Cow. (12A.)
Directed by Andrea Arnold.
Starring The Dairy Cattle and People of Park Farm. In cinemas. Streaming on MUBI from Feb 14th. 94 mins.
When I went into MUBI to pitch On The Wall, an observational documentary about a day in the life of a fly, I was swotted aside. But if you are Oscar winner Andrea (American Honey, Fish Tank) Arnold, a film following the daily routine of a cow on a farm is no problem at all. So here you have an hour and a half of Luma giving birth, being milked, eating, mooing and being forced to listen to Radio 1 in a big shed.
I assumed this would be an attack on the agroindustrial food production complex, but though Park Farm isn't a particularly pleasant place to be, nothing too terrible occurs. The cattle make it out into the fields occasionally. Being milked by a machine looks very undignified but judging by how bloated and uncomfortable a cow’s udder appear it must be a bit of a relief.
There is a small modern tradition of films with non-human protagonists – Stray (dog in Istanbul), Le Quattro Volte (sheep, trees in Italy). Well, they make a change from Benedict Cumberbatch films. But at least with Cumberbatch films, you have a fairly clear idea of what the main character is feeling. Apart from a couple of occasions when they are clearly in distress, our protagonist deadpans her way through proceedings.
Shot on and off over four years, Arnold’s film is an endeavour to consider the cow and to move us closer to them. It certainly gives you a cow's eye view of the world but, if anything, it illustrates how apart we are.
From an early age, most Westerners are taught to view animals anthropomorphically. Children’s books, animation and even most nature documentaries encourage us to interpret their actions through human equivalents. It’s fraudulent, of course, but without it you may be a little lost. Maybe if you are in daily contact you can form an understanding but over these 90 minutes, all you see is a lifeform existing. If you see sadness in those big eyes of hers that’s just guesswork, or you imposing your sentimentality or agenda on the image.
Honestly, they come across as a dull old lot and their lives are boring, though at least they don't spend good money and get a babysitter in to go out to the cinema and watch some cows eating, milking and mooing for an hour and a half.
Directed by Andrea Arnold.
Starring The Dairy Cattle and People of Park Farm. In cinemas. Streaming on MUBI from Feb 14th. 94 mins.
When I went into MUBI to pitch On The Wall, an observational documentary about a day in the life of a fly, I was swotted aside. But if you are Oscar winner Andrea (American Honey, Fish Tank) Arnold, a film following the daily routine of a cow on a farm is no problem at all. So here you have an hour and a half of Luma giving birth, being milked, eating, mooing and being forced to listen to Radio 1 in a big shed.
I assumed this would be an attack on the agroindustrial food production complex, but though Park Farm isn't a particularly pleasant place to be, nothing too terrible occurs. The cattle make it out into the fields occasionally. Being milked by a machine looks very undignified but judging by how bloated and uncomfortable a cow’s udder appear it must be a bit of a relief.
There is a small modern tradition of films with non-human protagonists – Stray (dog in Istanbul), Le Quattro Volte (sheep, trees in Italy). Well, they make a change from Benedict Cumberbatch films. But at least with Cumberbatch films, you have a fairly clear idea of what the main character is feeling. Apart from a couple of occasions when they are clearly in distress, our protagonist deadpans her way through proceedings.
Shot on and off over four years, Arnold’s film is an endeavour to consider the cow and to move us closer to them. It certainly gives you a cow's eye view of the world but, if anything, it illustrates how apart we are.
From an early age, most Westerners are taught to view animals anthropomorphically. Children’s books, animation and even most nature documentaries encourage us to interpret their actions through human equivalents. It’s fraudulent, of course, but without it you may be a little lost. Maybe if you are in daily contact you can form an understanding but over these 90 minutes, all you see is a lifeform existing. If you see sadness in those big eyes of hers that’s just guesswork, or you imposing your sentimentality or agenda on the image.
Honestly, they come across as a dull old lot and their lives are boring, though at least they don't spend good money and get a babysitter in to go out to the cinema and watch some cows eating, milking and mooing for an hour and a half.
