"When someone dies there's nothing trivial about it – there's people that loved that individual and they'll never see them again, and that's a tragedy."
I love animals. Aside from an incident with a Dog named 'Shaky' when I was younger, I've almost always got on with them. Sure I occasionally distrust the odd Dog, and used to cross the road when I saw one on the street, but on the whole me and the Animal kingdom are A-OK. But I know that I don't quite like animals the same way the characters of the film 'Zoo' do.
'Mr Hands' was the title of an internet clip that did the rounds of a man being loudly penetrated by a Horse. I did think of ways to ease you into this little article but I figured I'd just throw you in the deep end like that.
If you're still reading then good on you.
Anyway, due to what I'm sure is a common occupational hazard, 'Mr Hands' later died of his injuries. All of this, and more, is documented in the film, which takes a look at the Man's family, and the other members of his 'Community'.
In reality Mr hands was a Boeing executive, he was a good looking man who, although divorced, was still friendly with his ex Wife and their Son (He was also setting up a new home for them to live in so they could all be closer together). Most oddly of all, there was no law against Sex with animals in Washington state, so the people responsible for filming it were never prosecuted.
There's no easy way to deal with such a tricky subject as this one. We have actors playing the parts in reenactments (Though not of the act, I hasten to add) while the original people involved provide their story in the form of audio interviews. They paint a picture of a community that bonded over their love of animals. With the money donated by Mr Hands they set up a ranch which bread stallions and would regulary meet there. They would hang out and share stories, watch War films and play guitar. I know that reading this it also makes it seem like some sort of cult, but the film presents them as Men who could only really be themselves around other like minded men.
There's obviously an opposing force, coming from a lady named Jenny Edwards who rescues Horses and is one of the few participants in the film willing to appear on Camera. After the 'Incident' the horse in question was handed over to her, and she promptly had it castrated. More on that later.
Watching the film I wondered if Edwards has seen it. There's a striking similarity in the way both she, and the men involved, talk about their love for animals. One of the men mentions that he loves his animals the way a man would love his Wife and children. Later, Edwards talks about how she spent all night just sat with her Horse when she learned she had Cancer as the horse gave her emotional stability and goes on to describe a connection with the animal that's all too similar to the emotional connection described by the Men in the film. What her Husband thought about that we don't really know. It's not to say the film is trying to paint her as a hypocrite, but it does show there seems to be a fine line in the definition of 'Animal lover'. Edwards represents the 'Moral voice' that I'm sure makes up the majority of the film's audience, and yet the castration scene leaves a bad taste, least not for it's implications. Edwards feels she's justified in what she's doing as its "Best for the Horse" while at the same time admonishing the men for their acts, and yet both are said to be done out of love for the animal. And so, can a Man (Or Woman) feel genuine love for something which isn't Human? Both parties seem to think so, but then where should that love end? Or is it all a fallacy because the Animal can't reciprocate? At least not in an emotional sense.
And suddenly a Black and White issue becomes a little grey. I'm obviously not supporting what Mr Hands et al have done as it could be rightly condoned as Animal cruelty but the film shows that the people who are into this type of behavior are not necessarily sexual deviants who have preyed on defenseless animals the same way a Pedophile preys on Children. In the end 'Zoo' didn't have me sympathising with Mr Hands, but then it didn't have me convinced that these are Men who should be locked up either.
It's a testament to Devor that the film looks as great as it does. There are endless dream-like scenes of sunsets and vistas that add an off kilter feel to the film. In fact it reminded me of 'The Bridge', a similarly gorgeous looking film that I'll be taking another look at soon. Devor shows all too perfect scenes of Suburbia that immediately conjour up images of David Lynch's 'Blue Velvet' and shows that just like Mr Hands himself, outward appearances, no matter how perfect they might seem, can often be hiding something much much darker.
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