killing snakes
i wasnt happy with the amount of snakes that were mistreated or killed in this film.there was no need!!
shareYes, poor Hazel and her younglings... they could've just used plastic snakes, man!
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MovieChat Forums > Stanley (1973) Discussion > killing snakes
The only good snake is a dead snake.
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I'm sick of computer generated creatures so I like the fact that they used real snakes in this film, most of them actually native to Florida, but they should have done it without harming so many. The guys on these forums who proudly sneer at anyone who complains about the mistreatment of animals in movies probably can't believe that anyone would care about snakes, even in a film where someone pets them, makes baby talk to them, takes them to town, and builds them little matching beds with their names on them.
According to the documentary about the making of the movie which is on the DVD I rented, the wild-caught eastern diamondback rattlesnakes had their fangs pulled out and their mouths sewn up, they were angered into striking repeatedly then they were beaten to exhaustion by the snake "trainer" before they were used so they would stay docile during filming. The writer sounded proud to inform us that there were only two snakebites during production, both by non-venomous snakes. That's no surprise considering the way they treated the rattlesnakes, the only venomous snakes they used. They had to use 5 Stanleys because 4 died during filming. Most of the other snakes were boa constrictors, rat snakes, corn snakes and king snakes. All so harmless they are popularly kept as pets. During the snake slamming scene, the actor who played Tim claims he got carried away and doesn't remember if he slammed only the dead ones that they put out for him to slam, or if he slammed some live ones, too. It looks to me like he killed some live ones. They didn't mention whether Hazel and her children were also actually killed during filming, but in the end what we saw were dead and mutilated snakes and someone killed them.
I agree with what you wrote -- it's disgusting that so many snakes were needlessly killed to make this crappy movie. I have never been turned off to watching a movie due to animal cruelty, some people just won't watch those movies but I never have a problem watching it. That doesn't mean, however, that I agree with animal cruelty. It is a terrible thing to do, even if they are snakes. Snakes deserve to live as much as any other creature.
shareIt is sad the snakes had to die. However I don't feel I have a right to complain seeing as how I eat meat almost every day and own some shoes partially made of leather. Just as with this film there are many people who have snakeskin belts, purses, jackets, etc. and I don't see what difference it makes whether animals are killed for a movie or to wear.
shareThe mouse that gets eaten by a snake was killed as well. I'm sure this isn't a favorite film of the obnoxiously overzealous animal rights activist group PETA.
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