Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: A Dog's Purpose

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Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 01-20-2017, 11:29 AM:

A Dog's Purpose Hollywood premiere, some preview screenings cancelled

quote:
The Hollywood premiere of A Dog's Purpose has been cancelled amid growing concern and calls to boycott the shot-in-Canada film, following the release of a video — purportedly from the movie set — showing a distressed German shepherd being forced into turbulent water.

On Thursday, producer Amblin Entertainment cancelled the movie's weekend promotional events in Los Angeles.

"Because Amblin's review into the edited video released [Wednesday] is still ongoing, distributor Universal Pictures has decided it is in the best interest of A Dog's Purpose to cancel this weekend's premiere and press junket," the producer said.

"Since the emergence of the footage, Amblin has engaged with many associated with the production of the film, including safety personnel, trainers and stunt coordinators as part of their in-depth review. While we are all disheartened by the appearance of an animal in distress, everyone has assured us that Hercules the German shepherd was not harmed throughout the filmmaking."

The American Humane Association, which had an animal safety representative on the set, told CBC News the worker has been placed on administrative leave.

Safety rep suspended after animal cruelty allegations on A Dog's Purpose film set

The film, shot in Manitoba in 2015, remains scheduled for wide theatrical release on Jan. 27.
'It's upsetting to me,' says producer

Gavin Polone, one of the movie's producers, said he was on the set for about 70 per cent of all scenes filmed, but did not witness the incident depicted in the video, which was released Wednesday by online tabloid site TMZ.

Though Polone said he never saw any animals in distress, he described the footage as "upsetting" and supports the investigation into the incident.

'Why not come forward with this immediately after it happened so that if people were doing wrong, they could be stopped?'
- Gavin Polone, producer

"Any time I see an animal looking like it might be in some kind of stressful situation, it's upsetting to me, in this context or any other," Polone said, adding he got involved with the movie as a longtime dog owner and animal lover.

He added that he finds it curious that the footage — allegedly shot in November 2015 — would surface just as the film prepares to hit cinemas rather than right away.

"Why not come forward with this immediately after it happened so that if people were doing wrong, they could be stopped?"
Boycott urged

Regardless, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and Toronto-based Animal Justice are vigorously calling for a boycott of A Dog's Purpose and all films that use real animals.

Several Canadian animal welfare groups have also chimed in on the disturbing video, from the PEI Humane Society to the Montreal SPCA, to the Ottawa Humane Society.

In the meantime, a number of Canadian animal shelters and veterinary groups have been caught up in the controversy, after having arranged fundraising preview screenings of A Dog's Purpose.

Vets to Go and the Calgary Humane Society decided to cancel their upcoming event in Calgary after the video surfaced. Saskatoon's New Hope Dog Rescue, in partnership with Western College of Veterinary Medicine students, said it is moving ahead with a planned screening.

Theatre giant Cineplex said Friday it will waive cancellation fees for any groups that have booked preview screenings of A Dog's Purpose.

Featuring several different dogs and a cast led by Dennis Quaid, A Dog's Purpose follows the many lives of a reincarnated dog named Bailey, voiced by Tony-nominated and Grammy-winning actor Josh Gad. It's directed by Lasse Hallstrom and based on a bestselling novel by W. Bruce Cameron.

Gad, Hallstrom and Cameron have all noted on social media that they were alarmed by the video. None witnessed the incident depicted in person.

"I was as disturbed as you were by the video ... Though obviously edited and hysterically headlined, the images speak for themselves," Cameron wrote on Facebook. "I want all the facts at my disposal before I pronounce judgement or issue an opinion."

Gosh, I was planning to play that here since it looks like such a nice movie. Maybe not, now....

Posted by Dennis Benjamin (Member # 1137) on 01-20-2017, 11:43 AM:

A lot of people were looking forward to this film. It looks like quality family entertainment.

If the dog had died on set, I would understand all the media attention. The dog is alive and well. So I am baffled why this is a news story.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 01-20-2017, 03:07 PM:

The problem with the video is it doesn't actually show the dog being put into the water, then cuts to the dog being "saved" from handlers. There is no context to know if the dog eventually went in on his own, or if it was even the same day.

Posted by Scott Jentsch (Member # 1681) on 01-20-2017, 03:35 PM:

This video is getting a lot of news. I wouldn't be surprised if they delayed the movie until the hype died down and proper investigation can be done that would (hopefully) exonerate the production.

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 01-20-2017, 04:09 PM:

This seems like a similar situation to The Interview, with a different set of facts behind it.

They might hold off on the release until the hoopla dies down. Unfortunately, by then the "rah rah" hype will have gone away with it and few people will remember or want to see the movie when it does hit the theatres.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 01-20-2017, 05:14 PM:

Hard to see them pulling back the release just 7 days out. We actually received the movie via satellite today, so I would say it's very unlikely the release date will be pushed.

Even if they did push the date, the controversy would be brought back just as easy at a later date.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 01-20-2017, 07:11 PM:

Stories popped up that the video was during the shooting of this feature where the animal, a German Shepherd, was apprehensive in entering into a pool of water that was churned by eight outboard motors making it look lie the animal was entering in a swift current of sorts.

The director, seeing the animal under stress after being 'forced' into the pool, immediately called "cut!", went to rescue the animal out of the pool and the animal was fine.

Now, the question arises is, if this scene was added in the final cut for release.

It's this video of the production that call the activists all in an uproar and prob claiming that this is scene is in the release film.

-Monte

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 01-21-2017, 07:43 PM:

If you watch the video you see the handler holding the dog while dipping his back paws in the water - this is normal practice to show him the water is warm. The dog does not look too happy, but I don't see what's happening as him being mishandled. Then the image jumps to a different angle of the water tank with the water agitated to look, probably, like a raging rapids, and the safety crew - stationed in the water for this - pulling the dog up when its head goes under. We can't know what happened between these shots. The official word is that the shoot was delayed to let the dog calm down. Also that the scene had been rehearsed with the dog not showing any distress.
I understand that the premiere event was cancelled. Here in Toronto, press and preview screenings were cancelled. I haven't seen any announcement of the theatrical opening being canceled/delayed.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 01-21-2017, 08:42 PM:

All the hoopla says the dog was scared of "the water." Seems more like he was scared of the noise of the outboard motors and/or the churning of the water. So no sticking of his paws to "show him the water was warm" would have calmed him down, if that was the case. They may have been able to solve the problem by having a bunch of humans with paddles stir up the water.

But, no matter why the dog was hesitant, if this is animal cruelty, then anybody who ever had to force their dog into a bathtub to wash him down is just as guilty... in other words, every responsible dog owner ever.

I guess in the future there will be nothing but animated animals in the movies. More expensive, but at least you don't risk blowing your whole opening over some stupid little thing like this.

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 01-21-2017, 09:00 PM:

A similar issue surfaced with Last Tango in Paris last year. Someone unearthed unseen footage of a Bertolucci interview in which he admitted that Schneider was actually raped by Brando on the set, and was not told in advance what was going to happen. Without wanting to get too political, commentators of a certain political persuasion who had always disliked the film called upon those of another who had formerly celebrated it as a masterpiece to disown their earlier judgments.

I suspect that the revelation will change this film from one of the usual arthouse classics that venues such as mine would have played once or twice a year, to one that is shown a lot less frequently and under far tighter curatorial control.

This doggie flick is a slightly different kettle of fish (how's that for mixed metaphors?!), because it is a new, mainstream release that the studio will want to recoup a big investment on. I agree with Scott that they'll probably investigate what happened, establish that the dog was not subjected to any significant harm, and then release the thing and grit their teeth for whatever PETA and their ilk want to do in response.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 01-21-2017, 09:27 PM:

quote: Mike Blakesley
But, no matter why the dog was hesitant, if this is animal cruelty, then anybody who ever had to force their dog into a bathtub to wash him down is just as guilty... in other words, every responsible dog owner ever.

I was thinking the same thing. I give my cats a bath once a month or so, and they don't like it. Does that mean I'm abusing my cats?

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 01-24-2017, 10:01 AM:

Just an FYI, there will be an advance screening here in Albuquerque tonight at 6pm.

Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 01-24-2017, 12:40 PM:

Bill Warren, an avid dog lover, has apparently pulled the movie from his plexes.

I will also be boycotting the feature because the trailer makes it look corny and dumb.