene was the most disturbing to me. To you horse enthusiasts, don't watch it unless you want nightmares.
No Friend to Flicka: Horse Dies in Remake Filming
I'm sorry to hear that. I hope it wasn't a total waste and that this horse to makes it to the Sizzler as dinner.
that's two more than got killed in Gladiator isn't it???
That was my first thought, too. How sad!
Does this mean they won't be able to put up that phrase about "No animals were harmed during the making of this film"?
distressing news.
Meanwhile millions of babies are murdered each year through abortion.
One is an accident, two is disturbing. Seems this movie has a black cloud hanging over it.
Terrific gratuituous injection of abortion into a completely unrelated thread. Hurry up now! There are many more non-abortion threads you should be posting that message on!
You forgot about the immigration angle to this story.
I heard part of a blurb today about increasing the restrictions will just push the filming offshore.
What bugs me is when my idiot neighbor, who has far more livestock than he can feed properly, starves his horses and cows and goats to death and the much-vaunted "Humane Society," though aware of it, will do nothing.
I guess it's like the lawyers look at things, if there aren't deep pockets to sue, they're not the least interested.
The earlier article (the CNN piece, not the guy's rant) mentioned the earlier incident too, so I knew about it. Sounds high when you are hearing about them back to back... but who knows really. We're watching a special now on the "Kingdom of Heaven" movie with thousands of horses, you have to know that things will happen, expecially with many actors who may not be the best riders!
Lord of the Rings also had thousands of horses and a few, though not many, accidents. I remember the American Humane Assn being in a snit because they weren't invited on set. It was filmed in New Zealand, and the NZ equivalent was on set. It was just a little power mongering, the AHA wanting to be the worldwide authority for all films.
Best of luck to them, and perhaps better care will be taken for the rest of the film.
Heh.... troublemaker...
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