The movie "Two Brothers"

[Alfiedog]

What do you think of it? Although I think the subject is wonderful the movie concerns me, partly because I feel that the tigers used in the movie were almost like 'sacrificial lambs' to illustrate the wrongness of wild animals in captivity. Partly because some of the tigers used were from zoos around the world. Lastly, because the cubs are so cute, how many places will start exhibiting tigers to draw in children and adults. And we know how those tigers lives will be?

[epski]

Did you see the film?

The show actually argues against using animals as entertainment, particularly in circuses, and that they should remain in the wild.

[SilverC]

The movie says it's bad to exploit animals for entertainment, and yet it was made by exploiting animals for entertainment. Bit of a mixed message there, don't you think?

[Alfiedog]

No, I didn't see the movie, but I do know the plot. I'm not saying that the movie isn't good or the intentions aren't great. I'm approaching it from a different perspective - the movie says don't use wild animals for entertainment, yet some of the tigers used are from zoos.

[Alfiedog]

The movie says it's bad to exploit animals for entertainment, and yet it was made by exploiting animals for entertainment. Bit of a mixed message there, don't you think?


That's it exactly. I was having problems getting it out.

[epski]

I think one reason the film did poorly at the box office is because it wasn't really entertainment. It was a message movie. And the trainers employed the tiger in a very sensitive way that you would be hard-pressed to find in the roughscrabble world of the circus. Remember, these tigers weren't exactly caught in the wild and trained to become actors. In fact, working on a film, they were likely more pampered than they ever were at the zoos or wherever they came from. I would have big problems if the situation were different, but it wasn't.

Anyway, you should see the film and explore the website thoroughly. It's fruitless for me to debate the movie if you're only looking at the surface of it.

[Alfiedog]

Anyway, you should see the film and explore the website thoroughly. It's fruitless for me to debate the movie if you're only looking at the surface of it.

I did check out the website and the guy who did the training seems great. But you're not really understanding what I'm getting at. The tigers were taken from zoos and they will be going back to those zoos (and some of the countries they mentioned aren't known for their wonderful, airy zoos). So although in the movie they are down on taking animals from the wild and using them in zoos, etc, that's in fact what they ARE doing for the movie.

[Astarte]

So although in the movie they are down on taking animals from the wild and using them in zoos, etc, that's in fact what they ARE doing for the movie.

I highly doubt any of the tigers were taken from the wild, put in zoos and then trained for the movie, so that's not exactly what they're doing. The intent behind the action is important, and the tigers were already out of their natural environment, and this movie was intended to help their cause.

I think you'll agree that there's a big difference between an animal that is habituated to the wild and one that was born into captivity, that never has and never will lead a normal life. It's sad, but just remember that humans in general are a callous lot and won't stir a foot if they don't see something cute and fuzzy to love. Perhaps it shouldn't be that way, but it is.

It may just be something of an 'ends justify the means' situation. In this case, considering what those animals had to look forward to, I'm sure it's more than justified.

[Alfiedog]

I'm not sure it's justified, but you make some good points.

[Sevenseas]

Hmm, I have mixed feelings about this. Which is hardly surprising, since I don't have much information.

Generally, I am pretty sceptical about using non-human animals in entertainment.

But how did they exploit the animals? Did the process cause stress, for example?

That they were treated better than somewhere else doesn't seem, by itself, to be a very good argument.

[Alfiedog]

Hmm, I have mixed feelings about this. Which is hardly surprising, since I don't have much information.

Generally, I am pretty sceptical about using non-human animals in entertainment.

But how did they exploit the animals? Did the process cause stress, for example?

That they were treated better than somewhere else doesn't seem, by itself, to be a very good argument.


Actually I should try to get more information on the animals used before I completely stomp on the movie. I mean the message of the movie is just so incredible and right on, and it's just the irony that gets me . . .I'll try asking around.

[epski]

I didn't even have to be here for things to go the way I would have liked. :)

[Alfiedog]

I didn't even have to be here for things to go the way I would have liked. :)


LOL. I'm not overtly against admitting I'm wrong or really don't know enough to make a valid argument! (Thank Sevenseas for admitting he didn't know enough about it!)

[kpickell]

I think one reason the film did poorly at the box office is because it wasn't really entertainment. It was a message movie.

I don't think it had much of a message. Do you think people walked away from that moving learning something? I don't really think so.

It was also pretty boring. I mean it was okay, I don't regret seeing it, but I'd much rather watch a discovery channel documentary on lions than watch that movie again.

[epski]

a message movie and an educational movie aren't the same thing. Some children may have learned to look at things a different way, and others may have merely been entertained by the adventure and the cute/beautiful tigers. However, the message of the movie, whether it was something new or not, is still the point of the film being made.

And I agree, it wasn't all that exciting a film, ultimately. It was beautiful, sometimes even lyrical, but you can see more exciting animal footage on Discovery or Animal Planet... looking forward to getting Discovery HD set up this Saturday morning.