Bizarre

While I usually give thumbs up of recommendations, I had to share a movie that clearly is NOT a movie "must-see." I didn't know what I was getting myself into with this movie. When I read the back of the cover, it sounded bizarre and creepy, but I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. Here's the description on the back of the dvd:

" 'Zoo' is an extraordinary glimpse into the life of a seemingly normal Seattle family man whose secret sexual appetites led to his shocking death. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Robinson Devor ("Woman Chaser," "Police Beat"), the film explores the ensuing media coverage and public outcry that uncovered a secret community of zoophiles, who call themselves "zoos." This expressionistic rendering of how apparently upstanding citizens banded together and videotaped their journey into the most taboo realms of behavior, reveals the enormous gulf between what we appear to be and who we really are."

I can't believe I watched this entire movie last night. I'm not one to be particularly fascinated with extreme cultural taboos, so this was a little much even for me. Being the ever curious gal when it comes to psychological and sociological subjects though, my curiosity outweighed my repulsion for the subject matter. I guess I expected it to delve into the mysterious and disturbing psychological "reasons" why these "zoo" people have bizarre, abnormal sexual proclivities. In case you haven't figured out the subtleties, this film centered on the taboo subject matter of bestiality. I didn't expect to wrap my head around how someone could be sexually turned on by having sex with an animal, but this "documentary" that had been a Cannes film contender....was a big flop of a disappointment.

I didn't know anything more by the end of the movie than I started out knowing before watching it....which was: nothing. I wasn't wanting any sick, disgusting scenes or anything (and there wasn't, thank GOD!). Like I said, I was hoping for some psychological analysis or hoping these people would realize they have a problem, get help for it,etc. But none of that happened.

Even though it was technically a "documentary," it certainly wasn't filmed like one. The people that were the so-called "zoophiles" who were "in love" (yuck) with horses, were audiotaped talking about their secret lives very vaguely. There were also all these visual scenes of farm country, horses, people driving in their trucks, and the occasional random commentary by others responding to the taboo ocurrences. Totally directionless and to me, it seemed like the filmakers were enabling these men from owning up to facing the fact that what they are doing is a form of animal cruelty.

You can bet if it were a documentary about pedophiles, they wouldn't have taken the same approach by giving the perpetrator the freedom to disguise their identity. After all, pedophiles are required to register on the sex offender list on the internet, so that everyone will publicly know what they have done/are capable of doing. Why does society somehow not enforce these currently existing lax laws or what should be more ethical and humane standards of care for animals? This extends to dog fighting too. But I'm going off on a tangent. It did make me wonder though.

The one thing someone did say in the film that was probably the only intelligent thing said in the whole 76 excruciatingly dry and awful minutes of the movie is that animals are like children: innocent. They don't have the emotional or cognitive capabilities to consent to sexual acts. Anything short of consent and mutual responsible actions is abuse, rape. If nothing else, although a horrible movie, it made me think about animals in a different way...more sacred, living beings who need to be treated with respect and nonsexual love.

I also thought about how human beings are the most bizarre mammal/species. We seem to be the only species that pushes the boundaries of normalcy. We are capable of so much good, but there's also that deep dark side too. Think about it: You don't see any other animal having sex with animlas outside their species. Dogs know not to have sex with goats. Cats know not to mate with turtles. Ad infinitum. They stay within their species. Silly as it may sound, that's how fucked up the whole concept is to me.

I'd like to meet whoever said humans are the most intelligent species, because I would beg to differ. If this is what the human race is boiling down to, what does it say about humanity? I'd like to have a nice psychological debate with a zoologist or scientist. Evolution is supposed to pro-gress ahead, not re-gress into primitive behaviors. I realize this is probably a select 1% of the population that is into gross perversions, but seriously....still. What gives?