Group that monitors movie animal abuse slow to criticize LOS ANGELES, Feb. 9 – A nonprofit group that monitors animal abuse in Hollywood has endorsed films and TV shows despite alleged mistreatment of animals during production, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday.

Edward L. Lish, an investigator for the Los Angeles-based American Humane Association’s Film and TV Unit, wrote a memo detailing how it is slow to criticize major studios. Lish confirmed the content of the memo but refused further comment, the newspaper said. The unit’s director, Gini Barrett, 55, previously was a senior vice president and head of the political action committee for the Alliance for Motion Picture and Television Producers, the Times said. Barrett, who became director of the unit in 1997, said that despite her Hollywood ties, she has not been afraid to criticize the industry. “We have accomplished a great deal, worked on an awful lot of productions (and) solved a lot of problems,” said Barrett, who has announced she will leave the position by the end of the month. The AHA endorsed New Line Cinema’s 1998 “Simpatico,” despite the death of a horse that ruptured a ligament and staggered to the ground during filming, the newspaper said. The group said it was unaware the film carried its endorsement, which says “No animals were harmed in the making of this film.” Lish’s memo and other documents showed the organization suspected mistreatment and foul play during filming. Lish’s memo said he was taken off the case and replaced by a less-experienced investigator. New Line said it had nothing to do with the endorsement because it purchased the movie from a French pay-TV company. The association gave a “believed acceptable” rating, but not an endorsement, to Walt Disney Co.’s 1999 action film “The 13th Warrior,” even though a horse had to be euthanized after a wire sliced through its tendons. Disney official Bruce Hendricks said he was not informed about the horse’s death, although he is the studio’s liaison with the association, the Times said. The movie was filmed in Canada. Sony Pictures’ “Running Free” received high marks from the organization without disclosing that shock collars and pellet guns were used to train horses, the newspaper said. The association discourages such training techniques. An AHA inspector praised the overall treatment of animals in the movie. He did note that four horses died or were euthanized during filming but for reasons other than neglect or irresponsibility, the Times said. At Sony’s request, the organization awarded the film a joint on-screen endorsement, the newspaper said. Top AHA officials said they are proud of the unit’s work and that Barrett enjoys their full support. “I think we do a good job, a very good job. I don’t think we’re compromising the safety of animals at all,” said AHA President Timothy O’Brien. Greedy Bastards!

-- (cin@cin.cin), February 10, 2001

Answers

so much for formatting {sigh}

-- (cin@cin.cin), February 10, 2001.

Cin,

This reminds me of something. Maybe you can help me--what's the deal with horses in movies that fall? You know, like in battle scenes or Westerns where the horse and rider take a huge fall. Is this not dangerous for the horse? Are the horses trained to do this without getting hurt? Are these fake, digitally enhanced horse pratfalls?

-- Lars (larsguy@yahoo.com), February 10, 2001.

No animals were injured in the making of this forum.

-- (nemesis@awol.com), February 10, 2001.

Lars, I really don't know, though I cringe when I see such movies. Several movies in particular- Braveheart, The Patriot, The Messenger- Joan of Arc. I can't see how the horses were not harmed in these scenes. I know they say not, but this story just proves it bullshit. Obviously these people are in cahoots with big Hollywood; perhaps on their payroll, and they probably lunch together at Spago. The phony feckers.

-- (cin@cin.cin), February 10, 2001.

They're trained to fall Lars but their worker's comp insurance sucks.

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), February 10, 2001.

Lars,

In the golden days of the Westerns, 'trip wires' were used. Many horses did get injured or killed in the process. The practice has been illegal for some quite some time now.

-- flora (***@__._), February 10, 2001.

{Psst, cin - Spago's closin' down, hon}

-- flora (***@__._), February 10, 2001.

cin,

If you've ever seen "The Making of Braveheart," they show how the horses were used without injury. In any case where a horse might have been injured, it's a fake horse.

For example, you may recall the scene where the English cavalry are rushing the Scottish line at Sterling (it's the first big battle in the movie; this is right after they mooned the English[g]); Wallace's highlanders pull out pikes (long stakes) and impale the horses.

In "The Making Of," they show how it was done. It took a ton of work and a lot of quick editing between shots of real horses and stuffed fakes. When that one "horse" is actually shown being stabbed close up, for example, that's a fake horse being shoved on rails into the stake. Then the scene immediately switches to a completely different shot, done later, of a real horse with a fake spear and fake blood in its chest.

No animals were harmed in the making of Braveheart. I can't speak for the other movies, but in general, it's done with trick photography and special effects. It looks real because they're very, very good. :)

(By the way, in that first battle scene, there's a blooper. Watch it closely: as William Wallace runs toward the English line, you'll see him carrying his sword, then pulling it out of the scabbard on his back, then running without it and finally, running with it again. Watch closely.[g])

(I guess the editors were too busy clipping and pasting the horse scenes to notice it.[g])

-- Stephen M. Poole (smpoole7@bellsouth.net), February 10, 2001.

Hi Stephen, yes I remember that horrifying scene. I do hope you're right.

-- (cin@cin.cin), February 11, 2001.

Hi Stephen, yes I remember that horrifying scene. I do hope you're right.

-- (cin@cin.cin), February 11, 2001. ===========================

:: THUD :::: You hope he's right??? Oh yeah, Hollywood just had a bloodfest orgy as they impaled all those real horses! Your moronic california roots are showing again.... tell us cin, do you get this worked up when a doctor rips a baby from a womb and just throws it away for the sake of convenience???

-- u r idiots (morons@california.sucks), February 11, 2001.

clickety-click

I just love this ignore feature.

-- (cin@cin.cin), February 11, 2001.

Just ignore poor Cin. She proved long ago that she's dead from the neck up.

-- guess who (kiss.my@ass.com), February 11, 2001.