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Information

Year
1903
Runtime
1 min.
Director
Edwin S. Porter
Genres
Horror, Documentary, Short
Rating *
2.8
Votes *
1,254
Checks
1,860
Favs
11
Dislikes
215
Favs/checks
0.6% (1:169)
Favs/dislikes
1:20
* View IMDb information

Top comments

  1. Log Lady's avatar

    Log Lady

    ca_horror_fan wrote:
    Wikipedia says Topsy the elephant was executed for killing her trainer, James Fielding Blount.


    Blount was a spectator. An idiot who decided to harass the elephants, and when Topsy lashed out, the circus was probably just glad that the incident drew more crowds to see the killer elephant Topsy. When another attack occurred, Topsy was sold and its handler William Alt followed. Alt proved to be an utter ass (one time he stabbed the elephant with a pitchfork) and was eventually fired. The owners tried to get rid of Topsy, but no one wanted her so she was executed. There was an admission fee, which just goes to show that Topsy was used for money and publicity right up until the end.

    An interesting, albeit sad, case of animal abuse, and one would hope that the situation has changed. Unfortunately, there are still elephant "shelters" where they are paraded in front of flock of tourists and beaten and tortured.
    9 years ago
  2. Camille Deadpan's avatar

    Camille Deadpan

    I'm never going to watch this piece. 10 years 5 months ago
  3. beeswax's avatar

    beeswax

    Why is this in the "narrative films" list from Harvard?

    Shouldn't it be in their "non-fiction" list?
    8 years 3 months ago
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Activity

  1. AmirVzz checked this movie 1 day 11 hours ago
  2. Roskabouter checked this movie 6 days 12 hours ago
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In 2 official lists

  1. This movie ranks #13 in Harvard's Suggested Film Viewing: Narrative Films
    Harvard's Suggested Film Viewing: Narrative Films's icon

    Harvard's Suggested Film…

    13
  2. This movie ranks #132 in TSPDT's Brief Encounters
    TSPDT's Brief Encounters's icon

    TSPDT's Brief Encounters

    132
View all lists this movie is in