Zoo (2007)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Robinson Devor

Writers:

Robinson Devor (writer)
Charles Mudede (writer)

Release Date:

30 May 2008 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

We are not who we appear to be.

Plot:

A look at the life of a Seattle man who died as a result of an unusual encounter with a horse. |

Plot Keywords:

Horse | Cremation | Zoophilia | Liberal | Underworld

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Coyote	...	Himself
Jenny Edwards	...	Herself
John Edwards	...	Himself
John Paulsen	...	Mr. Hands
Ron Carrier	...	The Happy Horseman
Russell Hodgkinson	...	H
Tom Gormally	...	The Polishman
Forest Fousel	...	Capitol Hill man (as Forest L. Fousel)
Brad Harrington	...	Bremerton man
Andrew Scott McIntyre	...	Military man (as Andrew McIntyre)
Richard Carmen	...	Mr. Hands' brother
Ken Kreps	...	Mr. Hand's father
Malayka Gormally	...	Mr. Hands' wife
Conor Gormally	...	Mr. Hands' son
Robert Padilla	...	The rancher
Janine Rose Schweickert	...	The rancher's wife
Paul Eenhoorn	...	Lead detective
Michael J. Minard	...	Cop #1 (as Michael Minard)
Robert Power	...	Detective #2
Melissa Albin	...	Additional Voice Talent (voice)
Jessica Aceti	...	The Stewardess
Susan M. Carr	...	Coyote's Mother (as Susan Carr)
Bob Fink	...	Emergency room doctor
Karl Holzheimer	...	The Photographer
Marjorie Maler	...	The Unknown Girl
Bill McQuaid	...	The Hunter
Don Reid	...	The Pilot
Patrick Shoe	...	Male Nurse
Patricia Watson	...	Female Nurse
Somebody's Baby	...	Animal
Jonah	...	Animal
Pete	...	Animal
Terry	...	Animal
Carson	...	Animal
Grady	...	Animal
Diesel	...	Animal
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rush Limbaugh	...	Himself (archive sound) (uncredited)

Directed by
Robinson Devor

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Robinson Devor		writer
Charles Mudede		writer

Produced by
Peggy Case	....	producer
Ben Exworthy	....	executive producer
Alexis Ferris	....	producer
Garr Godfrey	....	executive producer
Megan Griffiths	....	co-producer
Daniel Katz	....	executive producer
Randy Manis	....	executive producer
Jeff Sackman	....	executive producer
Mark Urman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Paul Matthew Moore

Cinematography by
Sean Kirby

Film Editing by
Joe Shapiro

Production Design by
Jeanne Cavenaugh

Art Direction by
Alison Kelly

Set Decoration by
Kimberly Diehl

Costume Design by
Doris Black

Makeup Department
Jennifer Popochock	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Joe Shapiro	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ben Dobyns	....	first assistant director
Megan Griffiths	....	first assistant director
Mischa Jakupcak	....	second assistant director
Rachel Temerlies	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Angelica Hesse	....	art department intern

Sound Department
Ollie Glatzer	....	sound effects designer
Sam Gray	....	adr recordist
Dave Howe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul Matthew Moore	....	foley artist
Matt Sheldon	....	sound mixer
Vinnie Smith	....	sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Bob Fink	....	still photographer
Adam Forslund	....	assistant camera
Bruce Henderson	....	key grip
Ryan Middleton	....	key grip
Sean Porter	....	gaffer
T.J. Williams Jr.	....	Steadicam operator
T.J. Williams Jr.	....	first assistant camera

Editorial Department
Elisa Haradon	....	assistant editor

Other crew
David Emery	....	animal handler
David Emery	....	animal trainer
Rachel Evans	....	production coordinator
Bob Fink	....	psychiatric consultant (as Bob Fink MD)
Malayka Gormally	....	office support
Elisa Haradon	....	research coordinator
Elizabeth Heile	....	production supporter
Elizabeth Heile	....	researcher
James Hopkins	....	animal handler
Robert Risdall	....	consultant: pathology (as Robert Risdall MD)
Taryn Rux	....	location manager: pick-ups
Rachel Temerlies	....	production coordinator
Paul Yaeger	....	mountain guide / production assistant

Distributors

• THINKFilm (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• MRA Entertainment Group (2007) (Australia) (DVD)
• Revolver Entertainment (2007) (UK) (all media)
• Seven Films (2007) (Greece) (all media)
• Sundance Channel (2007) (USA) (TV)
• THINKFilm (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• THINKFilm (2007) (non-USA) (all media) (sales)

Runtime:

USA:80 min (Sundance Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Manitoba) | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Seattle, Washington, USA

Trivia:

The horse performer in this movie was a Thoroughbred mare named 'Somebodys Baby', and is a former successful racehorse. The horse in the incident portrayed was in reality an Arabian stallion.

A humanizing look at something awful

Zoo is probably as tasteful a movie as can be, given its bestial subject. For those of you who aren't aware, there's a small population of the world who prefer the love of an animal--both mentally and physically--over the love of a human. This film stylistically recreates the life and death of one horse lover, Mr. Hands, and his pack of animal molesting friends, during one of many meetings and BBQ's in a small town near Seattle. Mr. Hands died from internal injuries, caused by the numerous and repetitive thrusting of the enlarged member of a stallion into his anus.

The film is tasteful because it's not sleazy. In this respect, it's almost worse on the audience because it humanizes these so-called animal lovers. What you'd think would be more like a shockumentary, more than anything else, really becomes a shallow dissection of a zoophile's playful mind. It's certainly not psychological, nor really in-depth; but its shallowness really makes it that much more grim.

As I watched the film, I felt like a voyeur peering into the lives of ordinary human beings doing absolutely bizarre and reprehensible things--and they just talked about it as if it were as benign and workaday as eating a bowl of cereal or taking the dog for a ride (insert pun here). Yet, much like a pedophile talking about his love for children, these zoophile's innocently and sincerely spoke about their love for animals.

Initially concerned about the content of the film, I left the theater without witnessing the exploitation or mockery of bestiality, nor did I see anything graphic or overtly sexual. I did leave the theater a little sickened, however, because I didn't loathe Mr. Hands or his friends. In fact, I somehow sympathized with their pitiful plight.