The Animals of Cinema

While some might consider Heath Ledger and Marlon Brando to have some of the greatest performances in modern cinema, some of the most memorable might have four legs and a tail. 

One of the very first instances of an animal working on screen was in 1904 with Blair, a pet collie whom director Cecil Hepworth brought on set to act in his film “Rescued By Rover.” A short while after, in 1934, we would see the unnamed cat star of Edgar G. Ulmer's “The Black Cat,” for which the feline got no credit. Since then, the big screen’s been filled with our favorite furry friends. 

Throughout the emergence of modern film, we were able to see some of the best performances from cats and dogs, from Lassie in “Lassie Comes Home” and Frank in “Men In Black” to Orangey in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and Crackerjack in the “Harry Potter” franchise. Multiple award shows, such as “Hollywood Dogs: From Rin Tin Tin to Uggie” at the Motion Picture Academy, have been held to honor the achievements of the four-legged friends.

Gabe Holt, 12, listed some of his favorite animal performances in different films as “The donkey in “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Andy the Beagle in “John Wick,” Snoop in “Anatomy of a Fall,” and the CGI elephant in “Babylon.” 

Even during the actor's strike last year, the animals were out of jobs as well. While some, like Jack the water buffalo– who was born on the set of “Tropic Thunder”-- resorted to chasing trespassers away from his ranch, some were able to take a break during the strike. Luke and Litte John, two actor raccoons, chilled out in a kiddy pool while off work. Even some like Mrs. Pickles, an actor parakeet, were able to take the break to start a family and lay eggs.

While the growing concern about AI in the production process of movies and television has been making headlines, animal handlers have been going up against their own battle of digital replication in the form of CGI for animals in film. While some might argue that replacing the actors digitally could be safer for the pets, it allows a more human connection between the human and animal actors and many job opportunities for animal handlers and trainers.

“I think it’s kind of a double-edged sword when it comes to animals in film. They are hard to direct in some instances, and using CGI allows jobs for the VFX artists. But the connection between the actor and the animal is hard to recreate, like when they are just petting nothing,” Gabe Holt, 12, said. 

In an interview with the Washington Post, animal trainer Bill Berloni shared his opinion on the pay and benefits that the people who take care of the animals earn, saying “The dog’s on the poster– Zero. Zilch. Nothing,” and that “We’ll be standing on a set, working for $500 a day, where the [human] extra standing next to me is making twice as much. And we’re a specialized entity.”

There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes with the furry friends. Whether it’s fighting CGI, fighting for a fair wage, or simply taking time off during the strike, it’s fair to say that without them, cinema–as we know it– wouldn’t be the same.